Today we’d like to introduce you to Marjhani BellaMorte.
Hi Marjhani, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I have been in the Gothic/Death Rock community since the late 1980’s. After Covid-19 hit and we all went through the lockdown, there were so many venues and events that no longer existed when the world finally opened up. So, I put together Inland Empire Goth (IE Goth) as a way to bring the community together and help us find one another again. Also, to find out what was happening where so we could support them and keep the scene alive.
I started off working with Dr. Strange Records, hosting 2nd Saturdays at his shop where all ages of Goths and Punk Rockers could come hang out, eat and drink, and catch a band and DJs. It was a great success and got things off the ground. From there, I have tried and am still trying out all kinds of family-friendly ideas to help our community stay connected in person. I have hosted a Castle Park Take-over, a Talent Show, Goth Swap Meets, and coming up on its second year a Goth Tea Party. The support and turn-out to events have been extremely encouraging.
Now, I am also involved with starting a Goth TV Station on Roku and Amazon Fire Stick called SubGothTV. Both SubGothTv and Inland Empire Goth (IE Goth) are in the beginning stages of bringing a huge Gothic event to Downtown Riverside in the Summer of 2025, and we are beyond excited to get things going.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, it has been a pleasant experience, but I have definitely had a few moments when I wanted to quit but the community is what encouraged me to keep going. I had planned a huge private Goth event at Six Flags Magic Mountain that included mazes, DJs, and a concert and the park breached the contract and pulled the event about 3 weeks before it was set to happen. The fallout was enormous, but through it, the community stood with me and showed their support. I have since sued Six Flags for their many hindrances to the event and only recently settled the case. There is still some work to complete before I can close the book on it completely, but man, what an experience! My hair broke and fell out, I lost tons of weight from not eating, and I cried every night. But in the end, the community support and understanding helped to pull me out of it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My proudest accomplishment so far is my professional belly dance career. I was a pioneer of the Dark Fusion movement and created a Gothic Belly Dance style I taught and performed around the globe. I ran a dance group for the Original Renaissance Faire from 2005 – 2008, brought Goth Belly dance shows to Goth Clubs around Southern California in the early 2000s, and hosted a huge 3-day festival called Requiem in Fresno. Which honored all of the dancers and events that were no longer with us. It was a huge success, and I am planning to host it again in Fall 2025. I’m currently teaching both virtual and in-person classes in Claremont, CA, on Wednesday nights.
I also am the Co-Founder and Events Producer for a Gothic Television station on Roku and Amazon Fire Stick, called SubGothTV. There are tons of things we are in the works of setting up through the TV channel, including a GothCon in the Summer of 2025. Along with that, I run Inland Empire Goth, a community organization the hosts a plethora of smaller events. So, I am always a very busy girl, and I love it!
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Drive and Optimism are two of the most important attributes to success, in my opinion. If you can stay positive and are driven enough to overcome any obstacle, then you are already successful. I believe success is in the action to obtain the final goal, not always the final turnout. I have had some major failures by all outward appearances, but I still felt successful because I put myself to the task. Sometimes, that journey is where the real accomplishment and growth come from.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.InlandEmpireGoth.com
- Instagram: @InlandEmpireGoth
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IEGoth
- Other: https://linkr.bio/InlandEmpireGoth
