Casually Creative

For as long as Anthony Robinson can remember, he's loved being outside. No, like really loved it. While other parents may have had to encourage, cajole, or even threaten their kids into outside hanging compliance, Anthony was always in the creek bed looking for animals, picking plants, and just generally exploring the natural world around him. After a series of jobs that ultimately brought him no joy, he decided to Kondo that $h!+ (our words not his) and pursued a dream to connect more people with nature. In the midst of the pandemic, Anthony launched Energy Gardens, an Instagram page built to connect people with nature and bring more of the outside in. Followers of his page can purchase from his immaculately potted plants, learn more about custom living decor services, or be amazed at his large-scale moss installation artwork (we said what we said). Realizing that people needed more than an opportunity to bring the outside in, and wanting to create a space for people to love and be loved by plants, Anthony recently opened the Energy Gardens Plant Lounge which serves as an immersive shopping experience and topiary playground for would-be and established home horticulturalists alike.  

We spent some time talking about growing up dirty, talking to your plants, and setting out on a journey to get Byron the green thumb he's always wanted.

Curiously Creative

IG: EnergyGardens

D Magazine Article

Keisha Whaley got tired of waiting. A veritable wunderkind in the marketing and advertising world, Keisha looked around the room at pitch meeting after pitch meeting and knew something wasn't right. Sitting in chairs ringing the room were bright, young, eager, and talented creative professionals...who were doing nothing but taking up space. As a young and successful creative executive she realized that her path was an uncommon one...but it didn't have to be. Understanding the inherent value in investing time, resources, and yes dollars in an "unskilled" workforce of interns, Keisha tried to get the agencies where she was working to create opportunities for interns differently- but no one would bite. So, she set out and decided to do it on her own.

Brass Tacks Collective is a mission driven creative agency that's focused on being the "embodiment of a future where diversity and inclusion are no longer boxes to be checked, but catalysts for beautifully and strategically-crafted brands." This multi-faceted agency boasts a client list that spans commerce, non profit, and some of the most iconic brands in recent history. What sets them apart, however, isn't just the quality of their work, but also the team they employ to make that work possible. As part of the BT Foundry, burgeoning creative professionals are given more than just platitudes and an opportunity to make agencies seem larger than they are. Interns are trained, given new skills, and (gasp) paid for their time and their work, all while being able to substantively contribute to programs and campaigns that have an actual impact in the world. Keisha's drive to create equitable spaces everywhere started as a baby (no, really- ask her about it some time) and has continued through her work with brands and individuals to shape conversations that have substantive results.

Fun fact: this episode was recorded right before Winter Storm Uri hit, and if you listen closely, you can hear the tinkling sound and hopeful naivete of three people who have no idea they're all about to lose power.

Imani Daniel is one of those rare and amazing creative souls who can live comfortably in many worlds. As a trained dancer and choreographer, she spent much of her young life deeply immersed in the art and culture of performance, while simultaneously falling in love with the expressions available to people through fashion and traditional art forms. Bolstered by her parent's passionate love of the arts, Imani learned to love and live in the creativity she expressed, and celebrate the creativity revealed in others. In many ways, Imani is what you think of when you think of the word "creative."  But it's her wholehearted embracing of herself as connector of dots, organizer of thoughts, and facilitator of visions that has made her an indispensable part of countless executive and creative teams over her storied several decade career.

After being introduced to an internship opportunity at Goldman Sachs by billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones, Imani quickly realized that she had found what she was meant to do. As an executive and administrative professional, Imani has stood alongside luminaries in business, entertainment, sports, and fashion and supported and brought to life some of culture's most iconic experiences, campaigns, and memorable moments. Her ability to bring order to chaos has helped visionaries see through the murky waters of their ideas to the clarity that can only come from a well thought out plan, well-organized team, and well-executed experience. 

She also happens to be Damany's sister. We try not to hold that against her.

Tynesia Boyea-Robinson is brilliant- full stop. Byron says that she's one of the top 5 smartest people he knows...and that's saying something. An alumnus of both Duke and Harvard, her ability to make intellect approachable and complex concepts understood is a small part of what has enabled her to serve as counselor, adviser, and change maker for global brands and organizations who are focused on doing more good with more of their resources. (Yes, we wrote that sentence correctly.)

As the President and CEO of CapEQ (that's "Cap E-Q," don't get it twisted), she has one mission- to help investors and businesses achieve superior financial returns through social impact and to change the way the world does business. Clearly, Tynesia sets no small goals. Her focus on helping enterprises do well and do good has led her to help Fortune 500 companies, International Foundations, and Universities create pathways and actionable plans to impact their world while positively impacting their bottom line. She also has a mean flex. 

