Power & Community

Nikos is a poet, screenplay writer, author, all around creative and cinematic storyteller. His family comes from a long line of storytellers and at a young age he was always trying to tell people how he saw the world. Whether it be on the bus on the way to school, the tv shows his grandmother watched, etc his articulation of the world left a huge impressive impact on others as early as 6th grade. FIND HIS INSTAGRAM HERE: https://www.instagram.com/nikoshawkins/?hl=en ;

Writer, organizer, dancer and spoken word artist having performed around Cleveland for over 10 years, Martinique's past experiences have impressed upon her the importance of giving youth and local artists a voice. Martinique believes that education and art have the power to transcend our circumstances. She uses the power of words to inspire change, uplift, and build community. She is excited and thrilled to start a new journey in diving deeper into marketing her children’s book. This story follows a third grade girl named Unique who attends her first day at a new school. This heartwarming story is a UNIQUE tale that speaks to self-empowerment, self-love, and acceptance as Unique learns to love her own gifts. Follow Martinique here: WEBSITE: https://thecolorofstories.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.instagram.com/mint4curls/?hl=en

Nic Stone tells a riveting storyline told from a young, Black male perspective, about what it means to be Black in America. We speak about the discipline it takes to write a book and just how she was able to create a relatable and earth shaking tale using inspiration from real life Black boys. FIND HER ON INSTAGRAM HERE: https://instagram.com/nicstone?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= NIC’S WEBSITE: http://www.nicstone.info/

Ayana Gray's first book "Beasts of Prey" and the sequel are both magical tales that will transport you to another world filled with ideas, culture and beings that are sure to satisfy your fantasy cravings! Ayana created this world to fill a need. She saw a space for more Black people to see themselves in Fantasy. FIND HER INSTAGRAM HERE: https://www.instagram.com/ayanagray_/ FIND HER WEBSITE:

New York Times Bestselling author Ryan Douglass talks with us about his spooky tale “The Taking of Jake Livingston” and his process of writing this thrilling tale. We reflect on the art of sewing nuisances of life, sexuality, ethnicity and culture into this fictional narrative. Ryan’s a force in this emerging era of writers challenging the narratives of fiction. FIND HIM ON INSTAGRAM HERE: https://instagram.com/ryan_souflee?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= RYAN’S WEBSITE: https://ryandouglasswriter.com/

Tazbah Rose Chavez is a performance poet turned director and television writer. She is currently a Co-EP/Director on FX’s Reservation Dogs and a Co-Producer/Director on NBCUniversal’s Rutherford Falls. Before that, she was a staffer writer for SyFy’s Resident Alien. Raised in Payahuunadu, Tazbah is a citizen of the Bishop Paiute Tribe and comes from the Nüümü, Diné and San Carlos Apache people. Tazbah is a director of film and music videos and was recently part of AT&T’s Hello Lab Filmmaker Mentoring Lab in which she wrote and directed the short film Your Name Isn’t English, executive produced by Taika Waititi and currently streaming on DirectTV. Tazbah has written ads for Nike N7, and directed health and cultural preservation campaigns for tribes throughout California. She has performed her poetry in acclaimed spaces such as the Smithsonian - National Museum of the American Indian, Meow Wolf and the Grand Performances Stage to name a few. She holds a degree in American Indian Studies from UCLA, is a former intern of Sundance Institute’s Native and Indigenous Program and serves as the co-chair of the Native American and Indigenous Writer’s Committee at the Writer’s Guild of America. @tazbah https://www.instagram.com/tazbah/ Website: https://www.tazbah.com/band

Allyson was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and currently works in North Carolina and Georgia in the film industry. She has worked on a variety of video shoots throughout the past 4 years, ranging from thriller feature films to reality television shows, and many more in between. Allyson has a deep appreciation for humankind and wants her work to reflect the idea that every human is valuable and important in the world. Her passion for storytelling through cameras drives her to continue pursuing her dream as a director of photography, has brought her to many new parts of the country, and taught her valuable life lessons along the way. Find more of Allyson's work here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9945834/

Will is an actor, casting agent, and filmmaker from Chicago, Illinois. William Jefferson Jr (born September 11 1994 known professionally as an American Actor, Award-Winning Filmmaker (The Decision), and Entrepreneur (The Actor Advisor). William started his career in 2013 at the age of 18 doing a well-known web series on YouTube Juke " A Chicago Story" which hit over 1 million views. William is set to star in several upcoming films and projects under Mobula Productions. Who has been produced by Emmy- Nominated Producer. Follow Will's work here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10675106/

Ignacio Marquez is an actor and director chatting with us about his film "Special". and the importance of creating space for creatives and artists with disabilities. Marquez believes that the film industry should take the limits off actors with Down-Syndrome. He has a beautiful love for Afro-Venezuelan music, food, and art and expresses these themes in his film. Watch "Special" on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p83llwgk-ts

We talk with Cheryl Toussaint, Jean Bell, and Erica Stanley-Dottin about their experience coaching girls and women for the Colgate Women's Game. The games have been happening for 47 years and was founded by Us Olympic Track Team coach Fred Thompson. These women discuss the Netflix film "Sisters on Track" which highlights 3 young girls who find purpose in track through their Coach Jean Bell and competing in the Colgate Womens Games. To keep up with the Colgate Games visit their website: https://www.colgatewomensgames.com/ and https://sistersontrack.com/ to find out more about the film.

