Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christina Cruz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Christina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Nightshade Family includes a music label, DJ collective and sound production company. However, our main focus and driving force right now is becoming a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering individuals through electronic music performance, creation, and harm reduction initiatives. Our mission is to create safe, inclusive spaces for the Athens and Atlanta communities by providing access to music resources, promoting nightlife safety, and offering harm reduction tools. Programs will include drug and drink testing kits, Narcan training, and safe transportation options.
Here is a personal note explaining the purpose for our mission from my husband and Nightshade Family co-founder Dado: “Nearly four years ago, I began my journey to sobriety after losing my best friend, Entheos, to an overdose in June 2020. Entheos, whose name comes from the Greek root for “enthusiasm,” embodied that spirit in every way—he was a beautiful, supportive soul who inspired me deeply. Whether giving me rides to gigs or dancing right at the front, he gave me the encouragement I needed to fully express myself and my music. His friendship fueled my passion, and his memory continues to drive me forward. His passing ultimately led me to start Nightshade Family, a vision he inspired, to foster a safe, inclusive community where creativity and connection flourish. Nightshade Family will not only offer resources for nightlife safety but also create a supportive environment providing opportunities and mentorship for anyone who wants to learn about music production, performance, and the technical skills involved.”

Christina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Nightshade Family is a family business, led by my husband Dado and I. The name Nightshade Family comes from the plant family that has some plants with flowers that bloom only at night, as well as expressing the idea that we are all connected to each other through nature as a family. We are a record label, multi-genre DJ & producer collective, and event promotion company. We have 10 digital EP releases so far featuring artists from around the world. We have also recently become a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering individuals through electronic music performance, creation, and harm reduction initiatives. Through our non-profit initiative we hope to positively impact our local community. We throw local and regional sound system events celebrating underground dance music and building community among artists. We have had thrown over 60 events and worked with over 200 artists since we began. Our DJ collective has 16 resident DJ’s and producers located in Athens and Atlanta. We also offer professional sound system and CDJ equipment rentals, booking & event production services called ‘Powered by Nightshade Family’. We aim to create a safe space where all feel welcome and free to be themselves.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When we began Nightshade Family in early 2021 Dado had the idea to start a music label and throw local events. There were no electronic music events being hosted in Athens at that time, and therefore no place for aspiring DJs and producers to build community, perform, or grow through mentorship and support. We had just moved back to Athens from Seattle, where we lived for 4 years. There was a very active electronic music community in Seattle, so we recognized that these events were missing from the Athens music scene. However, three years into our journey in 2024, we realized that we needed to adjust our path in order to fulfill our goals of supporting our community. My husband Dado was the one who decided to turn Nightshade Family into a non-profit organization so that our intentions of creating a safe space and supporting artists in our local community can be fully realized. This was overwhelming at first because there was a lot to learn about how non-profit organizations are formed and properly conduct business. With Dado’s constant support and encouragement, we both learned about this new business model and we feel this change is going to open so many opportunities for us to connect with and support local artists. We are very excited for what 2025 has in store!

How’d you meet your business partner?

My business partner and co-founder is also my husband, Dado. We met in 2012 in Athens while I was a student at UGA, and we got married in 2018 while living in Seattle. We also have a 9 year old daughter, Annabella. Our family is the driving force for everything we do. Dado has been involved in music since his youth, playing many instruments and part of several bands, before venturing into production of electronic music in in his early 20’s, producing and DJing for over 10 years now. I had a different path and got my degree in fashion merchandising from UGA, then went to work in a corporate buying office for Nordstrom. I left my job at Nordstrom because we planned to move back to Athens. Once we moved back and started Nightshade Family we loved working together. We are able to utilize both our strengths and run a business together which has been a wonderful experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nightshadefamilyband.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightshadefamilyband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nightshadefamilymusic
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nightshadefamilyband
• Other: https://nightshadefamily.bandcamp.com/