“Now, she needs some love and help in return.”

“Dear PoPville,

I want to let the community know about an event we have going on to support a local DJ who’s suffered a traumatic brain injury. The events she throws have been attended by thousands of area music lovers over the years.

Annie Nguyen aka Vanniety Kills is a DJ who’s done so much to create safe spaces for the dance music and LGBTQ communities over her years playing in DC.

She throws several ongoing events in DC that have united dance music lovers across all identities: Cadence (a drum & bass showcase), The House That U Built (house music), Ladies of the Underground (female DJ showcase) and OverEasy (a Sunday tea dance for the queer girl community); and she plays many other events and parties thrown by other promoters and venues including during DC Pride, at Flash, U Street Music Hall, El Techo and at the long-running Deep Sugar parties based in Baltimore and DC. By day, prior to her injury, Annie was a pharmacist serving veterans at Walter Reed. Her life’s mission is to make people feel safe and loved, whether that be through her medical work or on the dance floor.

Now, she needs some love and help in return. In October, after playing a community event, she suffered a traumatic brain injury (her second) and is currently unable to work, play music, or enjoy many other things she used to do. The DC dance music community and dozens of local businesses are coming together this Sunday, in honor of Annie and Brain Injury Awareness Month (March), to throw a fundraiser to assist with her medical expenses. There will be three rooms of music at Eighteenth Street Lounge honoring three of her parties: Cadence, The House That U Built and OverEasy, and a raffle featuring some fabulous prizes like stays at The Line Hotel and Eaton Workshop, two tickets and VIP wristbands for the sold out Massive Attack show at the Anthem, salon services, original artwork, locally made goods, yoga classes and more. Closing out the DJ lineup at the event is Annie’s little brother – Louis Kha of Autograf – who will be DJing a set inspired by Annie’s music selections. Unfortunately, due to her injury, Annie cannot attend in person.

Tickets are available here.

And if anyone would like to contribute to fundraising efforts, but cannot attend in person, we’ve set up a GoFundMe here.”