Curiously Creative

Twitter: @tyboyea

Just Change: How to Collaborate for Lasting Impact

MacKenzie Green's story has been many things, but boring is NOT one of them. This Ivy League-educated, would-be Olympian, Miss USA top contender, marketing maven, sports (and Marvel) aficionado, daughter to an icon, and icon in the living's story has been full of side steps and, "eh, why not" moments that have led her on an amazing journey and exposed her to a myriad of realities that have perfectly positioned her to impact the community and the world around her. The daughter of Civil Rights luminary and member of the Little Rock 9 (or just "the nine" as the cool kids call it) Ernest Green, Mackenzie has successfully found ways to consistently navigate through her varied realities in a way that brings people along for the ride and breaks down even the most complex of ideas into concepts that people can quickly, easily, and happily understand. 

A NATIVE of DC (please don't come for her with that Chevy Chase/DMV BS), she was introduced at an early age to the power of story and your voice's unique ability to tell it. As the Social Media Director for BET+, Mackenzie and her team are tasked with daily engaging predominantly black audiences with content from the brand that informs and entertains, but also empowers and uplifts. As a co-host of the Taylor Strecker Show, she engages with predominantly white audiences and tries her best to encourage them to know just a little bit more about the black experience...and how to season food with more than just salt. This is a hilarious ride that spans ALL the topics ranging from socio-economic justice, to morbid hilarity in musicals, and memes as a form of protest and progress. So, sit back and enjoy this one. It's completely ok to listen to it in stints- it's probably the only way to keep your side from consistently hurting anyway.

Curiously Creative

IG: @missusatomba
Twitter: @MacKenzieAGreen

Taste of Taylor Juneteenth Episode

Taste of Taylor Black is King Episode

3BL Forum

Dallas Business Journal Minority Business Leader

Bush Presidential Center: Democracy Talks 

IG: @chequanlewis

Twitter: @chequanlewis

Google "Sasha Souza" and prepare to head down a rabbit hole of some of the nation's most beautiful weddings and events. Sasha stands at the top of her craft and has built a several decades career out of her signature style, impeccable design taste, and attention to extreme detail (ask her about "Sasha Souza Straight" some time). Sasha's story is anything but a straight line, however. Conceived on the corner of Haight & Masonic in San Francisco (no, seriously), and raised in the clubhouses of the Hell's Angels (no, seriously...again), Sasha got into the wedding industry because of an ad in a paper and it set her off on a career that has included three books, countless speaking engagements and media appearances, and being considered one of the premier luxury planners in the world. 

Sasha's focus on creating exceptional experiences led to a desire to continue to grow her industry and the people that make it up and to the creation of The Consultancy for Creatives, a group and personal coaching and mentoring program. By working alongside entrepreneurs and business owners at varying stages of their journey, she is able to reveal some of the "it" that she and her team have become so famous for over the years to work to develop a generation of event professionals who are both excellent at their craft and also excel at their ability to successfully run a business. 

Quick note- if you're a parent you might not want to listen to this episode around your kids because we talk about Santa and we don't want you messaging us angry about something...you know what we mean.

Curiously Creative

Facebook 

Instagram

Consultancy for Creatives Podcast 

Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design

Signature Sasha: Weddings & Celebrations to Inspire

Signature Sasha: Wedding Design Planner

Courses:
https://www.consultancyforcreatives.com

Membership:
https://www.consultancyforcreatives.com/thecreativecollective

About a month ago, Damany came to David Rodriguez (AKA Dr Gorilla) with an idea- to create a pop-up, drive-through, holiday arts experience that married massive murals, technology, large scale sculptural installations, and live entertainment and presented it in a massively public, but completely safe and "Pandemic Friendly" way. What was born out of that was tinsel Dallas, a brand new immersive arts experience that highlighted and celebrated the unique culture and inherent dopeness of West Dallas, and brought it to life through the eyes of some of Dallas' most respected artists. With David at the helm as the co-producer, this brand new experience shattered expectations during its two evening run, welcoming almost 1,500 people in just 8 hours. A multi-medium artist, David prides himself on not only his ability to create, but also his ability to facilitate creation and to provide platforms for other artists to walk more fully in their passions. In tinsel, David's expertise in this shone bright. 

We talk comics as a language, graffiti as an art form, and tattoos of Byron's face- all in just over an hour. It's the lunch break you always wanted but never knew to ask for. 

Amanda Austin's story is proof that class clowns do get ahead (yes, you can tell your mom you told her so). As a child, Amanda had the unique combination of both natural born entrepreneur and innate entertainer- starting her first business by the age of 11. Over the years, her love of connecting with people and a study of comedy led her to found the Dallas Comedy House, an iconic improv and comedy club and one of the first in the DFW Metroplex. Over the course of 12 years, DCH would become a haven to burgeoning comedians, kids trying improv for the first time, and corporate executives working on better stage presence. For many, DCH was home. 

