DJ Union aims to make student-made music more accessible on campus

DJ Union aims to make student-made music more accessible on campus DJ Union aims to make student-made music more accessible on campus The student-led group focuses on building a community for aspiring DJs, with plans for workshops, performances and more electronic music on campus. Jess Oledan, Staff Reporter • Oct 14, 2026 Peter Ngugi San Francisco State University’s DJ Union uses authentic equipment at a dorm in University Park North on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Peter Ngugi / Golden Gate Xpress) Hunter Manley, a fourth-year broadcast and electronic communications arts major, wanted to create a space where students could learn to DJ without needing expensive equipment, prior experience or the pressure of a classroom setting. Inspired by a student DJ group at a cross-country university, Manley brought the idea to San Francisco State University and founded the DJ Union as its president. Hunter Manley, president of the San Francisco State University’s DJ Union, mixes on her laptop at a dorm in University Park North on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Peter Ngugi / Golden Gate Xpress) The idea took shape when Manley visited a friend at Sarah Lawrence College in March. After attending a practice with the college’s DJ union, Manley was drawn to the group’s emphasis on community and creative freedom. “I really liked the community they had curated,” Manley said. “It’s just like a creative space where you can be yourself and learn.” Manley also wanted to address the financial barriers associated with creating electronic music. Rather than requiring students to buy their own equipment, the club lets members practice together and learn from more experienced DJs. Following its inception, the group is working toward official recognition, including its application to become a registered student club. The SFSU DJ Union aims to bring together student DJs of different experience levels while making the craft more accessible to beginners. “I want the DJ Union to be a space where anyone can feel welcome to come and learn at their own rate,” Manley Said. Despite its name, the DJ Union is currently a student club rather than a labor union.  “The ‘union’ is more in the sense of a group of DJ’s coming together,” Manley said. “DJ Union just sounds cooler.” Outside of the DJ union, SFSU has opportunities for students interested in mixing. The Media Creative Society runs a series featuring DJ sets recorded on campus, while KSFS—the student-run, free-form internet radio station and podcast center of SFSU—offers DJ-related coursework. Manley aims for the club to offer a different environment, without grades or expectations for members to commit to becoming professional DJs. “I don’t want there to be a super big pressure to be like, ‘You have to become a DJ. You have to know these exact skills,’” Manley said. “I want people to learn at their own pace.” Meetings currently take place Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in a University Park North dorm room while the club works to secure a dedicated space on campus. The club’s meetings include presentations and demonstrations of basic DJ techniques, such as transitioning between two songs. Darren Monteiro and Efrel Lopez typically lead the demonstrations. Members practice the skills themselves, choosing their own music as they become more comfortable. Noor Hinawi, a fourth-year apparel design and merchandising major, joined to learn the basics and pick up a new hobby. Hinawi expressed interest in trying a campus performance despite being relatively new to the DJ scene. “The meetings feel like hanging out with your friends who are really encouraging and supportive,” Hinawi said. “We get assigned ‘homework,’ but it’s super helpful and fun.” Lopez, a fourth-year pre-law major, hopes to help other students discover the same excitement that initially drew them to mixing. “I hope that I can help people discover something new within DJing that they can fall in love with, in the same way I did when I first started,” Lopez said. While the meetings are still fairly small, Lopez sees that members appear interested in learning and improving. They are particularly excited about the possibility of a future event featuring a lineup of student DJs. “It would be super fulfilling to be able to witness them mixing on their own at an event since I’ve been part of their journey from the beginning,” Lopez said. Monteiro, a fourth-year BECA major, is another experienced DJ involved in the group. Having performed throughout the Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York and Florida, Monteiro hopes to connect with students who share his interest in electronic music. Efrel Lopez teaches a new DJ Union member a transition at a dorm in University Park North on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Peter Ngugi / Golden Gate Xpress) Monteiro also sees an opportunity to expand the range of music represented at SFSU events. “I feel like [bands are] all that’s really being brought upon, at least in terms of music, at SF State,” Monteiro said. “It’s cool, but there’s so much uncharted territory.” Monteiro credited Manley with driving the club’s creation, describing her as passionate and determined to establish a community for electronic music. “I can tell she’s very passionate about it, and I think she has great ideas for what’s in store for the union,” Monteiro said. Lola Parks, a fourth-year double major in art history and art studio, joined to support Manley and develop friendships through a shared interest in music. For Parks, the meetings provide a welcoming environment for students with varying levels of experience as Manley and Lopez help members build foundational skills. Parks also hopes the group can eventually become more than a casual club. Parks said that if the organization calls itself a union, it should incorporate principles of fairness and collective support. “As important as [community] is, I want to foster that because that’s the base of it all,” Parks said. “I want to create a space where we can protect each other in any case.” For now, the group is focused on growing its membership, developing members’ skills and establishing itself on campus. Plans include hosting events and potentially providing DJs for other campus performances. Manley hopes the club can eventually become a resource for event organizers looking for student DJs, while giving members opportunities to perform publicly. “We want to become more of a collection of DJs,” Manley said. “We want to be like, this is who you go to when you need a DJ.” For the students involved, the goal is to create more room for student-made music at SFSU while making DJing approachable for anyone interested in learning. View Story Comments 0 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story Leave a Comment More to Discover More in Culture Iced coffee, tattoos and interviews: How SFSU students are getting hired Musicals return to SFSU with ‘Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play’ Review: ‘Resident Evil’ is unashamed of its video game roots About the Contributors Jess Oledan, Staff Reporter Jess Oledan (she/her) is a reporter for Golden Gate Xpress. She is majoring in journalism and minoring in music. She grew up in Walnut Creek and now lives in San Francisco. Jess also writes for San Francisco publication 48 Hills; she plans to continue working in arts and culture journalism, with a particular focus on music. Outside of reporting, she is a member of OLEDAN, a seven-piece funk band that performs around the Bay Area. Peter Ngugi, Staff Photographer Peter W. Ngugi (he/him) is a photographer for Golden Gate Xpress. He is majoring in journalism and minoring in queer studies. He was born in Kenya but now lives in San Francisco. He previously was an editorial intern at The OC Weekly-under the tutelage of the Gustavo Arellano. During his free time he cooks, cleans and loves hanging with his wife and son.