Creativity Speaks

From the Bay to Sacramento, Nick Jacoy brings with him a diverse background that’s touched various compartments within the design industry, from print production, to web developer, to illustrator, to graphic designer…is there anything Nick hasn’t done?! He’s a self-taught illustrator and product designer with a background in web development and print production. Some of his work includes web development for Blackberry, Samsung, and Apple. Many people are forever learners and we think it’s safe to say Nick is definitely one! In this episode, we’ll be discussing the evolution of Nick’s career path, how he shifted gears to move from web development to UX design, and adjusting to remote collaboration.

Over the course of her career, Megan Van Voorhis has played a leading role in numerous strategic planning, programming, and research committees. She has also facilitated cross-sector partnerships, illustrating the importance of collaboration. She’s provided leadership, guidance, and support for the region’s small business association and destination marketing agency to develop arts and culture initiatives within their respective organizations at various points in their lifespans. She regularly speaks and consults on her work on a national level. She now leads the City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts & Culture where she is responsible for advancing the goals of the Creative Edge cultural plan. In this episode, Megan discusses cross-sector partnerships between different communities and the arts.

Have you ever wondered how people do it? Gain such a massive following that it’s almost unheard of unless, of course, we’re talking about celebrities and famous artists. How exactly does a company attract over 750,000 followers over social media? No matter the type of function you’ve been at, rest assured H.O.F. has been there and done that. In this episode, Robbie and Tony from H.O.F. talk about how they’ve networked and harnessed social media platforms to ultimately drive Sacramento, and its culture, forward.

Choreographer, Company Artist with the Sacramento Ballet, and Co-founder of Capitol Dance Project (CDP), Julia Feldman is a creative who is constantly inspired by the Sacramento arts community and takes pride in her work with the CDP team to provide a unique platform for local artists, musicians, and dancers. Julia has choreographed for the School of the Sacramento Ballet and teaches master classes throughout the Valley. In 2015 she co-founded CDP, a collective group of professional dancers in the Sacramento Valley. Seven seasons later, they've produced a total of 60 world premiere ballets and worked with close to 40 local artists and musicians. In this episode, Julia discusses the importance of teamwork, community, and building mutual respect among artists of different mediums.

Capitol Creative Alliance (CCA) is a union of four local creative groups — Creativity+, Design Sacramento, Roseville UX, and Sac DESCO. Each group has been building the community that we longed to see in the greater Sacramento region. Our years spent growing this community gives us a deeper understanding of their needs and the desires of the greater Sacramento region. Our aim at CCA is to champion and inspire creatives from different communities, identities, and experiences to build a thriving creative community in the Sacramento region.

Paul Willis is a Sacramento-based diversity, equity and inclusion consultant whose client list includes top business, nonprofit and government agencies such as MetroEdge and the Sacramento Bee. His 15 year professional career in the arts, education, leadership development and social justice-driven organizations has provided Paul a unique lens to see the world and shape it. He is also the founder of the Hip-Hop Chess club in Sacramento, and a celebrated keynote speaker who has shared the stage with artists including Lupe Fiasco and Common. In this episode, Paul discusses the origins of hip hop in knowledge, centering the margins to allow people to speak and show up for themselves, and how to stop chasing opportunity and start creating your own.

Faith J. McKinnie is an independent curator & consultant who has held leadership positions at the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Theater Company, Bigger Than Us Arts, and is the founding director for the Black Artists Fund. Originally from South Sacramento, Faith discusses the inequality gap and financial barriers that many black artists face when it comes to finding pathways and resources to thrive as an artist. In this episode, Faith also talks about the importance of building a community for black artists and discusses why art is a gateway for creating systemic change. Faith wields the transformative power of diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive art in her critically acclaimed projects, programs, and exhibitions.

Shawn Kahan is a serial entrepreneur. From selling oranges out of his yard to reselling his Halloween candy, he has always had a natural calling for working in business. Whether it was running a streetwear clothing line at age 17, working with high profile athletes and artists on marketing and branding, to cofounding the creative consulting group Yellow Brick Group, Shawn credits the Sacramento community for his successes. In this episode, Shawn discusses the birth of Our Street Market, the one of a kind event created by YBG which has become a hub for showcasing Sacramento culture and highlighting local artists and businesses. As a self-proclaimed master of none creative, Shawn shares his inspirations, discusses the path he took to success, and offers advice to those pursuing a career in the creative field.

