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First Quarter

My first quarter of school I took image manipulation. It was so fun, I have always loved art and had always been very good with a computer. When I was little my mother and father had a computer built for me. Digitally I played with paints program, more often I used stamps, paints and my hands. I have always been creative. this class allowed me to have a vision and just create it. When I seen this I remembered my creative heart. Its simple, but its raw. That's what I love about it.

Cut N' Paste

I have this binder that I call " The Bag." I am know for saying and thinking things that are way more profound then I even consider them my thoughts to be. One day at work my manager was changing the light bulb and said "It's so hot up here" one of the other girls from the back says, "heat rises," I say " That why I stay on top." Yes these are the kind of things that pop in my head, and I say out loud. My manager, Kate thought it was halirious and qouted me in the daily communication (big deal its our holy grail.) So calling this binder the bag was just a name, now I see it as much more.  It was first a project. Once a week make a collage, name it, write a little blurb or words that brought the inspiration or the mood.

"Love the way you lie" 

Jockey Ads

this was a appeal marketing class and we were graced with the task of marketing men underwear. I wanted to use a play on words. So, I went to the urban dictionary. Not literally, but thought about my "friends" first crush. She was accused of jocking which in the urban dictionary is to engage in flirtatious behavior with another; to crush on someone; to hit on someone. So my marketing idea was woman on this viral crazy jocking men in Jockeys everywhere. One of the magazine print Ads features this shaggy guy who wears his T-shirts that are too small and never thinks he'll get laid saying, "Dude, it's gotta be my Jockeys." Another print Ads shows this man trying to get away as he is being uncharacteristically mulled by this woman as if she is in a possessed craze. The third print ads is a wife who is ready for her husband "waiting for his Jockey love when he gets home." these ads would be clips out of short clip ads that would run on Google ads.  

CreaTV, A Resource To A Community

If there is such a thing as an "artery of resources in the

community", It would be CreaTV of San Jose. They interact with

so many different people everyday. One day with them,

you could meet someone who could be a major channel into your

future.

People always say, "It's not what you know, its who you know."

And it’s so true. I spent one day, all day shadowing Drena Lewis,

Operation Assistant, Volunteer & Intern Coordinator, freelance

videographer and editor, at CreaTV. I had the opportunity to just

sit down and talk to her and we kept going back to this idea of

under-resourced.

Before she and I started our day together, she was touring local high-schools promoting CreaTV San Jose’s Film Arts Academy. She went to two schools. The first one, an upper class public school, that already had a thriving media arts program. Drena was anxious to see how excited the students would be because she was around the supreme and was excited to vibe on new media ideas they may have. She talked to them about all  the great resources that are housed under CreaTV.

This is control room B that is very special because with robotic cameras it can be ran as a two man show quite easily. 

 

There is also the luxury of the portable video kits that can be rented out for a small fee a day. 

Would you believe that these kids were uninterested? They were throwing away the opportunity to be resources with the skills they have already obtain from this highly-educated high-school. 

With out hesitation Drena moved onto the next school. This was an environment that was well under-served. Although the school has excellent resources for media, some students may only have access at school. She came across a group of students who were excited to become Film Arts Academy "participants, members, volunteers, interns" what ever was possible to be able to work with CreaTV San Jose. Interns—that brings me to my next experience.

I had the opportunity to sit in on some interns pitching their ideas

to Suzanne St-John—Crane, who is the Executive Director of

CreaTV. Suzanne is very excited to get things going. You can look in here eyes and see ideas moving when are you talk to her about a new plan or idea.

Also sitting in on the presentation was another young lady. Gabrielle Antolovich, Executive Director of Voices United. Gabrielle is this really cool chick with blond spiked hair and awesome jeans, who has this way of making people stop and listen when she talks. Then there was Drena and me.

The interns: Zizly Flores and Melissa Hyer were very inspiring.

I like to think that I am educated, sometimes over educated. But

these girls were taking their education and actively using their skills to fuel their ideas. It was amazing to see. I could see the

same passion in their eyes that I have about my projects. I know

that feeling, presenting your baby— your hard work. The biggest

difference between them and me is they are presenting to a

room where resources, contacts, broadcasts, newspapers, all

sit with their ears open to what’s next. 

These are people who all have a connection to someone who knows someone, who knows someone else. I could see the networking happening "Josh, oh yeah—he runs artslive.com." Drena looks my way, "We will see him later." These girls simply saw a problem in the market and created a solution. I don't want to disclose their business, but things are definitely in the works all because these ladies knew how to use their education to enhance their resources. They had the opportunity to take the theory they learned in college and put there skills into action.

Next, Drena and I were on our way to the MALI, Multicultural

Arts Leadership Initiative, graduation. We walked a couple of

blocks. We talked. We talked about life, and a five-year plan. We

stopped by the AACSA, African American Community Service

Agency just to get me geared up on upcoming events like

Juneteenth, and the MLK Luncheon which will be celebrating 32

years. She also pointed out where the AACC, African-American

Cultural Center will be built. When I was little I was really active

in these programs. At that moment I felt that it was a sign that

it is now my turn to give back to the one's who are looking for

my footsteps to follow. I thought about how things always go full

circle. It was not my turn.

We traveled about eight blocks up to the MALI graduation.

The venue was very coy and comfortable, and the people just

as welcoming. I got to meet Josh Russell, Director of Communications and Emerging Initiatives for 1st Act Silicon Valley who they spoke of earlier. Just so happens he was connected to Drena through MALI. I also got to meet Demone Carter, who runs D-Bug a online magazine. He was also a new graduate of MALI and connected to Drena through CreaTV. It was like this inner circle of inspiring youth and young adults. This woman Melissa Locsin gave a very inspiring speech titled "Stay Hyphy." I had the pleasure of meeting Connie Martinez, Managing Director & CEO of 1st Act Silicon Valley and I met the rambunctious MALI MOM Tamara Alvarado, Director of Multicultural Leadership. She has such a great personality, someone that you want to be around all the time. I really enjoyed myself and felt amongst people who share my destiny.

On our way walking back to CreaTV, we took the opportunity

to reflect. Drena asked me what I thought about the day. The

only thing I could go back to was—" Over educated and under

resourced" It's the new, "Who you know." In one day, I honestly

know five more people who could greatly impact my future. Crazy. 

The rest of the now night was chill. In the lounge, which I love so I had to take a picture, we threw back pizza, Cesar salad, and stories of hard work and opportunities with a few interns and some CreaTV staff. 

Overall, in my "truth after college" blog, I learned education is

nothing without resources. When I woke up this morning I found

twenty dollars in my pocket and I knew it was going to be a

financially resourceful day.

Creating my Logo

My personal logo came about inspired by the "Choku Rei -Reiki" symbol of energy strength.

                                             

 This symbol indicates strength, power, action. It represents energy with a direction and purpose. It  support all other Reiki instruments of creative visualization and positive verbalization “all the energy of the universe is focusing on this point”. Knowing that I have to power to vision and focus on the person that I want to be is my power.

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Crated and Edited By:

Lorawn Dupree