Meet Megan Robinson: The community connector helping Palm Springs in Colour find its people

In 2023, Megan Robinson had lived in Palm Springs for two years when it hit her — she was bored. But she knew it wasn’t for a lack of things to do in Palm Springs.

“I started looking around online and on social media. I found plenty of things to do but nothing culturally relevant,” Robinson said. “But my gut told me that there were events and experiences here, they’re just hard to find.”

So Robinson set out on a mission to find culturally aligned events in Palm Springs that were either created by or celebrated and welcomed people of colour (her preferred spelling).

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Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Robinson had dreamed of living in Palm Springs ever since she landed at the airport 20 years ago, when she got a teaching job in Joshua Tree right after graduating college.

“Seeing Palm Springs for the first time actually took my breath away, and I fell in love right then and there,” Robinson recalled, explaining that every time she visited over the years she was struck by the breathtaking natural beauty. And although she knew the Black community was a minority, she loved that in Palm Springs “a minority is the majority.”

“So whether you come across the LGBTQ+ community, or you see the large Hispanic community, or the fact that I’m living on Native land. You put all that together, that’s likely going to be a safe space for me as a Black person,” she said. “We have to think about those things.”

She spent two years searching online and pounding the pavement for events, and slowly built a weekly calendar of local musicians, artists, DJs, run and hike clubs, festivals, comedy shows and events that are welcoming, inclusive and that support and celebrate cultures of people of color. After encouragement from friends, Robinson launched a weekly calendar on her Instagram page, @palmspringsincolour (formerly @palmspringsinblack), in March 2025.

The page’s follower count quickly rose from 200 to nearly 5,000 within a few months. More and more people were showing up to the events on the calendar and crossing paths with Robinson saying, “Hey, you’re Palm Springs in Colour, I love what you’re doing!” And “We need this! Keep going!” She realized she was right: People are looking for spaces that cater to people of colour — they just needed a facilitator.

“I now have groups of people that I hike with, do yoga with, and people I experience the Coachella Valley with. And I now have two of the best friends I’ve ever had because of Palm Springs in Colour,” Robinson said.

That was Robinson’s primary goal with Palm Springs in Colour — to make friends. Not only did she reach that goal, she found herself surrounded by support and encouragement.  However, When friends made suggestions from building an event guide to planning events and more, she was hesitant.

“I mean, I’m in my early 40s, there’s a little bit of…social media, really?” Initially Robinson thought, ‘I’m not trying to be an influencer,’ adding that she was also nervous about the technological aspect of social media given she had not shared content in nearly a decade. “So that was a lot of my reservation for a long time, but I finally thought ‘Let’s see what happens.’”

Now Robinson says she is embracing her online presence. Videos of her experiencing the Coachella Valley, building community, and finding hidden gems fill the account.

With the success of the page, friends and followers began coming to her with another request through questions and statements like “Where are you hanging out?” and “I want to join this group!”. In response, Robinson launched the Palm Springs in Colour Social Club on Black Friday in 2025.

The Palm Springs in Colour Social Club is a membership-based community founded by Robinson to foster genuine connection and community, especially for people of color, visitors, locals and newcomers alike. For a small monthly fee, members join a private online group, attend regular in-person meetups, share recommendations and access exclusive partnerships with local venues. 

The club also offers full access to the now monthly event calendar, which curates fitness, music art, festivals and shows, which is nearly impossible to gather on one’s own. Non-members have access to a lighter version of the monthly event guide, or for a donation of $5 a month, the full event guide.

She said she is excited for what’s to come and feels this is an important time for Palm Springs and its communities of color as they launch businesses, organizations and events across the area.

“It’s a renaissance of young folks and people of color who are stepping up and who are, eventually, going to be running these cities,” Robinson said. “I’m glad I was called to be here as it all comes together.”

Get to know Megan below.

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Name: Megan Robinson

Age: 42

Born and raised: Born in Trenton, NJ; raised in Southeastern Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia

Years in the desert: Joshua Tree 2006 – 2008; Palm Springs since 2021

What brought you here? In 2006, landed a teaching job in the hi-desert in pursuit of a professional dancing career post-undergrad, the desert is much closer to Los Angeles than Pennsylvania 🙂 In 2021, desire for a soft, easier, peaceful life post-LA.

What keeps you here? Community – amazingly kind and supportive friends and neighbors.

Favorite time of the year: Spring

How do you beat the heat? Move slower, find AC, take a few trips to the coast.

Favorite place to eat:  Peruvian Fuego

What’s the biggest issue facing our community? Narrow definition of diversity, lack of representation.

Favorite place to go or thing to do: dance to R&B, reggae, Afrobeats, Soca, or hip-hop.

Where would you take first-time visitors? Downtown Indio for the combo of shoppes, art and city planning; most of my visitors have never heard of Indio and are always impressed and appreciate learning more about the Coachella Valley.

What’s missing in Palm Springs? social spaces that don’t revolve around drinking or loud music.

Where would you put your walk of fame star in the city? Near Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar because they have incredible R&B musicians, so I can visit my star and listen to culturally-aligned music.

What’s your guilty pleasure: Rewatching Black sitcoms (Living Single, Girlfriends, Martin, Fresh Prince).

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