NEXT THING WITH JING

Fittingly named after speed performance brand “Mallory Ignition,” I had a blast connecting with Multidisciplinary Visual Artist MALLORIE FREEMANS’s creative spark, spunk, and spirit – mesmerized by her family’s fierce Filipina-Irish entrepreneurial adventures full of “wild energy,” charisma, and family legend-making.

Whether pursuing intuition and teenage dreams to looking for truth and the real story behind her larger-than-life 1960s pop singer mom, Mer-Lyn, and fierce leather pants-donning Filipina seamstress grandma “Lola” Fe, we explore where their stories began and blend with Mallorie’s own creative fire and highly original work.

From cosmetology school to art conservation to her 800-piece sugar-coated chocolate exhibit in abandoned homes, we trace Mallorie’s intriguing, non-traditional journey and quest for family folklore. Tune in as we tracer trails of online stardust and “the many lives” left behind by her then rising Filipino-American starlet mom. Like a Netflix series and one-hit-wonder that lingers in your heart and imagination, Mallorie’s first-generation immigration story – by way of Atlantic City, Las Vegas, The Johnny Cason show, Dick Clark, and Frank Sinatra – may leave you starstruck, too.

MALLORIE FREEMAN was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio by her mother, Mer-Lyn, a pop singer who recorded music with ABC Paramount at just 16 years old. Her mother later became a modeling agency owner, television producer, and makeup artist. Mer-Lyn’s entrepreneurial spirit and DIY nature influenced Mallorie from a young age.

Mallorie attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago after graduating High School. She also attended the Cleveland Institute of Art but is mostly self-taught. As a multi-disciplinary artist, she works with non-traditional media, such as chocolate installations in abandoned spaces, and text-based textile works using synthetic hair. Mallorie has participated in a number of regional + national exhibitions.

Celebrating PRIDE month and recorded live on Memorial Day, I caught up with my friend Cleveland Heights MAYOR KAHLIL SEREN to talk about his vision and inspiration behind his historic 100-year win, his deep love of family, his admiration for his activist moms, and how his childhood shaped him to be the modern leader he is today. Named after a Lebanese poet and a certain pink water dragon, Serendipity – Seren for short! – by his 4-year-old-brother, we discover how MAYOR SEREN never wanted to run for office or become a politician. We also dive deep into “learning over knowing” and how facing our fears without flinching (and liking a little danger even...) can lead to your next thing in the new now.

Kahlil Seren was sworn in as the 1st elected Mayor of Cleveland Heights on January 1, 2022.

Born in Cleveland Heights, Kahlil grew up in East Cleveland and Beachwood before moving back to Cleveland Heights where he served on City Council from 2015 to 2021.

During his time on Council, Kahlil focused on improving housing policy in Cleveland Heights by introducing legislation requiring banks to pay a bond to maintain foreclosed vacant housing and mandating that landlords pay their property taxes and code violations in order to renew their rental occupancy permits. As Vice Mayor, Kahlil also championed the adoption of grant-funded CitizenServe software, which streamlined the building permit and housing inspection processes of the city.

Kahlil Seren previously worked as a Policy Advisor for Cuyahoga County Council, the legislative and budgetary authority for Cuyahoga County. In that capacity, he advised Council on policy design and program management, primarily in the areas of Workforce, Economic, and Community Development. 

Swooning over priceless bar mitzvah “Mom Prom” photos while questioning how “words up to heaven without meaning never go,” tune in as we dive delightfully deep into “KEN-ness” with the fabulously fun and always funny KEN SCHNECK. Join us as Ken stuns and drops the pod mic on big BIG project news and his thrilling “next thing.” (And shares how he discovered his true superpowers as a kid — you heard it here first, kicking off Season 2 of #NextThingWithJing!)

So much fun swapping 6th-grade religion class tales, a.k.a. when Ken was suspended from Hebrew school for “always asking why.” And when I left Catholic school after challenging “Sister-Mary-Margaret-With-A-Mustache” on who was “allowed in” at church. We explore the nuances of the current legislative landscape, how #DontSayGay is a catchy slogan but not the whole story, and how “holding space” as an ally is what’s needed most.

