The III Points office in Made at the Citadel is the office you probably dream about while sitting in your cubicle.
Everywhere you turn, art and music stares back. The walls are plastered with the names and faces of performers at past festivals. The newest Blood Orange record plays softly in the background. You have perhaps entered the den of the coolest people in Miami. It even has a meditation room, meant for decompressing or simply recharging. (It’s also perfect for photo shoots, as we were to soon find out.)
The energy in the room is pure focus, but still laid-back, somehow. The starkly different women are all completely engrossed into their work.
The lone man in the room is David Sinopoli, 32, the festival’s co-founder. On a team of 14 people, 11 of them are women. This is the team that is bringing Miami LCD Soundsystem, Flying Lotus, and Redman & Method Man in October. When we saw their lineup, we just knew we had to meet the lady-dominated squad that’s killing it in a male-dominated industry and see what makes them tick. We’ve got the full download from there right here.
Erica Freshman, 38
The co-founder and team’s fearless leader is often in the background but much like the drummer in any band, she is what keeps the groove going
Lyly Villanueva, 29
This is boss lady and you pretty much know that the moment you meet her. She is no nonsense, ensuring all the pieces of this large production fall into place.
Volta, 8 (9 in October)
If you see Lyly, Volta is certainly nearby. This little bundle of cuteness is all fur and fierce. Much like her mama, she takes no shit and is acting head of security. But anyone who knows the III Points crews know that Volta, disco princess extraordinaire, is part and parcel of what makes the whole operation. We requested an interview, but she politely declined, stating that she does not get out of bed for less than $1,000 a day.
Veronica Gessa, 27
Now serving face. This striking always black-clad lady is a III Points original, handling everything from social media to creating some truly inspired art installations. You’ve probably seen her towers of old school television sets at previous III Points and other events.
Ashley Venom, 22, and Courtney Smith, also 22
They are lovingly deemed the fraternal twins, as they are conjoined at the hip. At first glance, they appear to have nothing in common. Ashley’s large colorful ‘fro stands in stark contrast to the Courtney’s long blond tresses, but they joke that when they are out together people often ask them if they are in a band. If they were, we’d definitely listen to them.
Michelle Granado, 24
Another III Points OG, Michelle is familiar with the ins and outs of what is needed to make the festival a success. Every team needs someone like her: an observer, a mediator, and someone who doesn’t seek credit, but makes sure all is going well. Where would any of us be without people like her?
Aileen Quintana, 31
How do we possibly begin to describe Aileen? She herself a work of art. The words intergalactic daughter of the Universe come to mind because she is something altogether ethereal and you know that the moment you meet her. Colorful, bold, and esoteric in speech, she is a large part of the creative energy behind III Points. That’s a sculpture she made in the photo above. Talking to her, you begin to get the feeling she isn’t from this planet, and we mean that as the highest compliment.
Cristina Gonzalez, 28
What would any operation be without the techie? And there really could not be a better one than this pixie-faced darling with mad computer skills.
If all this doesn’t make your heart skip a beat a little, just check out the line up. See you in October!
Read the full interview with this bad-ass squad here.