After successfully expanding both the size and scope of what DCH offered, Amanda was confronted with a stark reality as COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the country, ultimately canceling her annual comedy festival and decimating her business...just weeks after moving into her brand new facility. Amanda's story is one of continued resilience- amidst trying landlords, public support, and private growth, Amanda has stayed dedicated to making connections count with those she works alongside and serves each day. Our time with Amanda was hilarious (obvi), encouraging, and a reminder that setbacks from big dreams will happen, what you do with the time after is what makes the greatest impact for your (and others') future.

Curiously Creative

Instagram: @__amandaaustin_
Dallas Morning News Article
Dallas Observer: Exit Chuckling
DCH the Capital of Dallas Comedy
Women in Business

Michael Thomas sees things that other people don't (or won't) see. No, he's not clairvoyant and doesn't speak to unseen forces or anything like that. Michael sees things that other people don't see because he's dedicated his life to seeing the people that other people won't. Michael's work with developmentally disabled adults at My Possibilities is fueled by his passionate belief that HIPsters are deserving of more than charity, they're deserving of life skills, vocational training, and the ability to be a part of developing and deciding their own destiny and contributing to society. Curiously creative, Michael is the self-professed generalist who strives to listen to all the ideas in the room to develop the best possible solution. This synergistic approach has led him and his team to develop innovative programs including an on-campus University and they are currently developing plans for a retail complex centralized around providing opportunities and economic growth to the community these scholars will serve. Our time with Michael was hilarious, informative, and a genuinely refreshing reminder of what people, when given opportunity and belief, can accomplish.

Curiously Creative

Beyond Disabilities | TEDxPlano
Talent Development for Adults with Disabilities
How Can Entrepreneurship Lift Up Your Organization?

Twitter | Instagram

Since speaking with Brittany, she has been in full book promoting mode!  Her book is impacting so many of our listeners, so if you haven't purchased it, use this link to get it now! This morning, it became Amazon Books Editors' #1 Best Book of 2020!! Congrats Brittany!!

Friends, we will see you the week after Thanksgiving with a new episode.  Enjoy a nice break with your family & please stay safe.  Wear that mask and Stay Dope.

A dynamic national speaker, community connector, and founder of the Hey Chica! movement, Veronica Torres has consistently been at the forefront of championing for the community of Latinx women who don't have access to the same opportunities that she saw available to so many others. After navigating unimaginable grief at the loss of her newborn son, Veronica's life took an unexpected turn. Confronted with the reality that she wanted to be a part of impacting and changing lives in a greater way, Veronica set out on the path to what would eventually lead to her creating Hey Chica! This summit-turned-movement provides a sisterhood that supports, empowers, encourages, and strengthens opportunities for Latinx women and women of color and provides them with pathways to live out their greater story. Hey Chica! "bridges the gap between generational learning, cultural relevancies, and legacy building" and provides women with a nationwide network of sisters and friends who help them grow. 

Growing up as the daughter of a Mexican gangster (yeah, like in Narcos), Veronica learned early on about resilience and loss, and how the trauma from impactful experiences can have lasting physical effects on the body and mind for years. As a certified Yoga instructor, Veronica has become a passionate health and wellness advocate who, alongside her husband, has built a growing fitness and lifestyle brand that connects with and engages large corporations, celebrities, and nationwide communities in conversations and actions towards a healthy and active lifestyle. As the co-owner of V12 Yoga and Workplace Fit Co, Veronica works every day to create strategies for her clients to engage in a balanced and healthy approach to their lives.

Fair warning: we've all been friends for almost a decade, so the laughter is loud and the ridiculousness abounds. 

Curiously Creative

Instagram: @healthylatinalifestyle
                     @heychicamovement

Hey Chica Network
ABC Coverage- 'Tu voto es su vos'
NBC Coverage- Get Out the Vote Initiative Targets Latina Voters  

Molly Rasmussen is a bit of a Unicorn. She's one of those rare people who, since high school, has known exactly what she wanted to do and is, you know...actually doing it. Her passion and skill for bringing people together through their most celebrated moments has been a cornerstone of her entire career and what has propelled her to create experiences for her clients that transcend their understanding of the ordinary- and Molly is anything but ordinary. Dedicated to finding the continual balance between the creative and the operational, her focus on expanding her understanding of the tools, techniques, and skills necessary to deliver exceptional moments of whimsy and delight is matched only by her desire to find order in the midst of occasional creative chaos. 

Curiously Creative

Instagram: @pop_parties

Pop Parties

Renée Diresta spends most of her life looking online for conspiracies. 

Within the half-truths and outright lies online, she and her associates at Stanford Internet Observatory are on a mission to investigate and understand "the spread of malign narratives across social networks." In an increasingly polarizing political climate, where no one is sure what's true and what's fabricated pseudofiction, Renée and her team are on the veritable front lines of an information war that is many decades in the making, and whose tools are becoming more nuanced and deadly with each new story "leak." Renée has been a contributor for, well...just about every publication talking about the role that tech platforms can and do play in the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories. Her unique perspective and ability to interpret and understand the various parts of a supposed narrative and its veracity or dubiousness have made her the go-to expert for corporations, networks, and the federal government.

