Hello there, friend!
Think of this newsletter as a warm, ongoing conversation between us. I named it Radiant Dispatch because I wanted something that evoked space and hope. A dispatch is a message sent from one place to another, a signal reaching out through distance. And radiant—that’s about light, about warmth, about the things that cut through the dark. That’s what I want this newsletter to be: a beam of something real, reaching you wherever you are.
Here’s what you can expect:
Life Updates: What I’m working on, thinking about, or exploring—whether it’s a creative project, a personal revelation, or just something that made me laugh.
Violet Paniko: News about my music, releases, and shows, plus behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creative process.
Curiosities: Stuff I’m reading, watching, or obsessing over—books, films, ideas, or anything else that feels worth sharing.
Conversations: A chance for you to share your thoughts, ask questions, and connect in the Radiant Dispatch chat.
This is a space for honesty, vulnerability, and a little bit of humor.
About Me
I’m Xavi Benjamin, an artist (Violet Paniko) and multi-faceted creative, thinker, and revolutionary.
My story starts in a place that might surprise you: I was raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious cult, a world I left in 2019. Realizing your entire worldview is a lie is jarring, to say the least. But it also sparked a fire in me—a deep curiosity about truth and the stories we’re told.
As an artist, I pour my heart into Violet Paniko, a music project that was born out of a meme and a push from loved ones. The meme said, “Your band name is your grandmother’s name plus your mental illness.” My grandmother’s name is Violet, and I have panic disorder, so Violet Paniko was born! At the time, I was struggling with imposter syndrome, convinced I wasn’t cut out to make music. But with a little encouragement, I decided to take the leap, and I haven’t looked back since. My music tends to explore themes of love, loss, sexuality, and the messy, beautiful process of figuring out who you are.
I’ve considered myself a communist since 2021, though it started with simple beliefs: free college, universal healthcare, and a world where everyone has what they need. For a while, I stewed in my anger online, but when I moved to Arizona, I decided to get organized. In 2024, I became a founding member of the Revolutionary Communists of America. Joining the local communists opened up a whole new world for me—I’ve eagerly been reading about Marxism, history, and philosophy, and in turn found hope in revolutionary optimism.
I’m a huge sci-fi nerd, thanks to my childhood introduction to Star Wars. My favorites are Rogue One, The Last Jedi, and the Andor series. More recently, I’ve fallen in love with Star Trek, especially Strange New Worlds, Enterprise, and Deep Space Nine. There’s something about the optimism of Star Trek that speaks to me—it’s a vision of humanity reaching a communist society and exploring the stars. I’ve always been drawn to stories that imagine a better future.
For fun I like to play video games, board games, drink large amounts of coffee, smoke weed, spend time naked in water, and get lost in a good book.