Ken Schneck is an “Action-Oriented Rabble-Rouser.” Amplifying voices to create actual change (instead of creating more meetings about creating actual change). And he’s funny, too. As insightful as he is irreverent, Ken employs inspiration as deftly as he wields irony. He is a highly sought-out speaker who regularly presents on the topics of LGBTQ identity, community change, and racial justice.

Ken Schneck is the Editor of The Buckeye Flame, Ohio’s LGBTQ+ news and views platform. He is also the author of the books "Seriously, What Am I Doing Here? The Adventures of a Wondering and Wandering Gay Jew" (2017), "LGBTQ Cleveland" (2018), "LGBTQ Columbus" (2019), and "LGBTQ Cincinnati" (2020).

In his spare time, he is a professor of education at Baldwin Wallace University, specializing in issues of diversity, ethics, law, and student development theory. All that and a nationally syndicated radio/podcast host, a freelance writer for national publications, a total social justice nerd, and a gent who is just trying to use his voice to make a difference.

To learn more:

From “climbing the ladder” changing marquee letters at the Capitol Theatre to literally stumbling his way into the Literary Cleveland offices, MATT WEINKAM gives us a peek into his fascinating journey becoming LIT CLE’s executive director. (Umm, get your tissue box out…)

Matt also shares how “hogging the mood” can be a good thing, and how Literary Cleveland re-imagined and re-invented itself during the pandemic – exploring other voices while discovering its own. Inspired by his 4th-grade teacher Mrs. Robers, Matt shares junior high tales of reading classics like "Gone With The Wind" to earn bonus points and dinosaur erasers, and how getting lost in the woods and in books was a good thing for a Cincy kid like him in search of self-discovery and “shaking things up.”

MATT WEINKAM is a writer, editor, instructor and the executive director of Literary Cleveland. His work has been published in Hobart, Split Lip, DIAGRAM, Electric Literature and others. He holds an MA in creative writing from Miami University, an MFA in fiction from Northern Michigan University, and he has taught creative writing in many places including Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, China.

To find out more:

I had the chance to catch up with THOMAS FOX, all-around kind Human, Creative Producer, and Idea Enthusiast. But mostly? To playfully dive into his deep love for Cleveland, music, breakfast sandwiches, Vecchio Amaro - Cavassia Cognac Italian cocktails, and of course, all things Greyt Culture. Fresh off his Greyt Big Talk at Limelight Electric Gardens with Thomas’ big brother Michael Fox discussing entrepreneurial integrity, curiosity, and energy, we explore Thomas’ “next thing” with New York-based jazz-electronic-dance saxophone trio Moon Hooch at the Saucy Brew Works Vibe Garden, kicking off spring in the CLE.

THOMAS FOX is a multi-disciplinary creative producer born, raised, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Founder and President of Greyt Culture (formerly known as Agumboot.com), Fox founded CreativeMornings Cleveland in the fall of 2014 and Agumboot Music Festival in 2016. The arts and entrepreneurship advocacy programs merged under the coalescing Greyt banner in 2019, reflecting a common thread in the stories of all artists and entrepreneurs: perspective. Fox continually delivers world-class cultural programs with a vast history of curating raw and rising creative talent. Previous to Greyt Culture programs, Fox founded indie music studio Bad Racket in 2010 and simultaneously served as the creative leader of Cleveland's Brite Winter Arts and Music Festival until 2014. Fox’s perpetual curiosity for what’s next has led to collaborations between unlikely creative partners in art, business, and industry. Greyt Culture is an independent arts collaborative based in Cleveland, Ohio. All programs, live events, media, or other mediums of creation, serve to elevate and connect artists and entrepreneurs.

Celebrating International Women’s Day + Women’s History Month, I’m delighted to have multi-talented digital animator + artist JESS WILLIAMS of Brighter Shade of Yellow on NTWJ. Inspired by her second-generation Italian roots, childhood, and immigrant grandparents who settled in Little Italy, we explore the joy of cross-cultural collaboration and how we teamed up to design modern, multi-generational stories and experiences as digital storytellers and content creators. Jess shares her vision and how she was often the only female animator in the editing room and how being the first (and only) female animator to graduate with a digital degree from her alma mater shaped her creative career. We also talk about how she was discovered by the Cleveland Museum of Art through her stunning Instagram feed during the pandemic, co-developing the first virtual “Bloom: MIX” happy-hour-meets-DJ-dance-party – a dynamic digital initiative of remixed  animated visuals inspired by colorful art and florals from CMA’s collection.