Whether it's understanding the power and appeal of the anti-vaxxer movement, or how easily outside influencers can organize and arrange two opposing sides of an issue, Renée's journey to being one of the nation's foremost experts on misinformation during an era of extreme mistrust and unrest is a storied one. Her fascination with information and creative approach to understanding and dissecting how it is shared allows her and her team the opportunity to assist policymakers in devising responses to the problem and awareness of the appeal of half-truths in the American story.

Curiously Creative

ReneeDiresta.com

Twitter: @NoUpside

“She Warned of ‘Peer-to-Peer Misinformation.’ Congress Listened.” The New York Times

“Renée DiResta: Putting 'Numbers, Systems, And Efficiency' To Work In A Classic Un-Career” Women@Forbes

“Anti-Vaxxers Are Using Twitter to Manipulate a Vaccine Bill” WIRED

“Social Network Algorithms Are Distorting Reality By Boosting Conspiracy Theories” Fast Company Co.Exist

“How Social Network Manipulation Tactics Are Impacting Amazon and Influencing Consumers” lecture at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University (video)

“What We Now Know About Russian Disinformation” The New York Times (op. ed.)

Jessica Burnham is and has been many things in her storied career- college professor, executive director, graphic designer, and above all, full-time advocate of the power of design to impact and change communities. After an unexpected series of encounters with and through design, Jessica realized that design thinking can do more than make things pretty, Design can also provide opportunities for connection and communication and bring people together to solve problems that have challenged people for years. From her time shepherding a business community in a transitioning entertainment district in Dallas to going on to become one of the leaders of Dallas' vibrant and culturally impactful Deep Ellum community, Jessica has always been focused on how to use design to make lives better. Currently serving as the Director of Southern Methodist University's MADI program, Jessica now has the responsibility of training up a generation of leaders to think differently about the problems they face, to apply design and creativity, and to turn those challenges into experiences that impact entire cities.

Curiously Creative

@jburnham4 

Facebook

Reimagine Crowdus

The download at Lyle

Big Design Conference Keynote 

Lyle Now Magazine 

Mike Baughman kept getting fired. Let's be more precise- Rev. Mike Baughman kept getting fired from the churches he was leading. He never quite fit in and never felt like he really got how other people "did church." An ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, he saw past the walls of the chapel and saw a community of people who were marginalized, and often overlooked or pushed past by the church. Mike now serves as the Founding Pastor and Executive Director of Union Coffee, a community-oriented coffee shop/church/community center/performance space/generally dope place to hang out that has the ambitious self-professed mission to "cultivate the divine spark in our neighbors for the good of the city and the world." With a focus on inspiring through outstanding coffee, robust community and engaging causes, Union stands as a shining example of what Mike defines as God's first commandment- to create.

An east coast native with the skilled and artisanal use of strong language that comes along with that- Mike is not what you'd expect when you hear the term "pastor." He believes that offensive actions like homophobia, systemic racism, and inequality are deserving of the strong language he uses to describe them and comes to them with a disdain that's rooted in a hope that it doesn't have to be this way. That there is a more just and verdant world that God has envisioned- it's the world he and Union fight for every day.

Curiously Creative

Facebook
Instagram: @baughmanstories or @uniondallas
Twitter: @ireverant

For your viewing and listening pleasure

What We Didn't Expect While Expecting
Do This One Thing and Millennials Will Flock to Your Church
I'll Be Dammed

After over 25 episodes (or as we like to say- "a quarter hundo"), Byron and Damany sat down to reflect on Damany's journey from an awkward Brooklyn Black boy to an awkward Dallas Black man (some things don't change) Damany's journey has led him to more fully celebrate his "awkward" approach to creativity,  embrace his love of random knowledge, and understand more fully the impact of a diverse set of experiences to develop, shape, and foster opportunities for people to be transformed by the engaging moments he's been a part of creating. When confronted with the significant impact to the events industry because of COVID-19, Damany and his team at The Event Nerd leaned hard into their diverse skillset to become some of the preeminent leaders in the virtual broadcast and virtual events space, and in the process have been able to put dozens of people back to work producing the kinds of events they can all be proud of. 

