Perla Zuñiga, Spanish artist and trans activist, dies at 27

Perla Zuñiga, known as JOVENDELAPERLA, died on July 14, 2024, at age 27 after battling Ewing sarcoma since 2016. The Madrid-born DJ, producer, poet, and trans activist co-founded the club and record label CULPA and was a resident of the queer party MARICAS in Barcelona. She composed music with Lechuga Zafiro and Tomás Urquieta, performing at venues like De School in Amsterdam, Specka in Madrid, Primavera Sound, and Sónar. Sónar described her as "an essential part of our music scene, who fought tirelessly to create safe spaces in nightlife for trans and non-binary people." Zuñiga supported the queer FLINTA community in Madrid. She viewed chemotherapy as a "transition" that allowed her to "discover the malleability of gender expression," as she told El País in 2022. Before her death, she was working on a space for emotional and creative support for cancer patients. In 2022, she donated all proceeds from a music track to a charity supporting those with Ewing sarcoma. On July 11, 2024, she participated in the group show "Thorns" at Galleria Enrico Astuni in Bologna, alongside Iah Bahia, Juri Bizzotto, Bastien Gachet, and Leanne Picthall.