Rico Suave

Why DJ Sandra Suave is using her athletic background to help kids with special needs.

Former college athletes usually find a way to incorporate sports into their respective lives after graduation. Whether it’s joining club teams, getting into coaching or volunteering—maintaining that connection to the sports world is as vital as the air that they breathe.

 

Out lesbian Sandra Urquiaga is no different. After playing Division I basketball for Delaware State University, the Chicago native returned home and participated in various amateur basketball leagues. She also played flag football and softball in the 2006 Gay Games.

 

But perhaps, Urquiaga’s strongest connection to sports is the role she plays as a coach to her students with autism in the Special Olympics.

 

According to the Windy City Times, she said:

 

“After I graduated, I decided I wanted to teach students with autism and this is where I've been ever since. I also coach my students in Special Olympics. We have a basketball team and a track and field team. Even though it can be stressful and challenging at times, it is what I’m most passionate about and I love doing what I do.”

 

Urquiaga’s day job may be in special education and her first love may be sports, but at night she transforms into DJ Sandra Suave. Using her love of music as her inspiration, she spins at a variety of Chicago-based venues, including the House of Blues and the Godfrey Hotel. Her musical tastes vary from Hip-Hop to reggae and from Latin to disco. But overall, her favorite music is house.

 

As DJ Sandra Suave continues to further her career and works hard to become household name, she hasn’t lost sight of the two things that matter most—being true to herself, and doing what she loves to do.

 

Catch DJ Suave every Friday night at EM Lounge in Chicago, Illinois and tell her you saw her featured on Curve.com!

 

X
X