Curiously Creative

Insta: @damanyd @TheEventNerd @CasuallyCrtve

The Event Nerd

Casually Creative

Erica Felicella has always felt called to the acts of creation and discovery. As a child, you'd find her building life-sized "log" cabins out of the sticks she could gather, or cutting down trees with nothing more than a pocketknife just to see if she could. Her fascination with understanding the "why" of a thing led her down a path of artistic discovery that has enabled her to curate, cultivate, and create experiences for artists the world over, while she continues to explore her own story as a performance artist. After early battles with addiction and a medical condition that made it virtually impossible to continue her rapidly growing career as a commercial photographer, Erica set out to discover new ways to make art. She discovered the power found in pushing through her pain and discomfort to connect with her audience in ways that transform them and, most importantly, enable them to confront uncomfortable realities in themselves. When you hear the word "artist," what instantly comes to mind may not be someone who locks themselves in a box, or types 40 years of their life story on a manual typewriter, or allows themselves to stand naked so that they can be sculpted before an audience- but in each of these pieces, Erica opened up her audience to new ways of thinking. 

We think she'll do the same for you.

Curiously Creative

Instagram - @felicella
Twitter - @felicella
"Baby" Erica interview with KERA
From Weird to Weirder

Brittany Barnett's effortless wisdom comes from years of sitting at fishing holes and on front porches with her granddad and her father. These early and formative moments communicated to her a way to view the world that left her open to its possibilities, while acutely recognizing its challenges. Motivated early on to pursue excellence and not give up on a possibility simply because you can't see your desired outcome, Brittany has navigated through the halls of this country's most prestigious law firms and most hallowed centers of justice until she found her passion and her calling in a chance Google search that set her on a path to free those inequitably imprisoned, and to push for a more just and fair criminal justice system. By the age of 32, she had successfully petitioned for and won clemency for her client- clemency that came at the signature of then-President Barack Obama. 

Motivated and bolstered by a singular vision- to fight for justice amidst the communities, cultures, and causes that the country often overlooks, Brittany has found herself at the forefront of the fight for criminal justice reform. After founding the Buried Alive Project alongside two former clients she had successfully freed from lifetime imprisonment, Brittany set out to free as many people from life imprisonment for non-violent drug offenses as possible. Her persistence led to the litigation of the release of an impressive 17 people in 90 days alongside her co-counsel. This jaw-dropping act has earned her headlines and international attention and acclaim that have catapulted her to the forefront of a much-needed conversation that often impacts and ravishes thriving and healthy communities and leaves their inhabitants fatigued and their children disconnected.

As the author of the recently released book, "A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, & Freedom," Brittany's intensely personal memoir chronicles the stories of three of her clients and has been listed as an Amazon book of the month. In describing the book and its characters, Al Woodworth, of Amazon Book Review says it best as he writes that "their lives—including their crimes, their families, and their jail time—are rendered with such care and compassion that it is impossible to put this book down. It is also impossible not to root for Barnett and her clients as she fights to get them the justice they deserve, and never had. A Knock at Midnight is a profoundly moving memoir that reveals the incredibly racist world of the feds, the courts, and the laws that throw away people’s lives—for life."

Casually Creative

Twitter: @msbkb
IG: @msbkb

A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, & Freedom

Essence Magazine Feature
Good Morning America Feature

Insta: @stemandthorn
           @thesamlao

StemandThorn.com & TheSamLao.com

Michelle Williams goes beyond defying the odds and has, at every stage of her life, defined them. Her passion for economic and entrepreneurial equity comes from years working alongside business owners, CEOs, and non-profit leaders to push them towards a true understanding of their value, and how they can (and do) impact the world and community around them. As the founding Executive Director of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center at Red Bird Mall, Michelle was responsible for highlighting, celebrating, and supporting entrepreneurs in areas of her city that were often overlooked and under-resourced. Now, as an independent Social Impact and Innovation Strategist, she works alongside those same entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and heads of business to help them define, execute and implement their philanthropic goals to build a more just and impactful world. We chatted about creating opportunities, cultivating communities, and...the power of channeling your inner Beyonce.

Curiously Creative

Twitter: @bemichellew
Instagram: @bemichellew
LinkedIn

NPR interview hosted by KERA
Texas Monthly: Top 15 Innovators Reshaping Texas
Texas Legislature: Outstanding Texan Award
Fox News Feature
D Magazine: Southern Dallas Project 

Every now and then you stumble into a conversation that holds your attention in such a way that you look up and don't realize how much time has passed. That's what happened the entire time we sat down to chat with Chike Aguh. A Harvard Fellow, Wharton Alumni, and Presidential Leadership Scholar, Chike history has seen him navigating the halls of Harvard and the roads of Nigeria. Passionate about fostering opportunities to create and discover the future of work, Chike's career has allowed him to develop campaigns for presidential candidates, fight for technological equity for disappropriated communities, and most recently, serve as the Head of Economic Mobility Pathways at the Education Design Lab. There he leads the Community College Growth Engine Fund, an innovative, tri-sector and $2.5M dollar effort turning community colleges into bridges to careers in high growth fields for every American learner and worker, starting with nearly 4,000 in 6 communities.

Endlessly self-inquisitive, Chike strives daily to "interrogate his own performance" to push himself to work alongside agencies, organizations, and individuals to envision a present of work that includes everyone, regardless of where they find themselves. 

