Laura Olvera Ahmed—locally known as La Güira de ATX—is an Austin-based vinyl DJ, record collector, and güirista whose work is rooted in community, culture, and movement. Inspired by her grandmother’s record collection and deeply communal spirit, Laura has spent the past seven years building a reputation for dynamic crowd engagement and energetic performances with bands across Central Texas.

She is a current member of Las Chicas en 512, an Austin Selena tribute band, and the founder of Cumbia Bajo La Luna, a monthly, community-driven event series that transforms public spaces into celebrations of music, dance, and togetherness.

Beyond the turntables, Laura collaborates with the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center to intentionally curate intergenerational cultural programming, creating welcoming spaces where tradition and contemporary expression meet. Last month on January 22nd, she was honored with a proclamation from the City of Austin to recognize her contribution to the local music scene as a vinyl DJ, her community-focused work, and her dedication to nurturing, creating, and leading as a Latina in the "Live Music Capital of the World".

When she's not planning, hosting or working, Laura enjoys digging for records, and especially when visiting other cities, states or countries. She enjoys spending time in nature with her husband and pup, as well as painting, exploring foodie places in Austin, and traveling when she can!

How did you get into your industry / What motivated you?

I have always enjoyed planning, since I was little. I naturally took lead to plan the cousin sleepovers, birthday parties for friends, and trips as I got older. Planning is fun for me and I truly enjoy bringing a vision to life! I was motivated to become a part of the local events / music scene when I first moved to Austin in 2012, I quickly became a regular at many local events and vendor markets, which helped me build my network. I loved the accessibility to free and vibrant events and wanted to contribute specifically to the Latin music scene.

My travels to Mexico throughout my life motivated me to create inter-generational events that were free and open to the public. Seeing people of all ages come together in public spaces to dance in the Plazas around my motherland was a reminder of how beautiful it is to come together to experience joy.

What is a day in the life like?

A typical day for me starts with a good breakfast, some intentional stretching or body movement, and reviewing my priorities for the week. I like to take time to plan and organize so I can stay grounded, focused, and fully present in all the projects, events, and collaborations I’m working toward. You’ll often find me supporting local coffee shops and food trucks to fuel up and stay connected to the community.

I also spend time curating music for upcoming gigs and staying in communication with collaborators as we bring creative ideas to life. I love ending my day with walks or cuddles from my pup Suzy!

In your opinion what has been your favorite / the coolest thing you've worked on?

The coolest thing I've worked on has definitely been Cumbia Bajo La Luna. It is a monthly community-centered dance pop up event hosted in public parks around Austin bringing people of all generations together to celebrate Cumbia, Culture and Community. This event is a little over a year old and it has been beautiful to see it grow tremendously in attendance. It has also been my favorite thing to work on because of the incredible team of founding members working alongside me, better known as the Cumbia Board. We love this project and take great pride in our collective efforts to continue growing this free and family friendly event.

A close second thing I've worked on that was pretty amazing was collaborating with DJ Raquiqui at the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 races in October of 2025. This was the first time I played güira alongside another DJ to bring the best crowd engagement and vibes to race day on such a big platform!

What has been / is the most difficult part of your job?

Curating a full set to fit the vibe of an event. I have to ensure I am selecting and packing the right amount of music to fit my set time in addition to the environment. Another challenging thing for me is managing my instrument playing time while mixing live, in the past I have gotten carried away in playing my güira and dancing that I am scrambling to find the next record to play out. It's definitely been a learning experience for me as a performer and DJ.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to get into pursuing what you’re doing?

People have respect for others when they are reliable and respectful. Build your network and don't let fear get in your way, we only live once!

Take initiative in anything you're interested in pursuing. That could look like making the first move to introduce yourself, supporting events that you'd like to be a part of, remaining consistent and following through in what you say you're going to do. People have respect for others when they are reliable and respectful. Build your network and don't let fear get in your way, we only live once! DALE!

Are you a vinyl collector yourself? What drew you to it? If not, why the vinyl industry?

I am a collector and enjoy curating sets! I grew up seeing my parents spin records at home, my mom had a small collection that she enjoyed playing and I remember thinking it was so COOL to hear music in it's rawest form. Later on in life I began collecting on my own, after meeting my husband and seeing his beautiful collection of various genres, it reignited that passion for collecting that was already there for me.

What types of things are happening in your industry / with vinyl that you’re excited or worried about? i.e. innovation, or trends you’re seeing.

I'm excited to see more DJs take on vinyl, especially women, I think it's such an intentional way to listen to music and an even better way to directly support artists. It's also exciting for me to see other collectors starting to sell or build out their vision for record stores!

I also love watching the all vinyl sets posted on YouTube by Humano Studios, it's definitely inspired me to practice more and grow.

Who has been influential to you and your growth as a professional in this industry? 

My grandmother who passed away in 2016. I was very close to her and I attribute my music knowledge and confidence to her. She was a great dancer, well loved in the community and always stayed true to herself. Her vibrant energy gave others the permission to let loose and enjoy the present moment. She always took great pride in her work, herself and her home. This is something that I will always carry with me no matter what industry I find myself working in.

My kind hearted and supportive husband has also been very influential to me, helping me prepare for gigs, carrying equipment and being my #1 fan, thank you Sammy.

I'd also like to thank the many DJs, bands and event space owners in the Austin Area who have referred me to gigs, hosted me for events, sent my info to corporate event planners, encouraged me and even secured me a temporary residency. The community in Austin is strong and I attribute my professional growth as a DJ greatly to them!

Muchas Gracias! @beatsofburden, @vinylbeautybarlive, @quellypea, @chorizofunk, @djlamoon, @djkickit17, @djzetroc, @sueproblema, @truchasoul, @thecumbiacuhh_, @thedjhelios, @jazfunkera_, @tarasco_tropical.

Anything else you’d like to add; if not tell us what you're listening to: 

I’d love to share that I’m currently pregnant, and I’ve been incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received from my community. It’s important for women to know that pregnancy does not limit who we are or what we’re capable of. We can continue to create, lead, perform, and show up fully as ourselves. I want to help normalize the idea that choosing motherhood does not mean putting your dreams on hold or shrinking your identity.

We are powerful, we are creators, and our bodies and visions can hold life and ambition at the same time.