Molly Weber is a co-founder and the Chief Experience Officer at The Urban Hive, where she is committed to building sustainable communities and beautiful work, collaboration, and event spaces, within which hundreds of creatives and entrepreneurs can thrive. In this episode, Molly talks about the vision she had upon creating what Paste Magazine calls one of the “50 Coolest Coworking Spaces Across the Country,” and discusses how the Urban Hive became the premiere hub that it is today for local creatives and innovators throughout Sacramento. Molly is honored to watch as driven and inspiring entrepreneurs and creatives have helped shape not only “the Hive”, but the city she calls home.

Amanda Sanchez is the Executive Director of Design Sacramento, a nonprofit organization that aims to make Sacramento’s design community more inclusive, equitable, and supportive for all. Wanting to see the design community in Sacramento thrive, Amanda has made it her mission to create a network built on providing resources, education, and opportunities to fellow creatives of all ages and backgrounds. In this episode, Amanda discusses the impact that the pandemic has had on her work and the design industry as a whole, the role that the creative community has in combating racial inequality, and exactly what she’s doing to help local designers and creatives thrive during these difficult times.

In this episode, Salvin Chahal, a Sacramento native driven by the immigrant hustle, discusses the impact that the local creative community has had on his journey to finding his true identity and fulfilling his need for artistic expression.  He's a storyteller, poet, producer, and an advocate for people of color from marginalized communities.  From humble beginnings and a career launched by social media, his book, ‘Verses From Above’, a collection of poetry and workshops, reached #3 on Amazon’s Bestseller Asian American Poetry list ultimately landing him on the stages of SXSW. Currently pursuing his acting career, Salvin shares how he knew creativity was his ticket to success and amplifies the importance of using his platform to create a dialogue of political discourse in order to influence real change.

Fueled by the passion of creating unforgettable experiences, Maritza Davis has built a successful career as an entrepreneur, executive and business leader. Born and raised in South Sacramento, Maritza discusses the importance of family and community in her upbringing and how it has shaped her career decisions. Walking away from a promising career to focus on her creative pursuits, Maritza shares her story and offers advice on how to achieve success in the creative field despite feeling under-qualified and lacking experience. Co-founder for the award-winning event marketing and production agency Unseen Heroes and many other projects, Maritza is currently the Vice President of Experiences and Social Responsibility for the Sacramento Kings. With her current role, she has found a way to channel the passion she has for community, creativity, and social justice to help underrepresented areas of Sacramento and beyond.

Born in New Orleans and raised in Sacramento, N’Gina Guyton is a self-made entrepreneur in the food and restaurant industry and has dedicated her life to serving the Sacramento community with the very best authentic Southern food. In this episode, N’Gina talks about what it means to be a successful, black, female restaurant owner during a truly unprecedented time.  N’Gina shares the different obstacles she has faced within the food industry and discusses the many ways that her creativity has helped set her apart from other business owners.

On this episode of Creativity Speaks+, we talk with Isis Dallis who is currently Managing Director at Matter Unlimited, a creative and strategic consultancy focused on social impact. With a passion for storytelling, Isis has held President and senior strategist roles at several agencies, as well as co-founder and CEO of her own non-profit Camellia Network, (acquired in 2014 as part of Youth Villages).

As a Black woman and creative leader working in the design industry, Dallis discusses some of the barriers and biases that creatives of color face when it comes to corporate hiring, career building, and simply existing in the professional world. After the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others, Isis also discusses the role that those in the creative sector have played in creating and circulating the very images that have perpetuated and influenced the attitudes and opinions around these tragic deaths. Offering up invaluable insights, solutions, and ideas to the racial issues found within the creative sector, Isis reflects on her own experiences and the meaningful conversations she has had around this issue.

Ebony Ava Harper is a Sacramento-based award-winning nationally recognized activist, philanthropist, writer, creator, life and world-changer, advocate for marginalized communities, and a tremendous inspiration to many. In this episode, Ebony talks about the intersections of being black and transgender and how it ties into a bigger movement.

After experiencing a very traumatic childhood due to her nonconforming gender identity, Ebony suffered years of abuse and hardships. Finally embracing her true identity and doing what makes her happy, Ebony moved from Los Angeles to Sacramento where she continued on the path to become the advocate she is today. From creating healing spaces, employment opportunities, spearheading the Chyna Gibson Memorial Mural (detailing the epidemic of transgender murders), to sex workers needing a shoulder to cry on, Harper never fails to show up for her community time and time again.