Curiously Creative

Twitter: @CRAguh

Instagram: @chikeaguh

Work in Progress Podcast

Council on Foreign Relations Panel on Trade, Immigration, Workforce Development 

WebSummit Panel on Internet as a Human Right

The Chance And The Choice That Changed My Life: The Power of A College Promise (Forbes) 

Jennifer Burns' creative approach to problem-solving, question asking, and collaborating has been a large part of what has elevated her to being one of the top event production professionals in her industry. Her commitment to "never say no" to a client while still guiding them towards the decisions and outcomes that are best for their experiences has given her the unique opportunity to create and celebrate those moments with presidents, celebrities, and heads of state. Jennifer is one of the few women leading in the male-dominated industry of pyrotechnics, and her time as President of Illumination Fireworks and Special FX has taught her to find opportunities when only problems seem to present themselves and to use those opportunities to grow companies and build brands to 5x their original size.

Oh yeah, and we learn about Byron's (mildly scary) obsession with fire.

Curiously Creative

Personal Instagram

Illumination Fireworks Instagram

Ultimate Confetti Instagram

Sitting down with Jerry Hawkins is like getting a master class in, well...everything. Equal parts storytelling historian and unapologetic activist, Jerry deftly weaves in and out of narrative and policy discussions with a skill that speaks to the many hours he's spent understanding, unpacking, and most importantly, reading. An avid bibliophile, Jerry has spent his life digging into the history of the places and spaces in which he finds himself, to unpack the roots of the systemic racism baked into so many communities. A Chi-town native, Jerry's mission to impact those around him to transform their communities by more fully understanding their stories and using their past to create more just and verdant futures is realized as he leads Dallas Truth Racial Healing & Transformation, a non-profit organization whose work has been globally recognized, first by a founding grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and most recently by being awarded a $500,000 grant by the Texas Instruments Foundation to allow TRHT to expand their mission, increase their community outreach, and bolster the programming they offer to the communities they serve.

Jerry is a masterful storyteller, and the work that he and Dallas TRHT are doing will inspire and motivates you to understand the history of wherever you find yourself to be a part of a future that's better for all.

Curiously Creative

D Magazine Article: Death Around the Corner: Racism, Protest, and Living in Dallas During a Pandemic 

Community Conversations: Racial Healing and Change

Instagram: @JerryLEADS

Luxury wedding planner, design guru, podcaster, instructor, semi-serial entrepreneur, professional dancer (ret), and multiple URL owner (you can catch your breath now) Kimberly Rhodes has been focused on creating beautiful experiences for clients for almost two decades and still finds joy in every one. From her days planning corporate meetings and conferences, grand openings and trade shows Kimberly was surprised to discover that her true passion was helping people celebrate their most special days from her time planning her own...and she hasn't looked back since.

As the owner of Hitched Events, she works with clients to make their most beautiful and amazing days come true. As the co-host of This Week in Weddings, a podcast dedicated to wedding entrepreneurs, Kimberly helps those in the industry that she loves excel and create new opportunities to grow their businesses. Most recently, in launching her first online course, she is training a new generation of podcast creators on how to put their ideas out into the world. In short, Kimberly is all about creating and celebrating those moments of creation whenever possible. Kimberly believes that her superpower is her ability to listen and that she becomes more than just a wedding planner, she’s a confidante, part-time therapist, and advocate for her clients. Over the years, she's discovered unique ways to help clients understand their voice and empower them to share that voice through the creation of their most special days. In the process, she's discovered how to "own her own opinions" and use that power to create her world around her.

Y'all- Kimberly dropped some GEMS on this episode!

Curiously Creative

Business IG - @hitchedevents
Personal IG - @kimberly.notkim

Tanner Hockensmith is somewhat of an enigma. This show choir singing, deer hunting, karate-kicking (ok, it's Jiu-Jitsu, but the alliteration was too good to pass up), nonprofit leading husband and father has been a part of the building and transformation of a number of organizations throughout his career. From starting an arts-based cultural center that focused on the strengths of the community instead of trying to correct its weaknesses, to his time leading not one, but two different chapters of the ALS Association, Tanner has centered his life around impacting those around him and leaving lives and communities better. At the time of the now history-making "Ice Bucket Challenge," Tanner was a relatively new leader within the ALS Association and got to experience firsthand how someone with passion could rally an international movement and how creative approaches to solving problems are often found in the most unlikely of places. We sat down to discuss global movements, white walkers, and why conservation through hunting isn't an oxymoron.

