The Life & Legacy of Shawn Joseph Soares

From a young age, Shawn displayed his independent and giving personality. Being their only child, Nimmi and Alec preferred Shawn to sleep in their bed and were left anxious when Shawn wanted to go to his friends’ house for sleepovers. His parents would stay awake in hopes that at any moment Shawn would miss them and call to come pick him up. Instead, they received compliments on how independent Shawn was and that he always came prepared with all the essentials for the night. Having loving parents that would gift Shawn with all the new shiny toys of the time, Shawn never boasted his belongings and always shared with his cousins and friends. Anytime word came back to Goa that Shawn and family would be visiting, all the cousins would wait in excitement to see what new toys Shawn would bring this time. His independent and giving personality carried on into his young and adult life.

At 16 years old, Shawn attended his first electronic dance music concert, igniting a deep passion for music and the sense of love, community, and respect that follows with the genre. He soon bought his own DJ controller, learning to mix his own music. As his love for music grew, Shawn embarked on journeys across the country to follow his favorite musical acts, forging lifelong friendships with his contagious smile and genuine love for the music. Due to his continued dedication, Shawn, under his stage name Mezmereyez, reached a pinnacle in his career when he opened for world-famous DJ, producer, and sound engineer David Tipper at The Anthem in Washington, DC. In his later years, Shawn was working on a project that would have no doubt been a major part of his legacy. He registered an LLC with the State of Virginia known as Wavepath Productions. Shawn always spoke about how he wanted to start his own music entertainment company. He envisioned a comfortable space for underground artists to market their music and grow through artistic quality and not just clout alone. Anyone that knew Shawn in the music scene would always be left with a feeling of acceptance and joy. Although usually the youngest in a group, he carried himself with the maturity of the oldest. Amongst his peers, Shawn was considered to be one who had his life most put together. A characteristic that remained apparent in his career.

A recognized alumnus, Shawn shined in his work after graduating with a bachelor's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Wanting to serve his community, Shawn served the State of Virginia working as an Outreach Director for the late Congressman Donald McEachin. He also provided his expertise to the then-delegate Suhas Subramaniam as a legislative aide. Shawn would later go on to serve as Deputy Director of Outreach for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and Director of Appointments under former Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. As an active member of his community Shawn also served as Treasurer for the Virginia Young Democrats and was later elected their National Committee Representative. Before his untimely passing, Shawn worked for the Virginia Conservation Network as the Clean Energy and Climate Justice Policy Manager serving as another example for his vision to leave the world a better place.

On Thursday, May 4th, 2023, Shawn Joseph Soares left this world unexpectedly, leaving behind a profound sense of loss for his parents Nimmi and Alec, his family, loved ones, close friends, and the many he influenced throughout his life. Although his departure brought immense sadness, Shawn's presence illuminated the world, serving as an exemplary model of kindness, generosity, dedication, and love. In his final moments, Shawn waited to cross the street, adjacent to the VCU School of Business, to take his final exam for his Master’s in Business Administration. Virginia Commonwealth University posthumously awarded Shawn his degree, rightfully recognizing his dedication and achievements. Additionally, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the City of Richmond honored his legacy by renaming the street where he spent his final moments as Shawn Joseph Soares.