Know Other Trauma
Safety was severely neglected at Know Other Festival last year...amongst so much else.
In the past six days, I have heard from six different individuals about the personal and collective horrors that unfolded at Know Other Festival 2024. Some recounted not being paid what was contractually promised, while others shared stories of substance abuse relapse triggered by the chaos that ensued during what was meant to be a wellness weekend. These stories are not mine to share, but I invite anyone affected to use their platforms to speak out. Knowledge is, and always will be, power.
TRIGGER WARNING: This essay mentions s*xual assault, trauma, a mental health episode, and verbal abuse.
If true crime documentaries have taught me anything, it is that speaking up can save a life. By sharing my experience, I hope to help someone reconsider whether this event is the right choice for them. I can no longer, in good faith, remain silent about what I experienced and witnessed at Know Other Festival.
I have turned off comments for this essay—not because I am unwilling to engage in discussion, but because this is not about bashing or personal vendettas. It is about sharing information to protect the LGBTQ+ community. In Trump’s America, this is not just a civic duty but a matter of safety. It is about taking the necessary steps to ensure that our community is safe, both physically and mentally.
We have free will. If, after reading this, you still choose to participate in Know Other Festival, I genuinely hope you have an amazing time. The choice is yours.
My Introduction to the Festival
I first attended Know Other Festival in 2023 when it was called Sum of Us. At the time, it was run by Madison Eker, who created the wellness event to provide queer folks with a space to connect outside of the traditional nightlife scene. Queer people in the woods, camping and healing together? Sign me up.
My best friend and I decided to vend at the event. As you probably already know (unless you’re new to me), I am a professional intuitive, energy healer, and tarot reader. My friend offered her signature sports massage services. Though we did not break even financially, we both agreed that we had a wonderful time—attending events, forming lifelong connections, skinny-dipping in the pool, and frolicking through the woods.
As someone with extensive experience in operations, project management, and event planning, I noticed areas where the festival could improve—from ticket management to volunteer coordination and communications. I saw opportunities to support the event and wanted to help.
New Ownership and Growing Concerns
Within the year, it was announced that Sum of Us had been acquired by Yinka Freeman, who had been involved with the festival for years. As a Black queer woman, I felt proud knowing that another Black queer woman was taking the helm.
I reached out to Yinka to express my interest in getting involved, and within days of our first digital sync, I was onboarded to support digital operations and project management. However, as time went on, I began hearing allegations that the festival had not been appropriately purchased. What followed was a “she said, she said” situation. I chose to side with Yinka.
The news spread quickly within the LGBTQ+ community. As a result, leadership members, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers dropped out daily. Many chose to remove themselves simply to avoid the drama, which I understood.
After the original safety lead dropped out, I asked my wife if she wanted to step in. My wife has over 18 years of experience as a first responder. “Hero” does not even begin to describe how brave and dedicated she is. She had a screening call and was immediately onboarded. Leadership assured us there would be external security for night patrol, meaning my wife would only be responsible for overseeing safety volunteers during the day. We were both relieved—she wouldn’t have to stress over nighttime security and could get proper rest.
Red Flags Begin to Appear
As the event approached, several concerns arose. A paying sponsor called me, frustrated that she had received no promotion despite contractual agreements. When I raised the issue with leadership and cc’d her, I was told that my actions were “unprofessional” and made us “look bad.”
My wife also had a bad feeling. “Something is off about this,” she said. I reassured her that new management transitions are often chaotic. Deep down, I shared her unease.
The Reality of Know Other Festival
When we arrived, the leadership team and volunteers were scrambling to prepare. There was an air of organized chaos, which is normal for events. However, there was also a lot of waiting around, unclear direction, and disorganization. My wife and I offered to help but were told to relax and prepare for the next day.
As the festival began, my wife took on her role as Safety Director while I managed digital operations and supported the command center. Leadership gave me little guidance, so I filled in where needed—talent support, vendor assistance, coordinating with the venue manager, and more.
A few attendees were stung by hornets, prompting us to ask if an EpiPen was available. “No, but we have plenty of Narcan!” someone in leadership joked.
By the second night, my wife was exhausted. Despite being promised external security, she had been up all night patrolling, managing intoxicated attendees who ignored California’s fire safety laws, and dealing with external threats; including slurs yelled from passing cars and a back gate repeatedly being opened, compromising site security. She had the help of only two volunteers come nightfall, neither of whom had safety experience.
Volunteers, in exchange for a festival ticket, were expected to work shifts; but several did not show up. Leadership, also volunteer-based, had limited structured responsibilities, and there was no accountability for substance use on duty, something many engaged in.