Curiously Creative

Instagram: @tannerhock

ALS Association of Texas

Raised from an early age to appreciate, interpret, and engage with a variety of musical and creative expressions, Ben Hall spent most of his life educating and inspiring young people to connect with music in their own unique ways. When suddenly faced with the opportunity to shift careers, Ben found himself in seemingly unfamiliar territory but quickly learned that much of what he learned while teaching had perfectly prepared him to impact the lives of those he was now connected with. We sat down to discuss how his work at Safe Haven of Tarrant County has been inspired and influenced by his time in the public school system, and how even in a curriculum-based environment, opportunities for creativity are what enable true and lasting connection and change. 

Curiously Creative

Ben on Instagram

You've heard of multi-instrumentalists before, right? You know, those musical types who can pick up just about any instrument and play it with the skill of a virtuoso. Well, Mike Arreaga is like a multi-creativist (yes, that's a made-up word you can now use- you're welcome). An accomplished painter, printer, designer, welder, carpenter, furniture architect, and scenic designer, Mike has discovered his own particular brand of inspiration in, well...everything. A true believer that you can be inspired by anything from wall stucco and waveforms to toast and Nigerian Disco, and that it all can inform and create.

Instagram:  @arreaga & @ShagCarpetProps

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Narrative and story have always been a powerful part of Paul Wizikowski's life. Since discovering in elementary school theatre how people can be transported and connected through impactful moments, he has made it his mission to create, capture, and share those tales. Currently, in his position as Video Production Advisor to the NASA Administrator, Paul has been consistently tasked with telling some of this nation's most hopeful and awe-inspiring stories. Most recently, he led the team responsible for Launch America. As NASA ushered in a new era of human spaceflight, American astronauts once again launched on an American rocket from American soil to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and Paul and his team shared the launch with millions. We sat down with him to talk about connecting the dots, flying planes, and how to successfully launch 9' dinosaurs into space. 

Curiously Creative

• WE ARE NASA- Narrated by Mike Rowe
• WE ARE GOING- Narrated by William Shatner
• WE GO, TOGETHER 
• WE GO: THE ARTEMIS GENERATION 
• SPACE IS HARD 
• DREAMED OF THIS– Led by NASA astronaut Nicole Mann
• HOW WE ARE GOING TO THE MOON- Narrated by Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars)
• NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 Launch Broadcast

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Dr. HaeSung Han has dedicated her life to empowering girls and young women to lift themselves out of situations historically destined to destroy them. Refusing to allow the young women she serves to be defined by the worst moments of their lives, she and the team at Poetic have built a community that has empowered and uplifted them to amazing heights. We sat down with Dr. Han to discuss her creative approach to impacting and changing the juvenile justice system so that young women have an opportunity to pursue dreams and find liberation through art and connection.

Curiously Creative

• Dallas Morning News
• Dallas Doing Good
• Fisco Enterprise

Yasaman Hadjibashi is one of the most powerful global women in technology, and has a bunch of awards to prove it (we think it might be all the awards, but who's counting). A brilliant conversationalist, her innate ability to make complex financial or technological concepts make sense for a variety of audiences is one of the things that sets her apart from so many others in her field and has established her as an international icon in the field of financial technology. Growing up in Tehran at the time of the Islamic revolution, she early on developed a love of learning, finance, and how technology can shape and advance the impact of both.  Currently, in her role as Global Head of Data and Analytics for Citi Global Consumer Bank, she has continued to dedicate her career to championing ways to advance opportunities for consumers and improving the world we all live in. Our conversations went global as we unpacked her secrets to management, the pursuit of big dreams, and how collaboration and (occasional) conflict can best serve creativity.

Additional Resources from Yasaman

• Data-driven product management in big banks: http://www.gadget.co.za/data-wunderkinds-change-how-banks-innovate/  
• Success in Africa to advocate the use of data and technology for virtual mentorship: http://www.esuccess.online  
• The Motivation behind Africa Success: http://www.esuccess.online/success-blog/2016/8/2/the-motivation-behind-africa-success4) 
• Accelerating our Africa Success Journey: http://www.esuccess.online/success-blog/2017/2/17/accelerating-our-africa-success-journey

Dr. Michael Sorrell has been hailed by Forbes Magazine as one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders, and when you meet him, you instantly understand why. With a commanding yet approachable presence, it seems as if nuggets of wisdom just live in every sentence he speaks. Dr. Sorrell began his tenure as the President of Paul Quinn College, a historically black university in Dallas, 13 years ago when it was in dire straits.  Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and with 3 months until they had to close their doors for good, Paul Quinn's Tigers needed a new vision for and of themselves, and Dr. Sorrell brought exactly that. Within 90 days of taking office, he made sweeping changes that many questioned- from eliminating majors, to ending a decades-long football program and replacing it with, of all things, a farm where the football field had once been. His biggest change, however, was to get the Paul Quinn community to see itself as what it could be and to believe in a future where it stood as an example for colleges around the world.

Now with international acclaim, the Paul Quinn Quinnites do stand as shining examples of what a committed community of administrators and educators can do when faced with seemingly impossible odds. We sat down with Dr. Sorrell to discuss how his experience in sports, law, and entertainment (including a bid to buy the Memphis Grizzlies) prepared him for a career in higher education, and how creativity is found oftentimes when all other opportunities are exhausted.