Today, Ebony is the Director of California TRANScends and is currently championing AB2218, a California Assembly Bill focused on providing health resources and improving the wellbeing of the trans community.

On Episode 2 Landon Lee, a multi-skilled creative aficionado, with over 10 years of professional experience.  In this time, he's worked in a variety of industries - honing his craft each step of the way - from broadcast news to boutique marketing agencies. Today, Landon is the co-owner of Noble Creative Collective, a creative Design Studio located here in Sacramento.  Through his own experiences BOTH positive and negative within the industry, Landon along with his business partner, are striving to create a company that operates with Noble people alongside him.

Kicking off our first episode of Season 3 we invited Maya Wallace to discuss what’s going on in the Sacramento Arts community. Maya Wallace is a longtime Sacramento resident committed to building an equitable and prosperous community for all. Dive into this first episode to see what kind of work Maya is currently up to and what she thinks our community can do to improve.

Creativity Speaks explores the stories of Sacramento’s creative community. Creativity Speaks focuses on a different theme.  This quarter, we are highlighting black voices in our creative community.

Host, Johnny Flores, shares his thoughts on the potential of hiring and highlighting diverse creatives.

Lin Fei Fei is a professional artist from Dalian, China. She moved to America after completing her Master’s degree in oil painting at Luxun Academy of Fine Arts. Fei also creates artwork outside of the traditional painting studio including murals, installations and mixed media collaborations with musicians, writers, fashion designers and virtual reality artists. The themes in her art center on humanity and the contrasting experience of our days: one moment dark and ominous, the next bright and hopeful. Rather than projecting an unachievable ethereal dreamscape, she aims to capture the truth in real life. Fei has worked in more than a dozen countries and participated in exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and the United States. In 2016, she was chosen as one of ten Contemporary Chinese Artists of the Future by the Wang Shi Kuo Art Foundation in Beijing, China.

Micah founded and hosts the Sacramento chapter of global speaker series Fuckup Nights, spreading the message of embracing failure as a stepping stone to growth and success. He has been on a personal awareness and growth kick since he was young and his creativity, curiosity, love of new experiences and willingness to embrace discomfort has given him a quirky work history studded with gigs like CNC programmer, scuba shop lackey, Parisian au pair, backpacking gear monger, full-time sailing instructor and a very brief stint as a Navy enlistee. In 2003, a pirated copy of Photoshop lured Micah into a career in graphic arts and illustration. Micah freelances as Foxhaus Creative and has worked as an in-house designer and creative director for a wide range of organizations. He is excited to contribute to a paradigm-shift in Sacramento’s culture of professional and personal growth.

Domina is a mother, teacher and overall badass. So far, she has earned a Master of Arts degree in Education, backpacked solo around South America and graduated from Space Camp. When Domina isn’t helping her young adult children with their own passions or studying to get her commercial pilot’s license, she is preparing for her next adventure as a NASA Airborne Astronomy Ambassador flying in the stratosphere with the SOFIA telescope.

Johnny is a rising star within the California comedy scene. With a raw, personal and darkly hilarious style, he has shared the stage with comedians like Dave Attell, Robin Williams and opening for Iliza Shlesinger and Brian Posehn. His first album, Tangled Up In Plaid, was released on Stand Up! Records and debuted in the iTunes Top 10 comedy releases. With his followup album and TV special Bummin’ With The Devil debuting at No. 1 on both iTunes and Amazon, he is showing no signs of slowing down.

Raoul is a storyteller, educator and visual artist who communicates through the disciplines of photography and graphic design. His creativity flows between visual communication and art form as he adopts a jazz- and design-minded approach, riffing off principles, theories and the playful side of things to strategically and intuitively create his work.

Rolanda Wilkins is an innovative program administrator, global community organizer and traditional ceremonial leader. She has worked throughout the United States, Canada, Cuba, Ghana, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, Nigeria and South Africa in women’s, adolescent and international health and wellness, specializing in youth development and leadership, outreach, resources identification, communication and media production. Rolanda is the Founder & Executive Director of Earth Mama Healing, Inc., home to Nurtured Girls, Empowered Women Institute for female empowerment and leadership enrichment. She recently launched the Earth Mama Healing Network, which produces podcasts and live video broadcasts focused on people of African ancestry of the diaspora. Her mission is to assist young people in dreaming a positive reality outside the world they know so they can make the world they want to live in.