Loren Cobbs

Introduction and Early Life

Taryell Simmons: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another episode of Rise Urban Nation. I have a special guest with us this morning. She is the queen of creating Black spaces in San Diego—upscale and authentic. The founder of SD Melanin, Loren Cobbs, is in the building!

Loren Cobbs: Thank you so much for the warm welcome.

Taryell Simmons: Congratulations on your recent Juneteenth accolade. Did you know that was coming?

Loren Cobbs: No, I did not know it was coming at all. It was surreal and hard to fully take in because I was in the middle of planning so much for Juneteenth. It was a beautiful recognition, and it felt really good.

Taryell Simmons: It is well deserved. Every time I follow your Instagram page, I see that Black boy joy and Black girl magic. For those who do not know, who is Loren Cobbs?

Loren Cobbs: I am Midwestern through and through, born and raised in Ohio, and the youngest of five kids. That shapes everything I do and how I navigate the world. I have been an avid reader and a library kid all my life. Coupling what I learned through books with my lived experiences shaped me. I come from an economically disadvantaged household that was culturally and experientially rich. My mom always found ways to expand our horizons, taking us to the ballet, hockey games, and family road trips to Florida and Disney World. My parents were committed to making sure we had rich experiences.

Taryell Simmons: I love that. Growing up in DC, we used to take long drives down to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina or visit neighboring states. Those curated experiences shape your lens so you do not feel impoverished growing up.

Moving to the West Coast and Culture Shock

Taryell Simmons: What brought you out to the San Diego region?

Loren Cobbs: My work brought me here. I worked as a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State, stationed at the consulate in Tijuana as a U.S. diplomat in Mexico. I did most of my schooling in the Midwest and on the East Coast, where there are large Black populations, Black-owned businesses, and curated social spaces. When I moved to Mexico, I assumed I could easily tap into a similar scene across the border in San Diego. When I arrived, it was very difficult to find that community.

Taryell Simmons: Coming from DC, I experienced that same feeling of wondering where all the Black people were.

Loren Cobbs: Exactly. Beyond asking where the Black community was, it often felt like certain spaces were unwelcoming. When I went out with friends in areas like Pacific Beach, it felt like venues did not want people like us there. I remember attending a daytime party with a group of twelve to fifteen Black women. We requested a Drake song, and the venue told us they do not play rap on Sundays. Looking around, we realized people were actively ignoring us, walking right through our group on the dance floor without making eye contact. Coming from DC, New York, and Cincinnati, I was not used to feeling invisible. I decided I was not interested in feeling invisible, nor did I want others who look like me to feel that way.

Loren Cobbs: Another turning point happened at a nightclub when I told a Black man that I wanted to curate experiences centering young Black professionals. He casually responded that once people start doing well in San Diego, they are supposed to hang out exclusively with white people. I was shocked that anyone would equate upward mobility with abandoning their community.

Taryell Simmons: In cities like DC and throughout Ohio, you see the full spectrum of Black excellence and diversity across all socioeconomic backgrounds. When people lack that exposure, they develop skewed perceptions of success.

Loren Cobbs: Absolutely. When you understand the history of Black migration to the West Coast, you see how community numbers were impacted. Growing up in Ohio, we had foundational Black American experiences, and living in New York exposed me to rich Caribbean and African diaspora communities. Moving out west made me realize how much Black folks deserved curated spaces where they are centered and celebrated.

The Birth of SD Melanin

Taryell Simmons: Walk us through your very first SD Melanin event and how you set it up.

Loren Cobbs: I started by hosting small dinner parties called Culture Plus Cuisine to explore cultures through food. When it came to SD Melanin, I relied on my economics background to create a minimum viable product. I did not have a large network, staff, or DJ connections. I secured a private back patio at a restaurant in North Park, created my own playlist of R&B and hip-hop, arranged a brunch menu, and set up a private bar. I listed 75 tickets on Meetup.com for five dollars each because having skin in the game ensures people show up. The event sold out immediately.

Loren Cobbs: Seeing how genuinely happy people were to connect was beautiful. People who met at that first gathering built lasting friendships, started businesses together, and even stood in each other's weddings.

Taryell Simmons: That is true wealth and community economics: creating spaces on our own terms where relationships and mutual support can flourish.

Creating Blanket Sounds for Multi-Generational Community

Taryell Simmons: How did Blanket Sounds come to life?

Loren Cobbs: Blanket Sounds was inspired by Jazz in the Garden at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. I loved that event because it was outdoors, free, accessible, and brought diverse groups together without pretense. I wanted to create an accessible space in San Diego where people could bring their children, grandparents, friends, picnic blankets, and games without worrying about expensive ticket prices. Blanket Sounds was produced in partnership with SD Melanin as an entity dedicated to joy, replenishment, and belonging for everyone.

Redefining Success, Embracing Rest, and Future Vision

Loren Cobbs: Last year, I left my full-time corporate job as a global marketing director and consultant. Growing up with financial scarcity, I long tied my self-worth to professional prestige and income. Eventually, I realized that making a lot of money and holding impressive titles did not make me happier. I am now in what I call the ministry of joy. We face so many systemic challenges every day, and joy and rest are vital to our survival.

Taryell Simmons: The Nap Ministry teaches us that rest is restorative and revolutionary. When we embrace rest without guilt, we begin to heal deep community trauma.

Loren Cobbs: Exactly. I am actively working on divesting from hustle culture and not feeling guilty about resting. Moving forward, SD Melanin and Blanket Sounds each engage five to six hundred people monthly, and we will continue producing festivals and concert experiences. I also plan to offer mentorship and professional development courses to help young professionals navigate unwritten corporate rules. Most importantly, I am giving myself permission to rest and take sabbaticals whenever needed.

Taryell Simmons: Where can our listeners connect with your work?

Loren Cobbs: You can visit our websites at https://sdmelanin.com and https://blanketsounds.org, and follow us on social media @SDMelanin and @BlanketSounds.

Taryell Simmons: Thank you so much for joining us, Loren. To all our listeners, subscribe, leave a comment, share this episode, and stay tuned for more on Rise Urban Nation. Peace!