Eddy is not what you'd expect when you imagine the CEO of an urban farming company. Mild-mannered (yes, you can TOTALLY think of him as Clark Kent), brilliantly insightful, and a veteran of both the advertising and marketing world and global foreign affairs, Eddy's career has been varied to say the least.  From his time working in the federal government as a Middle East analyst pre, during, and post 9-11 (yeah, not a lot to focus on there), to becoming a foreign affairs spokesperson in the Bush White House, and the CEO of a top national marketing and communications firm (that he sold and then bought back-no, seriously) Eddy has had experience in just about everything...except farming. 

Eddy's latest venture, Eden Green is one of the newest and most innovative hydroponic farms in the world and has the audacious goal of bringing produce to urban food deserts across the globe, and in the process, change the very culture of those communities. We got a chance to sit down with Eddy to discuss his story, how an acre and a half can change a city, and about the power of redemptive business practices to make for a more invested and conscious company.

Photo credit: Elizabeth Lavin for D Magazine

Organizations you can support:

Campaign Zero
Mothers Against Police Brutality, Inc.
BYP 100
North Texas Dream Team
Faith in Texas

Chris McSwain's devotion to uncovering and understanding people and their stories has led her to discover a series of intersecting narratives that have informed her creative outlook and approach to the pursuit of life. Her fascination with the ways in which those stories are told has placed her behind the successful communications efforts of some of the most impactful movements and campaigns and made her acutely aware of the power of creativity and the written word to transform communities and lives.

Christina's dedication to story is seen in everything she does. From finding beauty through thrifting to explaining why in the holy hell "muckbanging" is even a thing, and offering revelations about how observing people (but in a not too creepy way) can lead to understandings of your own intentions, her telling of the thing makes you want to lean in and love it just a little bit more.

Insta: @MissChrisness

Impact: Communities Foundation of Texas

LinkedIn: Chris McSwain

As the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for one of the largest school districts in the country, Justin Henry already had a daunting task. When faced with the challenges of COVID-19, and the sudden closing of all public schools, he and his team were suddenly tasked with delivering more than education- they needed to deliver for those suffering with food insecurity, and provide online education when getting online for many is nearly impossible. We sat down with him to see how DISD creatively tackled the challenge and worked with their team at all levels to find answers to all sorts of new questions.

Jordan Swim, in addition to having one of the coolest names out there, had one of the coolest jobs. He and his company, Vestals Catering, got to wake up every day and cook great food for some of life's most fantastic celebrations. When COVID-19 began to sweep its way through the country, he saw all that come to a screeching halt. With dozens of employees and fridges full of food, he knew he had to do something. From a desire to continue serving the community he found himself in, Furlough Kitchen was born and within days began serving hundreds of meals each day. To date, they have served over 25,000 meals to hospitality workers displaced by restaurants, hotels, and food service centers shutting down. Damany got to sit down with Jordan and discuss his journey from successful entrepreneur to engaged philanthropist. As restaurants around the country begin to open back up for business, Jordan's story reminds us why serving others is still one of life's highest honors.

•  VisitDallas and Uptown Dallas lists of restaurants still operating and offering home delivery.
• Dallas' dedicated COVID-19 website 
• Dallas County dedicated COVID-19 website
• COVID-19 dashboard of total cases, new cases, deaths, and 311 COVID-19 calls
• Information on unemployment insurance can be found here. 
• Texas Workforce Commission automated virtual assistant to help Texans sign up for unemployment insurance.
• Anyone whose job has brought them into direct contact with someone with coronavirus (for instance, a first responder or a health care worker) and has become ill or is required to quarantine can file for WORKERS’ COMP. File for that here.
• If you or a friend or family member are out of work, the Texas Workforce Commission provides support services.
• Residents can call 211 or visit www.211texas.org and give their zip code for a list of local financial and in-kind resources available in their area.
• Find food assistance, help paying bills, and other free or reduced-cost programs, including new programs for the COVID-19 pandemic by visiting https://findhelp.org

John LaRue is one of those guys who you meet and instantly want to spend hours talking to. Softspoken with a boisterous laugh and stories to match, John is one of your new best friends.

John's story is varied and interesting, to say the least. From receiving not one, but two patents before his 15th birthday, to a career that has ranged from restauranteur to teacher, and now barback/custodian/emcee/security/holder of all the keys at one of the most innovative artistic establishments in Dallas' Deep Ellum neighborhood, John consistent mission has always been to connect people. As co-founder of Deep Ellum Art Company: a performance venue, gallery, and bar dedicated to the "Creative and Native," John now works to connect artists with lovers of the arts, often giving artists their first gallery experience.

Deep Ellum Art Co. Facebook