Soulovely is a groundbreaking monthly cultural affair stewarded by Aïma the Dreamer, Lady Ryan, and Emancipation, remarkable cultural practitioners of African descent. Since our inception in 2011, Soulovely has curated an extraordinary platform that celebrates and sustains the unwavering spirit and beauty of Oakland’s queer and trans-BIPOC communities. For 14 seasons, Soulovely has solidified its place as a cultural anchor within Oakland’s vibrant queer and trans communities, showcasing over 300 phenomenal WOC and QTBIPOC DJs and live performers.

Within Soulovely’s nurturing embrace, music becomes a soul-stirring force, surrendering to the rhythm in an outpouring of love and support. From house to neo-soul, old-school hip hop to salsa, and afrobeat, we embrace the soulful umbrella that ignites spirits and moves bodies. Rest assured, we steadfastly uphold our commitment to excluding any music that degrades women/femmes or perpetuates homophobia or transphobia.

About Emancipation

Emancipation is a proud Afro-Arab who identifies herself as a “professional joy enabler.” Through the music our ancestors dreamed of, Emancipation’s sound travels across continents tracing our human collaboration and connection. Nothing makes her happier than to witness her beloved QTBIPOC communities get free on the dance floor. Smiles, sweat, grace, and love for one another, all remind her of how glorious this life truly is.

She has been making people dance in the Bay Area dance scene for over 15 years and has been an active cultural worker and activist in Oakland since she first moved to the Town from her native Egypt 20 years ago. Eman worked for many years fighting for justice in Palestine and Iraq helped to organize the Arab immigrant community in San Francisco and worked for a handful of other community initiatives. Emancipation is the visionary behind the monthly spring-summertime outdoor jump, SOULOVELY. She is also a resident of SKIN, a project of Candi Martinez and DJ Cecil that brings dancers and DJs together over the love of deep, spiritual, ancestral dance music.

About Aïma the Dreamer

Aïma Paule (They/Them/Femme) aka Aïma the Dreamer, the embodiment of intersectionality and a passionate force for change, is a multi-disciplinary artist, musician, and activist based in Oakland, CA. With a career spanning over two decades, Aïma has left an indelible impact through their art exhibitions, performances, and event productions, resonating locally, nationally, and internationally. Aïma’s artistry serves as a potent tool for liberation, uplifting diverse voices, and perspectives with a deep-rooted commitment to QTBIPOC empowerment, intersectional feminism, women’s rights, and anti-racism. As the co-founder of Soulovely, a beloved QTBIPOC dance party that has thrived for 13 years, Aïma’s dedication to amplifying marginalized voices shines through, creating a safe and celebratory space that honors the resilience and beauty of Oakland’s vibrant Queer and Trans* BIPOC community.

Beyond Soulovely, Aïma’s creative contributions continue to awe audiences. Their remarkable events, like the transformative Femme Rage and the groundbreaking ‘Brown Love Black Pride; Oakland to Stonewall’ rally and march, have provided platforms for rage, release, and renewal, fostering powerful moments of artistic expression. Aïma’s music captivates with its smooth delivery and socially conscious content, drawing inspiration from an array of genres and sharing stages with esteemed artists worldwide. With recent successes such as the album ‘Femmenomenon’ released alongside their all-femme group, Femme Deadly Venoms, and the premier of their short film “Femme Rage” at esteemed film festivals, Aïma’s artistry continues to challenge, inspire, and empower as a testament to their unwavering dedication to social change and the celebration of diverse voices.

About Lady Ryan

Lady Ryan is a beloved figure in the Bay Area, evoking feelings of safety, joy, and belonging as both a spiritual conductor and dedicated professional. Her unwavering passion for music resonates throughout the Bay Area and beyond, whether enchanting the crowd at Warriors’ games, producing for her acclaimed parties, Soulovely or Sweetspot, or gracing the airwaves of 91.7 KALW San Francisco.

Lady Ryan has shared the stage with iconic artists, including Diana Ross, George Clinton, Erykah Badu, Journey, Indigo Girls, and Anderson Paak. With her vast knowledge and appreciation of diverse musical genres, skillfully infused with just the right touch of nostalgia, Lady Ryan’s ability to orchestrate uplifting vibrations ensures an unforgettable experience on any dance floor.

More About Soulovely

What’s the origin story of your crew? How did you come together? Who were the founding members? What inspired your name?

QTBIPOC in Oakland have been vibrant contributors to the city’s cultural fabric, but we have been systematically sidelined in terms of available resources and safe, accessible spaces to gather in order to build community.  Queer and trans BIPOC voices have been underrepresented in the Oakland cultural sector.  We came together on a sunny spring day in Oakland back in 2011, wanting to bring together our queer femme artistry in service to our beautiful community to carve out safe space for our people and lift up our Oakland culture makers.

How would you describe the Soulovely Community? What vibes can people expect coming to one of your parties?

Queer and trans Black, indigenous, people of color who seek a safe affirming space to celebrate who we are, hand in hand with our allies: together fostering a culture of solidarity and respect while centering the vibrant cultural making of QTBIPOC artists. Elders, young people, immigrants, parents, trans and GNC people, people with disabilities, educators, a beautiful cross section of queer Oakland!

The vibe is high vibrational, best described as a warm welcome home hug by beloveds.  Everyone is welcome, but we unapologetically center and platform QTBIPOC.  Our events are held during the day, outside under the Oakland sun, this helps to create a fierce sense of belonging, when we witness each other in our joy on the dancefloor in daylight. 

Who or what influences your sets the most? Genres, eras, mentors, movements — what shapes your sound?

Our sound is shaped by our mission driven values of building solidarity on the dance floor.  We play everyone’s favorite songs, fusing global freedom music with local Bay Area slaps mixed with nostalgic crowd pleasers.

How has the Bay Area shaped your identity as a crew?

We are fiercely proud of Oakland and identify as an Oakland based crew first and foremost.  Oakland has shaped our artistry and our vision in profound ways– no other city in the U.S has such a vibrant, radical, and resilient queer and trans community, and that shapes who we are as a crew and as a cultural event.

How do you stay connected to your community outside of the booth? Where and when can we catch you outside of MINTED SF?

Find us on IG: @wearesoulovely and www.wearesoulovely.com. We throw the best Oakland events every second sunday from January-October at 7th West.

RSVP for your free tickets to see Soulovely at MINTED SF on Friday, August 29, 2025!