Latest / Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals / Why Your Story Has Power- Ep. 153 w/ Brittini Ward (Eye N Eye LLC)

Transcript

Why Your Story Has Power- Ep. 153 w/ Brittini Ward (Eye N Eye LLC) · Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals

0:00
[SPEAKER_01]: I can't remember in a moment, but it came to me.
0:02
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm a storyteller, and I tell stories through different mediums.
0:06
[SPEAKER_01]: And those mediums, like sometimes the story calls for a certain medium, and so then that's what comes out.
0:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes you don't have the words, so you just have movement and dance, or sometimes you don't got the movement, you just got like the stroke of a pink brush on a canvas.
0:41
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1:04
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1:13
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1:17
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1:32
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1:42
[SPEAKER_02]: I look forward to seeing you at the Bamboo locations, with that being said, let's get into the episode.
1:48
[SPEAKER_02]: With update Black Friday family, welcome back to another installment of the Black Friday podcast.
1:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Before we get into today's episode, I need you to hit that like button, drop a comment and of course make sure you subscribe to the video to family friends and loved ones and then also check out the playlist too.
2:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I got to aggregate it all of my videos into different categories of playlist so make sure you check those out also.
2:08
[SPEAKER_02]: Not that I got that out of the way.
2:09
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to make sure that I introduce you to someone who is revolutionizing the way that the stories are told here in the city of Detroit and beyond.
2:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Miss Brittany Ward.
2:18
[SPEAKER_02]: How are you doing today?
2:19
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm doing well.
2:20
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm doing well.
2:21
[SPEAKER_01]: This is my last stop of the day.
2:23
[SPEAKER_01]: So, can't wait to relax for late and release.
2:25
[SPEAKER_02]: for sure.
2:26
[SPEAKER_02]: So we're going to make this as painless as possible for you.
2:28
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, it's always going.
2:29
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's already going so well.
2:31
[SPEAKER_02]: So good.
2:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Very good.
2:32
[SPEAKER_02]: So you are a multifaceted storyteller.
2:36
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to start with having to understand and and a foundation of what's your definition of a multi-faceted storyteller.
2:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm, thank you for that question because I have an event coming up actually that speaks to that a lot of people ask me what I do and lately I've been saying I'm a storyteller and so sometimes people think that's just words or like I do spoken word that's what a lot of people know me by but actually I do so many other things and so stories can be told in many ways the food that we eat the clothes that we wear
3:09
[SPEAKER_01]: The comedy that we experience, you know, when we go see a show or something like that or the music that we listen to and so When we think about storytelling, I really want people to expand their minds and realize that stories come in all shapes and forms.
3:22
[SPEAKER_01]: So multimedia is definitely a great, you know, label for me as a storyteller.
3:28
[SPEAKER_02]: And then my thought is that it could be done in different mediums so for you what's the different mediums that you are telling stories or you cover an entire board.
3:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm gonna do my best to cover the entire board.
3:43
[SPEAKER_01]: And when I am not covering the entire board, I reach out to other people who I feel like there in that lane, and I can bring them on in.
3:51
[SPEAKER_01]: But for me, definitely spoken word, poetry, writing, music, movement, dance,
3:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Canvas art, graphic design, especially when I'm helping a brand to articulate their vision, what else?
4:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I believe that those are the main ones.
4:14
[SPEAKER_02]: And what, so storytelling or being a storyteller is can be simplistic in terms of a word and what it means, but what
4:25
[SPEAKER_02]: What was the point that you realized that you were a storyteller, or a story curator, so to speak?
4:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
4:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
4:34
[SPEAKER_01]: It's recent.
4:35
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm trying to remember the actual moment, and I can't think of it right now.
4:39
[SPEAKER_01]: But...
