by Danita White
Due to the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, many people, especially those in creative fields, have found themselves out of work and facing financial hardships due to tour and event cancellations and travel being stopped.
Reach Records, the flagship record label of Christian hip hop, has made sure to take care of its own during this time of crisis. Over the past few months, Reach Records re-activated its 116 Life and has been highlighting the stories of creators who help push the Unashamed Movement forward. Along with their stories, Venmo and CashApp handles have also been shared so fans and followers can donate to these creators and their families.
Brianna Baca, a professional dancer who worked on several projects with Reach, is the latest to be featured. Her story goes beyond COVID-19 as due to a recent boating accident, she sustained a severe neck injury preventing her from dancing.
Sharing how she got connected with Reach Records and artist Wande, in particular, Brianna said, “Wande and I first got connected through a mutual friend. We were all meeting up and I had mentioned to Wande that I was a dancer. She got excited, and shared that she had wanted to get better at dancing so I invited her to a dance class with me. I didn’t think she would actually come, but Wande pulled up! The next day she asked if I would perform with her that weekend, and of course I agreed. From that weekend on we started working more closely together and I have been her choreographer since!
“I’ve been able to spend time at Reach Records and meet many of the 116 crew,” Brianna continued, “which is crazy because I’ve been listening and have looked up to everyone at Reach Records for years.”
Brianna is “doing alright” and is in recovery after undergoing surgery to repair broken bones and nerve damage in her neck. Immediately after the accident, she had lost feeling in her hands, couldn’t move on her own and wasn’t sure if she would be able to dance again. Through it all, however, Brianna maintains that God is so good.
“It’s going to take some months of physical therapy but I know God is a healer and I know He is with me,” Brianna said. “I’ll be back on the dance floor soon, stronger than ever.”
To support Brianna during this time, you can make financial contributions of any amount to her through Venmo, Cash App, or GoFundMe:
Venmo: @Brianna-Baca-303
Cash App: $BriBaca303
GoFundMe: https://gf.me/u/yk7ht3
Check out Brianna’s full feature here and visit reachrecords.com for more 116 Life creator stories.