about the caretakers.
At the heart of what we do at Rendezvous, we are creatives holding space for creatives. We believe artistic expression is essential to our collective well-being. We are fulfilled by helping talented people reach their potential. As new and proudly African & Asian business owners raised within collectivist cultures, we feel it is our responsibility to share this prosperity and be caretakers of a community where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive.
Semon is a second generation Eritrean American and proud Seattle local holding over 18 years of professional expertise within nightlife & special event industries. From the early 2000s to 2015. He was a performer & event producer within the Seattle wrestling community. Semon produced 16 annual shows–securing a permanent residency at ReBar in 2004–in addition to booking quarterly matches at major venues like the Showbox Market, Studio 7, and Con Works. From talent management to bar inventory, he credits his decade-long career at ReBar for sharpening his business acumen. Easy access to ownership and the amplification of a broad BIPOC talent base made every experience a learning opportunity: “This was my grad school.” He later parlayed his collective experience into a production role at The Crocodile, and subsequent roles at Marymoor Park, The Unicorn, Bathtub Gin, The Crescent, and The Owl N Thistle. He is passionate about staff development and artist mentorship and believes “industry wisdom should be told, not sold.”
Semon Tesfai, Caretaker (pronounced Simon)
— Flow state soundtrack
“When I’m on the up: Buena Vista Club, Luther Vandross, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Lena Horn, contemporary brown women in R&B and Jazz. When I’m bothered and vanquishing something: The Clips, Mask Off, Drake, Benny & The Butcher, Alchemists, Jay Z’s American Gangster. I appreciate music with a lil pettiness, an underdog perspective, and artists who can make a lot out of a little..”
Jamie is a second generation Chinese American who fell in love with Seattle and put down her roots here in 2000. She found a deep sense of kinship within the Chinatown International District & the University District, and brings over 10 years of professional expertise leading economic and community development initiatives. Jamie is a Co-Executive Director of the SCID Preservation & Development Authority, where she built the small business assistance program, facilitating tenant recruitment & retention for vacant commercial spaces. She works closely with local, regional & national governments to access resources and advocate on behalf of immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs. Jamie serves on the board Crescent Collaborative and the International District Emergency Center, and formerly served with the CID Business Improvement Area and Historic South Downtown. She earned a Masters in Public Administration, a Masters in Social Work, and a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Washington.