4:41
[SPEAKER_01]: this year I told myself I really wanted to hone in on what it was that I do a lot of people tell me yeah you do a great job at that but I really didn't think I was because I felt like I was kind of all over the place at least how I presented myself to the world it seemed like I'm doing this now I'm dancing actually now I'm painting actually now I'm doing a poem actually I'm graphic designer it's like okay what
5:03
[SPEAKER_01]: And I've been blessed with all these gifts, gratitude, but it's like, for what and what does that mean.
5:09
[SPEAKER_01]: And then I can't remember in a moment, but it came to me, I'm a storyteller, and I tell stories through different mediums.
5:16
[SPEAKER_01]: And those mediums, like sometimes the story calls for a certain medium, and so then that's what comes out.
5:22
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes you don't have the words, so you just have movement and dance, or sometimes you don't got the movement, you just got like the stroke of a pink brush on a canvas,
5:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I can't really remember when it came to me, but it felt good when I found it out.
5:39
[SPEAKER_02]: And can you talk to us about I&I and what it is that you are offering from a service standpoint in terms of telling and sharing some of these stories?
5:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I&I is a storytelling platform, and so that can look different depending on the client.
5:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Mainly, I really enjoy creating the container for stories to live.
6:04
[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of people know me first from me hosting different open mics in spaces of that nature.
6:10
[SPEAKER_01]: However, I felt like an open mic was a little limiting to what I wanted to contribute to community because it wasn't just for competition or was it for who has the best poem or this and that it was really for release and it was really just a whole these stories sacred and so
6:27
[SPEAKER_01]: I come up with different exhibitions based on the stories that I hear.
6:31
[SPEAKER_01]: For example, I have an upcoming event, upcoming archive poetry with black bottom archives, where I'm speaking to different poets.
6:40
[SPEAKER_01]: I have a project coming up, called Boba Duke Music Dazz and Dauders, where I'm speaking to different music dazz and their daughters, and listening to their stories, and from that I will translate what I heard into,
6:55
[SPEAKER_01]: whatever art presents itself.
6:57
[SPEAKER_01]: It could be music.
6:58
[SPEAKER_01]: It could be paintings.
6:59
[SPEAKER_01]: It could be movement and dance like you name it.
7:03
[SPEAKER_01]: And so I feel like I'm getting off into the weeds here.
7:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Lost your question.
7:08
[SPEAKER_01]: What was your question?
7:10
[SPEAKER_02]: I think I was asking, I ain't nine, whatever it says.
7:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, yeah, tell us about I ain't nine.
7:16
[SPEAKER_02]: What is it, and then what services you provide?
7:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, apologies.
7:19
[SPEAKER_02]: So, I know you good.
7:21
[SPEAKER_01]: I ain't nine is a storytelling platform for sure.
7:24
[SPEAKER_01]: It creates the container for stories to live.
7:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Now I have different,
7:29
[SPEAKER_01]: services such as graphic design, which helps to articulate the story of a business, or I have moments where I do workshops that have to do with storytelling, writing workshops.
7:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and so I guess the best way to think about I and I is to think that
7:50
[SPEAKER_01]: however the story whatever medium the story calls for that is what I curate and so I like to create exhibitions where a lot of different mediums can show up in that same exact space all speaking to one topic yeah very dope and we'll talk about the one that you have coming up in a second but first I want to introduce you to my favorite part of Black Friday is which is freestyle Friday.
8:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, listen.
8:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you all so much for listening to this episode and any episode at a black Friday's podcast, but I got to be honest with you I really think it's something missing and I hate to draw didn't notice it the thing that's missing is your podcast Why am I not listening to your podcast?
8:35
[SPEAKER_02]: You talked about making one with your friends years ago You know that you need one to better market and promote your business, but yet you still don't have one This is why I created the pocket podcast and course to teach you how to be able to podcast
8:49
[SPEAKER_02]: with the essentials and tools that you have right into finger tips in order to create.
8:54
[SPEAKER_02]: And I created two different ways in order for you to do that.
8:57
[SPEAKER_02]: You could join my digital, do it yourself, on-demand video recorded pocket podcast and course.
9:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm most literally step-by-step from Idea on how you upload.