Costumer designer and stylist Chanti Walker, takes us through the art of creating outfits that create significance for characters in film, television, and media. Chanti Walker is an LA- Based stylist / costume designer who has worked on a range of projects from styling look-books, magazine shoots, commercials, scripted TV and costume designed short films. She has been working within the industry for almost 3 years. She’s had the opportunity to work with brands such as Nike, Jordan, Netflix, “Keep Cool Records”, HBO, i-D magazine , Elle magazine and many more other brands.

Jade A. Lawson is an award-winning journalist and storyteller at the intersection of race, culture, and entertainment. In 2017, after undergrad, she moved to New York to intern with Good Morning America. Jade's work spans across platforms under the ABC News flagship. As a culture reporter and producer, Jade has covered various topics, including HBCUs and social activism through the lens of sports and entertainment. She's contributed to and produced three network primetime specials such as The Real Queens of Hip Hop: The Women Who Changed the Game and Soul of a Nation. Additionally, Jade has interviewed high-profile artists including, Mary J. Blige and Jazmine Sullivan. Check out Jade's work here: https://abcnews.go.com/author/jade_lawson

We talk with director and screen writer Leya Hale about her short film "Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco" and how the film highlights important issues around negative and biased media messages concerning Indigenous culture. We discuss her newest film "Bring Her Home" and its raw take on the disproportionate sex trafficking of Native women. Bring Her Home: https://www.tpt.org/post/bring-home-new-film-leya-hale/

We chat with the steadfast cinematographer and director Tyla Barnes who’s never stopped believing in the power of magic. During childhood, enticed by the ability to create things that were once impossible, she found film as a transformative portal to connect our past and present selves. She is a Black woman creative who shares with us the importance of collaborating in film and getting started!

We explore the origin story of actor and creative Byron Johnson as he takes us on the journey of acting becoming his passion. Byron explains how he stays disciplined in between landing roles and he shares a quick monologue with us! Get inspired! Listen in! Visit our website: https://www.artofme.org/

Commercial, Editorial and Video Producer Kenley Duke invites us into the world of brand storytelling and marketing production. We explore the tenacity needed to function in large roles on set while also prioritizing our own self-care and business goals with other creatives. Kenley is a force here to share with us how taking risks and keeping the faith has helped her enter challenging but rewarding spaces. Tune into this episode! Kenley Duke's Social Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenleyduke/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kenleyduke Mieux Ensemble Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mieuxensemble.co/ Mieux Ensemble Website: https://www.mieuxensemble.co/mobile Visit our website: https://www.artofme.org/ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Director, Writer, Actor and Educator Samuel Lee Fudge features on an episode with Power and Community Podcast! Samuel schools us on living the lifestyle of a Lotus, we travel back in time with Samuel to his childhood days in Miami and learn how his past challenges are examined in his film "Lotus" which premiered last year in 2020. To watch Lotus visit this link at "Lotus" Short Film via Amazon Prime Video. Also look out for Samuel's latest film project, "38" coming soon.Visit our website: https://www.artofme.org/ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Dahyo Coleman explores directing color, images and aesthetic with us on this episode of the Power and Community Podcast! She shares with us her most embarrassing moment on set AND gives budding new student filmmakers advice on how to stay true to another creative's project when collaborating with others! Don't miss this episode! Visit our website: https://www.artofme.org/ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Award-winning filmmaker Kurt Orderson and Writer and Sustainable Developmental Professional Raisa Cole, talk about their film "Not in my Neighborhood '' which examines several different cities around the world dealing with poverty, government violence, gentrification, and the falling away of culture and limited resources. Both Kurt and Raisa speak on how honored they were to tell these stories through film, how much they desire to protect these stories and how they've seen these stories bring awareness to the needs of others around the world. Checkout Kurt Orderson's latest film “We Rise for Our Land'' (2021) - shot between Mozambique, Zambia, and Eswatini (formally known as Swaziland) here: https://vimeo.com/486386008

Actress, Director, and Producer, Danielle Marshay Lee gives us insight into the adversities she's faced preparing for her upcoming film "The Tamir Rice Story", a story following the murder of a 12-year-old African American boy killed in Cleveland, Ohio. Danielle expresses the sensitivity of the film while also speaking of her own pathway to understanding racism, Black history, community, and her own Black heritage.