A Failure of Care
On day two, a camper had a psychological episode due to missing their medication. My wife insisted on calling paramedics, but leadership refused, fearing police involvement. Even when my wife explained that we could specifically request paramedics only, they still denied the request. Instead, the camper was isolated in a cabin and later expelled from the festival, forced to leave alone as sunset approached. To my knowledge, there was no licensed mental health professional on-site to handle such emergencies.
The Last Evening
One of the biggest events to take place at Sum of Us was the Camp Beverton Strap-a-Thon which is exactly how it sounds. A consensual night of s*xual play in a designated space that is monitored by experienced ‘dungeon monitors’. Naturally, Know Other Festival made sure to include this event as well. When Mandala Springs (the festival’s venue for the year) heard about this there was an immediate request to cancel the event per not having any knowledge of the s*xual aspect of the festival. This was at the request of Mandala Springs management and the board at large. Upper leadership agreed not to have the festival, however they moved it to another space under the guise of ‘strip poker’.
I was specifically in charge of assigning numbers to those interested in the play party for the evening. This resulted in a number of unwanted physical and verbal advances toward me, despite one of the overall values of the festival being Consent. The vast majority of partygoers were under the influence of varying substances. I had given my wife the evening off and stepped in as her Second for Security. I myself have a background of 5 years in Loss Prevention (which included citizen arrests, apprehensions, and security ops)...it was my college job.
As someone who has attended quite a few play parties over the duration of my life, I found this to be a significant cause for concern, but when expressed I was told that the moderators would be able to handle it and not to worry. As the night crept close to around 2am; myself and a few others who were on staff went to go see how the party was going. When we entered the space we were hit with a wave of heat from how many bodies were crammed into the living room. Within minutes it was announced that the play party would be ending in 10 minutes but that free play was welcome to happen.
At this point I was beyond exhausted, and folks were starting to leave for the night. I told my colleagues that I would be going to my cabin for the night but would leave my radio on for another 45 minutes incase support was needed. I was told not to worry about it and to get a good night’s rest.
In the morning my wife awoke me at around 9am.
“Someone was sexually assaulted last night at the play party”
I immediately felt a deep pit in my stomach followed by tears. They informed me that the victim was assaulted despite asking the individual multiple times to stop.
When they went to the medical tent the SA victim was informed by the nurse on duty that it was late and to come back in the morning. The nurse was given the name of the individual who did the assault.
I had access to the attendee list and was immediately able to find the person; as they were the only one at the festival with said name. My wife, who has worked with SA victims and assailants volunteered to connect with either of the individuals involved in the crime. Since there was no name of the SA victim (they did not return in the morning…shocker); the only bit of information that we had was the assailant’s name. We were told by upper management not to worry about it.
Of all the issues that took place at this festival, this is the one that haunts me on a deep level. As someone who has been SA’d I know the gaslighting, the pain, the disbelief, the anger, and the hopelessness that comes as a result of a crime of this nature. To know that someone was trusting us with their safety at a Queer Wellness event, to have that violation and then disregard…so nonchalantly for what occurred is reason enough for this essay.
I am haunted knowing that this occurred. I often think that I could have helped had I just stayed up for another few hours. How I would have been there to support them, to listen, and to hold space. In a world in which there is already so much queer pain; this is the last thing that anyone should ever have to worry about at a wellness event.
After I was given this news, my wife and I immediately left the festival with our friend, Jay. We did not stay for the closing ceremony and we barely said goodbyes. I wanted to get as far away from the event as possible. During the drive home I vividly remember Jay stating what I remembered myself saying just a year earlier ‘I really want to get involved…I want to make this better next year’. I turned to them and stated ‘I really do not know if that’s possible’.
Mandala Springs, where the festival was held in 2024 was never paid in full for the event. The manager confirmed that as of Tuesday March 13, 2024 the remaining amount has not been paid to the venue. It was also brought to the venues attention that there was a sexual assault that occurred, to which they had absolutely know knowledge of.
Final Thoughts
By the end of the festival, I was emotionally and physically drained. My wife and I were reimbursed for the festival transportation fees, but informed that since a profit was not made that year, we would not be receiving more than that.
It has taken me nearly a year to share this information because trauma comes in waves. This is still a matter that I am actively working through with my therapist.
“What came of the lawsuit between Madison and Yinka?”
I now realize that Madison was correct about everything that has been stated. I have extended my apologies for everything that I have publicly and privately said to Madison. I will forever stand by my apology for not knowing all of the facts.
More information on their legal case can be viewed here.
Last week I posted the following statement on my Instagram Story.
This resulted in two responses from Yinka and another festival lead; which I have included below.
Recent conversation between Yinka and I
Know Other Festival is marketed as a space for queer joy, wellness, and community care. Instead, it was an ethically compromised and unsafe event. I share this not to tear anyone down, but to warn others and advocate for better.
xx
Janine