‍

I’ve failed, contemplated, and restarted more times than I can count. But somehow, every storm I've faced only cleared the way for what was meant to come next.

I’m Gerardo Vargas, the founder of Miva Collective, and if I’m being honest, I should have quit a long time ago.

Music has always been my backbone. It practically raised me, guided me, and in many times, saved me.

Like many first-generation Americans, I didn’t have many mentors, but I did have music, sports or the borrowed turntables Louis gave me. The music I played in gigs didn't match the music in my headphones. Always being on the go, the burnout began to feel hollow. It was a chaotic pattern I saw mirrored in my peers. In 2013, I walked away from music and chased stability. 

By 2017, I was twenty-four and exhausted by several restarts. A DUI and a totaled car marked a true breaking point. Overnight, I lost the career I had trained and went to school for. It forced a true reality and reflection, the only times I ever had succeeded were when music was at the center of it. So I leaned back into what always grounded me. 

‍

TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)

‍
In 2019, things were finally going great until February 14th. Boom, a hit during a basketball game led to a severe concussion and Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). Light, noise, even laughter became unbearable. I had to relearn how to pretty much do everything. For a total of 10 months, I would collapse under the weight of chronic fatigue, anxiety, and deep depression. 

Friends were supportive, but only one person truly showed up; Dwight Lundy II. A local activist and leader, Dwight drove me to my appointments, aided my rehab, and provided a sense of community when I had none outside of my immediate family. He gave me a path toward optimism and just two months after I fully recovered, Dwight passed away.

I lost my best friend, and soon after, my close acquaintance and local music legend, Justin aka J-Mac (JTOTHEMAC) Macintosh. My life became a devastating loop, build momentum, face trauma, collapse, restart. I felt like the universe was forcing me through a rigorous, unwanted MBA program in resilience, logistics, and mental endurance.

That’s when I decided, if I ever get any opportunity again, I wouldn’t waste it.
‍

‍
Frequency

‍

Through therapy, I started writing down the anger, grief, and guilt. I began to realize that Miva wasn't a brand; it was a mirror reflecting my broken and rebuilt phases. This process led to a philosophical awakening that now forms the cornerstone of the new Miva Collective today.

I learned that the power of intentional thought isn't abstract; it's the mechanism behind every failure or success story. How we think creates how we feel. How we feel becomes an emotion. That emotion becomes a vibration, in which, that vibration becomes a magnet. This magnet or frequency, that we have sent out, positive or negative, is how we attract and manifest things to us. We have to be mindful of how long we think about things before creating and pushing this frequency out into the universe. It only takes about four to six minutes, and more, to start sending this vibration out. 

‍

Music Speak Volumes
‍

When the world finally started opening again, I looked for a new way. Festivals weren’t possible yet, but music still was. That’s how the Music Speaks Volumes series was born.

The concept was simple, an intimate live recording session that gave artists a voice and gave our town something to do, with the current legal capacity restrictions the CDC set in place. Our recording location was at the ol’ stomping grounds where I would go buy all my records when I was getting into turntablism. 

Those sessions became a workshop and sanctuary. Not only for myself but for the artists, or for anyone attending the live recordings. People started tuning in online. Positive messages came in from strangers saying they love the concept, the aesthetic, and the bands we were booking. 

After hosting eight shows, the momentum was unreal. It felt like this was it, like all the lessons and losses, had led here. Then it all fell apart again, only worse this time.

‍

Groundhogs Day
‍

Unfortunately, I lost the career that had been quietly funding the experience. I gave just about every penny to make sure the record store, bands, and production crew were taken care of. And then, out of nowhere, the store’s manager told me they were selling the place. While the new owners were initially open to keeping the series alive, their decision shifted. They wanted shows during store hours, not after. This would have caused a handful of liability issues, safety risks for attendees and logistical challenges for our production and artists equipment. I had to choose between protecting the vision or compromising on safety.

Four months later, I was at the end of my rope when I signed up as a vendor for a NAMI Walks mental health fundraiser in Sacramento. (thank you Andrew for taking me in super last minute) It was also the anniversary weekend of my accident that could have ended me.

Yet, at my small tent, people lined up to spin the wheel, connect on the brand message and share their personal stories and how thankful they are for our concept. It was there, tucked in the corner, that FOX40 News approached me. They loved the mission and the brand. I left that day with tears of disbelief and a business card, knowing that I had been given an unexpected second chance.

‍

National Recognition 

‍

Appearing on Fox40, Studio40 Live was surreal. While sitting in the greenroom, still struggling to figure out my next paycheck. How am I going to talk about Miva Collective? About our mission, about a festival that didn’t even exist yet? Soaking it all in, I made a promise to myself, if I ever got the chance to return, I wouldn’t come alone. I would bring people with me to share this experience, and i did.

This public promise drove me. I leveraged the media opportunity, found a major venue, and spent a year planning the first Miva Day fundraiser. Then, ten days before the event, the rug was pulled out from under me due to unforeseen organizational concerns. The shame was paralyzing. A three-month sabbatical turned into three years of wandering and deep reflection.

‍

New Miva Collective Today

‍

I was certain that whenever the day came for me to try again, this extended break was my final test.

The new Miva Collective is not a clothing brand with a side project. It is an integrated platform for mental resilience.

Your stories. Our stories. Their stories. Everyone has a voice and a relatable story.One love.