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DJ Kuttin Kandi

Candice Custodio-Tan, a community organizer for nearly 25 years, is a "People's Hip Hop DJ Scholar" who was born and raised in Queens, NY. She is a disabled Filipinx-Pin[a/x]y-American Queer, Writer, Poet, Theater Performer, Educator, Hip Hop Feminist, and Community Organizer.  She is also known as DJ Kuttin Kandi and is widely regarded as one of the most legendary and accomplished womxn DJs in the world. In addition, she is a known Pop-Culture Political Essayist and has written for several anthologies and blogs including as a Guest Contributing Writer for Colorlines, Racialicious, etc.

Kandi is the Co-Editor of the book "Empire of Funk: Hip Hop & Representation in Filipino/a America" and is currently co-editing the new anthology on Pin[a/x]y Activism, releasing in Spring 2021. Furthermore, Kandi is a well-known public speaker and lecturer and has spoken at over 150 colleges/universities across the United States.  When Kandi is not performing, she is community organizing, speaking, writing or lecturing. Kandi worked at UC San Diego Women’s Center for seven years and at Diablo Valley College in Student Life specializing in social justice & diversity programming for two years. She is a Founding core member and Organizer with Asian Solidarity Collective.  She is also involved with the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Intersectional Feminist Collective, and organizes with various other organizations and coalitions throughout San Diego and across the United States. 

In 2018, DJ Kuttin Kandi was titled a Global Hip Hop and Cultural Ambassador by Next Level's Meridian International Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. She currently serves as a Site Manager for Next Level. Today, DJ Kuttin Kandi continues to do community organizing work and provides various lectures on diversity, gender & sexuality, race, disability justice, organizational leadership & development training, coaching for liberation and Hip Hop Feminism .  Kandi's pronouns are she/her and Kandi.