Have you ever wanted to peek behind the scenes of your favorite new queer social app? Here at SPACES, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the backbone of our company: our fantastic team!

Meet Abby, the SPACES Talent Team’s Community Influencer Manager.

Hey, Abby! Tell us — and all our SPACES users — about yourself and your role at the company.

I’ve been with SPACES since September 2021. My role involves finding key partners within the LGBTQ+ community to become Hosts for SPACES, and then nurturing those established relationships. 

Our goal is to grow our user base qualitatively by targeting our outreach to authentic community members who we think would benefit most from SPACES. 

I have a background in art direction and marketing, as well as many years in the hospitality industry, which I think helps in understanding how to approach so many diverse members of our community. 

What is special about your time at SPACES?

I was welcomed onto the team with open arms from day one, and I’m still overwhelmed by the camaraderie and respect we have for one another. I’m surrounded by so many nationalities and creeds, and I’m learning so much from everyone.

I feel included in a very special family, and I believe wholeheartedly in SPACES’ groundbreaking endeavors. It opens the possibility for enormous positive change for the LGBTQ+ community. I was lucky enough to meet a few team members on a recent meetup in Cape Town, South Africa, and I have so much admiration for our team’s balance of intellect, hard work and play.

What do you like most about your job?

I feel so lucky to have a job that doesn’t feel like a job. I love being challenged in my role and relish connecting with new and interesting people daily. My team has progressed and reshaped, and I’m part of an awesome crew of people! We all have different perspectives that really add to a great working dynamic. I also really admire the company’s work ethos, giving recognition and praise when it is warranted. It really boosts my self-confidence.

I’ve always been an advocate for the underrepresented and those in need of a voice and prominence, and I feel as if I’m doing something that is truly meaningful.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I have been a professional vinyl DJ for over 20 years, so music and gigging are huge passions. I am a total vinyl junkie and collect every genre out there, from jazz to pop to electronic, neo synth, techno, experimental, indie, disco, house … you name it! (And you can check out one of the many communities I’ve created on SPACES, A Vinyl a Day, if you’re a fan, too!)

My second passion is jewelry design. I am also a silversmith by trade and have a workshop in my house where I make jewelry. I like to custom design and handmake bespoke pieces for people, which is a great creative outlet for me. 

I also love to dive, hike, practice yoga and, of course, I frequent music festivals around the world.

You’re based in Johannesburg, South Africa. What would you say is your ultimate Joburg travel recommendation?

I love being a Jozi girl. There is unparalleled energy that this place has that makes you feel part of something relevant! For a great weekend experience, I can recommend a Saturday morning trip to the Braamfontein market, offering fresh produce and artisanal food stores, where JHB’s trendiest congregate over craft cocktails and great music. It’s on a rooftop within the city, and the energy is electric. I’d then recommend sundowners at a place called the Hallmark House Hotel with a bar that boasts a 360-degree view of the whole of JHB’s city. It is a collaborative design hub where people of all artistic persuasions have created a gem. From the wallpaper to the art to the carpet design, the unique scent pumped through the quirky barbershop to the speakeasy that hosts the best jazz nights and even better food… it’s an all-encompassing cultural explosion.

Sunday morning, I’d say take a trip out to the Cradle of Humankind. This UNESCO world heritage site contains a complex system of limestone caves and archaeological history. Then head next door to Nirox Sculpture Park, a beautiful 15-hectare park in the Cradle that regularly changes its collection of contemporary sculptures. Have an al fresco lunch at “And Then There Was Fire” restaurant set in the expansive lawns of the park. Wine + Tapas = Happiness.

Follow Abby and check out the many Spaces she hosts in the app today! Download SPACES here!