Inspiring Conversations with Therlande Louissaint of SIDE Presents LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Therlande Louissaint.

Hi Therlande, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
SIDE Presents started with two friends, myself (Therlande) and Marlyn, who simply loved creating beautiful moments for our communities. We never set out to “start a company” — we were just trying to make space for people like us to feel seen, celebrated, and surrounded by art. What began as passion projects quickly grew into a creative production agency that now produces over one hundred events across Boston, partnering with institutions like the ICA, Seaport, Northeastern University, the Mayor’s Office, and many others.

But our true heartbeat is Estrogina, our annual Women’s summit that started with thirty Women in a small room and has now grown to more than four hundred attendees. Estrogina became the place where Women could show up as their whole selves: creative, brilliant, emotional, soft, powerful, curious, ambitious, all at once. It blends professional growth, art, performance, culture, and community in a way that people describe as “life-giving” and “unexpectedly healing.” That response pushed SIDE to grow into what it is today.

Every step since has been guided by the same intention: build spaces we wished existed when we were younger. Create experiences that treat community care as culture, not an afterthought. And center Women — especially Black and Brown Women — in rooms where they are often asked to shrink.

Today SIDE is expanding, and so is Estrogina. We’re excited to bring more people to Boston for this next year of Estrogina, and we’ve been dreaming about what it could look like in other cities. Atlanta has always felt like a natural next home for us — a place where creativity, culture, and community collide in a way that mirrors our own values. We’d love to connect with partners who want to help us make that vision real.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Not at all — but it’s been meaningful. Growing SIDE Presents has required a lot of faith, a lot of late nights, and a lot of learning in real time. Me and Marlyn didn’t come from money or a long list of industry connections. We built this by showing up for our community, saying yes when opportunities came our way, and figuring out how to scale a vision that was often much bigger than our resources.

One of the biggest challenges has been navigating capacity. SIDE produces a lot of events for a small team, and we are intentional about hiring Black, Brown, immigrant-owned, and Women-owned creatives. That means we’re not just producing events — we’re also creating economic opportunities, and we take that responsibility seriously. Balancing that impact with sustainable operations has taken time, grace, and constant adjustment.

Another challenge has been advocating for the value of experiences led by Women, especially Black and Brown Women. Sometimes people don’t immediately understand why a space like Estrogina is necessary or why it deserves investment. We’ve had to defend the importance of joy, softness, creativity, and community for Women — especially in professional and cultural settings. But every year, when we see hundreds of Women gather at Estrogina and leave feeling renewed, we’re reminded that this work matters.

So no, it hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been worth it. Every challenge sharpened our vision. Every obstacle pushed us to be more creative. And every barrier reminded us why SIDE exists in the first place: to give our communities the kind of spaces that nourish, inspire, and remind them of their power.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
SIDE Presents™ is a creative production company built by two friends who believe in the power of intentional spaces. We curate events, experiences, and cultural moments that bring people together through art, storytelling, and community. People know SIDE for the way we transform a room — not just aesthetically, but emotionally. We’re not in the business of throwing events. We’re in the business of creating experiences people remember.

We produce everything from sketch sessions and wellness activations to festivals, panels, community gatherings, and full-scale creative programming for major institutions across Boston. But what truly sets us apart is the care we put into every detail. We center Black, Brown, immigrant-owned, and Women-owned artists and businesses in our work, and we’re intentional about building platforms that give people access, visibility, and opportunity.

Our signature experience is Estrogina, our annual Women’s summit that has become a cultural moment in Boston. It began with thirty Women looking for connection and has now grown to more than four hundred attendees who return every year. Estrogina blends art, performance, professional development, and sisterhood in a way that feels both grounding and electric. People often say it feels like walking into a room where you can finally exhale. That emotional and cultural impact is what we’re most proud of as a brand.

We want your readers to know that SIDE Presents isn’t just creating events; we’re creating ecosystems. We give artists and small businesses a stage, we build spaces where Women can show up fully, and we pour intention into the communities we serve. And as we expand, we’re excited to invite more people into that experience — especially those in Atlanta. Whether through partnerships, collaborations, or even hosting an Estrogina ATL in the future, we want to build with cities that value creativity, culture, and community as deeply as we do.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something people are often surprised to learn about me is that before SIDE Presents, I was an artist long before I was an event producer. I studied at Berklee College of Music, and that creative foundation really shaped the way I approach storytelling, curation, and the emotional arc of every experience we produce. I’m also a certified yoga instructor, which has taught me a lot about grounding, intention, and how people move through space. Those two worlds — music and wellness — quietly inform everything I build with SIDE.

Most people who only see the final events don’t realize that SIDE’s work is rooted in artistry and care. The way we choose performers, design atmospheres, and guide an audience through an experience all comes from that blend of creative training and a commitment to how people feel in a space.

And it especially shows up in Estrogina. The pacing, the transitions, the tone, the softness, the energy — all of that comes from my lived experience as an artist and healer. So while people may know SIDE for our events, what they might not know is that I’m always thinking like a musician and a yogi behind the scenes, shaping moments that move people from their mind to their heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sidepresents.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidepresents?igsh=aTRrZDVhdTFmeHh6
• Other: https://linktr.ee/SIDEpresents?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=3ccd6919-23d0-469b-9be3-010cb8cba4d0

Image Credits
Photos By:
Alex Joachim (https://www.instagram.com/byalexjoachim?igsh=YTd4Z256eTFyemxt )
Peter Barquet ( https://www.instagram.com/thepeterbarquet?igsh=N3A5ZjE2Z3dveXp3)
Stephany Belnavis ( https://www.instagram.com/thediahannproject?igsh=MWJ0bXA3MnNncWJyYg== )