JESS WILLIAMS is an animator + artist. She loves to have fun, go on new adventures, and be in the sun! Her animation studio Brighter Shade of Yellow is where Jess creates bold, bright, and impactful art to tell your story. She hopes to make a positive impact through her art and ideas. She has 20+ years working in the digital production field and uses this experience to make working together successful, efficient, and fun!

This week on the NTWJ pod, we explore brand-building + songwriting – celebrating "Complicated Kids" + creativity for all. Full of funny throwback memories of where it all began, at an impromptu summer backyard party + puppet show debuting an original Other Brown Girl Ukulele “Island” song that I co-wrote with multi-talented JESSE FRIEBERG (a.k.a. JESSE JUKEBOX) + Disney singer-songwriter Maria Christensen over Zoom. (Oh, did I mention Maria also writes for Jennifer Lopez + Celine Dione? How lucky am I to have such musical, magical friends?!) 

I was invited to share an Accelerate TECHNOVATION video update for Cleveland Leadership Center's SPARK: “Grit to Great” Conference last year, which encouraged us all to get out of our comfort zone, get curious + start innovating to “spark” new ways of doing things by taking risks. I was grateful to share Other Brown Girl + met the wonderfully inspiring + talented Marcela Rodriguez-Gonzalez. This week on the pod, we giggle about our childhood role models (Wonder Woman!) our love of tacos, the arts, "the other" + what it means to be a first-generation, creative-at-heart daughter of an engineer + doctor.

As Director of Community Development at Cleveland Play House (CPH) with a passion for education, MARCELA RODRIGUEZ-GONZALEZ has the honor of advocating for historically marginalized community members by evaluating strategic partnerships and programs engineered to remove barriers for participation.

Marcela joined CPH in 2017 as the Education Apprentice. She earned her Master’s Degree in Theatre at the University of Central Missouri and was the recipient of the President’s Diversity Scholarship. Marcela discovered her passion for developing communities through arts and education at a young age and has focused her research on Applied Theatre and Theatre for Change. She created the project Unheard Voices: Giving a Voice to Female Minorities in the US, which she directed as a performance.

Through CPH, Marcela creates educational programs focused on culturally relevant youth empowerment while celebrating and recognizing the diversity of the Cleveland community, creating after-school empowerment groups for middle school girls through programs such as Girls Who Code. Cleveland Play House was awarded the Cleveland Foundation's Equity in the Arts Fund to support Marcela's Community Development theatre programs in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood.

So delighted to have "multi-potentialite," multi-faceted JEN JONES DONATELLI as a NTWJ guest. This week on the pod, we discuss creating your own opportunities, letting your passions guide the way in your career +  finding your "next thing." My favorite moments? That time Jen tried out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders + how her childhood days reading "Sassy Magazine" sparked her future career in writing + editing.

Having spanned three cities + various forms of media (from TV to film to print + online journalism), JEN JONES DONATELLI’s career has been what she calls a long, winding + fun road filled with diverse opportunities, but the common threads tying it all together have always been creativity + storytelling. Now she’s laser-focused on being a creative champion for others + helping people find their own creative groove. As the founder of Creative Groove, Jen offers both online + in-person courses, coaching, + community in the areas of writing, creativity, + the Artist’s Way. Tune in as Jen shows us how to be true to our creative selves with her inspiring tales as a young girl finding her feminist roots while reading Sassy Magazine, to a reality tv show hopeful trying out for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

What happens when two multi-dimensional, modern career women find new meaning + connection – exploring their big "why" + "why nots" behind "The Great Resignation" + their own "Greatest Re-Evaluation" moments? Join the conversation as BRANDI LARSEN + I share tips, inspiration + #RealTalk on how to harness your next best steps in the new now. (Spoiler alert! We also share voodoo stories + her first newspaper interview + national published work at just twelve years old.) BRANDI LARSEN is a writer + speaker, building a more inclusive publishing landscape. Her work at Penguin Random House helped create NYT bestsellers + her journalism pieces earned Emmy nominations. Her talks about publishing, leadership, + grief inspire audiences from Zoom to Harvard. She serves as the board president for Literary Cleveland + writes books + essays. Pre-order UNCULTURED, forthcoming from St. Martin’s. Find her at BrandiLarsen.com + @brandilarsen on your favorite social media platform.