Uncaged Library Arts & Information

Adrian Jazz Applin (Artist in Residence) is a Bay Area based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who plays the piano, guitar, and ukulele. Adrian’s musical style is broad and eclectic and while the genres may shift, all of his songs are connected by the common thread of his powerful, versatile vocals. Music has always been a part of Adrian’s life; from a young age he began performing R&B and Motown tunes with his father and his band, which had a profound influence on his musical development. Adrian is also a member of Voices Lesbian A Capella For Justice, the oldest continuously running lesbian choral group in the country. In addition to his musical interests, Adrian writes about the intersections of race, gender, and pop culture. His work was most recently published in Bitch magazine. 

Anand Jay Kalra (Artistic & Managing Director) is the founding director of Uncaged Library Arts & Information. Anand has worked in K-12 public schools, early childhood education, academic libraries, LGBT advocacy, and public health policy. Along this winding road, he has honed his knack for asking useful questions. Anand earned a master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Michigan in 2010. He was a 2017-2018 AIRSpace Fellow with SafeHouse Arts in San Francisco, and currently splits his time between the artistic direction for Uncaged Library and consulting & coaching work in finance, operations, and information services for social justice organizations. Anand is proud to be a transgender man and an uncle to the greatest kidlets in the world. In September 2022, Anand joined the staff of Queer Cultural Center as Executive Director. 

Erica Dunkle (Treasurer) is a classical singer by training with a focus on both early and contemporary music, who enjoys being involved in new and innovative musical works. She has performed in a variety of inventive musical endeavors, including collaborations with the Paperhand Puppet Intervention in North Carolina, Ensamble Barroco de Arequipa Peru, and the visual artist Pedro Lasch as part of his Abstract Nationalism series in both D.C. and Venice, Italy. Erica is a Bay Area native and currently sings with the International Orange Chorale of San Francisco, a chamber choir devoted to the performance of 20th and 21st century music. Erica earned her master’s of social work in 2010 and currently works in systems and finance at a research organization, RTI International, where she helps to manage government and foundation grants. She is excited to be a behind-the-scenes support for the creative team of Octavia of Earth, and gives a heartfelt thanks to Anand and the cast and crew for including her in this endeavor.