He’s The Man Behind The Music At North Campus
You might not know his name, but you definitely know his sound—Manuel Dominguez transforms ordinary afternoons into vibrant campus celebrations with his curated list of throwback beats.
DJ Manny has worked as a media services technician for more than two decades at North Campus, setting up sound equipment—and the mood—at events such as Children’s Holiday and Club Rush.
The 51-year-old comes armed with a portable DJ booth that includes a laptop, floppy headphones and his trademark 80s freestyle and pop/rock music. His look is accented by a dangling neck lanyard with his work ID and a black media services polo shirt.
“He’s always been the life of the party,” said professor Elio Arteaga, who was Dominguez’s graphic design professor more than 20 years ago. “He always brings a smile to people’s faces.”
Dominguez’s passion for music traces back to his childhood. His late mother, Maria Remedios, would listen to Mexican singer Vicente Fernández or balladeer José José while cleaning.
“There’s been times I’ve done events, and a song comes on and I remember my mom,” Dominguez said. “I [think], ‘man, this reminds me of when my mom was alive, listening to the song [and] dancing.”
Dominguez first set foot at North Campus in 1980 as an elementary school-aged student while competing in a judo tournament at the old gymnasium, which has since been transformed into the School of Justice.
“Miami Dade [has been] home for me since I was seven years old,” Dominguez said. “Coming back to work here and giving back to the community [and] the students, it’s priceless.”
After earning his vocational degree from Miami Lakes Tech in 1996, Dominguez enrolled at Miami Dade College to pursue an associate degree in graphic arts.
However, in 1999, he began experiencing problems with his vision and he underwent a corneal transplant. The health issue forced him to rethink his career path, ultimately leading him to media services.
“I’ve had other surgeries. [I’ve run] around with crutches, going up ladders and my director goes ‘Manny come down’ and when he’s not looking I’m up again with my crutches, so it doesn’t stop me,” Dominguez said.
He credits co-workers like his former supervisor, Johnnie Sutton, for encouraging him to grow.
“Through perseverance, he made it through most of the hard things, and not only did he learn some stuff, [but Manny] was an individual that really [works] well,” Sutton said. “He was a blessing in a lot of cases.”
By 2004, Dominguez’s persistence drove him to a full-time job as a technician at North Campus. He enjoys crafting playlists of 1980s hits, ballads and feel-good music to brighten an audience’s day.
“Some people come from broken homes, and I show them [that] there’s music out there to inspire them and to make them better,” Dominguez said.
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