In the photo below, it’s not hard to sense the extraordinary connection Becker has to music.
Everything from her space to her own self cultivates a sense of peace. She keeps her apartment full of colorful plants and memories that celebrate her life, her daughter, and her many joys. And of course, you can’t miss the DJ setup right above shelves filled with vinyl records.
But there’s something else important that she’s also doing: she’s rejecting ageism.
Becker’s Story
Today, Becker is 55 years old. But back in the day, 22-year-old Belinda moved to NYC after graduating from college. She then saw herself writing for magazines like The Rolling Stone. Initially, no one wanted to work with her due to a lack of experience. She was running out of money when fate turned. When she was at a nightclub, a man working there approached her and asked her if she needed a job. She answered positively, with no hesitation.
She started out bussing tables, but there came a day when the DJ of the club didn’t show up. The manager freaked out and asked if anybody could DJ and play music. Belinda then said to the manager that she was not a DJ but she liked music and had records. You can really tell that she was in the right place at the right time. She owned the opportunity by honing her craft through lessons with DJs she knew.
As the years went on, she didn’t let the increasingly young audience of live DJs scare her. She knew that music is what she wanted to be doing. And as the years went on, instead of becoming less relevant, she made it a goal to keep becoming more relevant by staying connected to the communities that she thought could benefit from her the most. The lesson everyone can learn from this is that if you’re open to playing for those who need you the most, instead of just trying to stay on the top, you will always be in business!
Combating Ageism & Even More
Belinda says that she is comfortable in her skin and she had paid her dues. She knows who she is and she can walk confidently. She thinks that life is about major milestones, but life is truly about nuance and subtlety. When you understand this, it can make life so much better and easier. As a woman of color, Belinda rejects not only ageism but racism. She is proud of who she is and where she comes from.