9:06
[SPEAKER_02]: your very first podcast episode.
9:08
[SPEAKER_02]: And for my people who would like to have something a little bit more tangible, I have created a digital e-book that walks you through my podcast and journey.
9:14
[SPEAKER_02]: The things I've learned along the way, the tools and equipment that I use in order to create and elevate my show.
9:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Now look, I don't want to keep you too long, but I'm going to make this as simplest possible.
9:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Go ahead and head over to www.blackfrightax.com to learn more about the digital podcast course and also the podcast in ebook or you can hit the links in the show notes to take you directly to each of those resources.
9:38
[SPEAKER_02]: All right, enough of that time to get back into that episode.
9:41
[SPEAKER_02]: So, so I know that you say you are a multi-passive storyteller.
9:48
[SPEAKER_02]: So we're going to need you to
9:51
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, my goodness.
9:57
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm like that girl who her hair had dropped to be like, oh, my.
10:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
10:06
[SPEAKER_01]: It is like the rep that I have.
10:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Think about is like, do I want to say that?
10:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Or I can give you an out.
10:11
[SPEAKER_02]: Like a free thought Friday is really just about answering our rapper fire questions.
10:17
[SPEAKER_02]: But if you want to rap, I'm not going to stop you.
10:19
[SPEAKER_02]: You can rap, you can do a poem, you can sing, whatever it is that you can do dance, however you want to express yourself as the multi-faceted storyteller.
10:29
[SPEAKER_01]: Ah, Shay.
10:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, even though I'm a little shaking right now, I'm still going to challenge myself.
10:38
[SPEAKER_01]: I think about this one poem, this poem was written.
10:44
[SPEAKER_01]: When I decided to take that step into my healing journey and it's very important to me because literally this was the poem.
10:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Like this was the one.
10:55
[SPEAKER_01]: When I came back in 2019, I wrote on my birthday and yeah, it turned into a whole project called Girl.
11:04
[SPEAKER_01]: So here goes.
11:10
[SPEAKER_01]: girl.
11:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Don't act like you don't love, thrill, and stability.
11:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Short rides with complexities questioning your perception of time and how vulnerable you can be.
11:22
[SPEAKER_01]: Don't act like you don't monage, a twile with known and unknowing beginnings and endings listening to pleasure over logic.
11:28
[SPEAKER_01]: One of them keep going but saying stop, it's stop acting outside of you.
11:34
[SPEAKER_01]: The you who wants to play barefoot and wet grass, the you who always tries to match your age and limit your time on stage and soften your rage.
11:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Girl, you'll be stuck in this cycle.
11:48
[SPEAKER_01]: And trying to break it is the problem all along.
11:50
[SPEAKER_01]: All along, you know you want to pretend to good kiss all along you weren't the good listener.
11:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Traded in your stillness for noise and your passion.
12:00
[SPEAKER_01]: For poise, girl, you've got to make a choice.
12:04
[SPEAKER_01]: To accept this revolution, acknowledge your evolution, snatch back the pin that only allow strokes inside the lines and reclaim your divine.
12:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Unswallow your truth and lie in it, girl.
12:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Don't act like you're not ready for this healing and that healing raw and uncutting, letting go and unforgiving, girl.
12:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Don't act like you're not ready because you are.
12:31
[SPEAKER_02]: That was dope.
12:31
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, thank you.
12:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
12:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you.
12:34
[SPEAKER_02]: So I got some quick follow-up questions as far as doing the poem.
12:38
[SPEAKER_02]: How many poems have you written, do you feel like you've written over the years or actually performed?
12:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Let's take a written.
12:44
[SPEAKER_01]: that the performance is a little easier one, but I still gotta answer.
12:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
12:49
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
12:50
[SPEAKER_01]: That's a large number.
12:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, a lot.
12:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
12:54
[SPEAKER_02]: How do you remember the, because I think about artists and like even some of our favorite artists regardless how many times they perform a song or do a performance or do it a certain way, like they forget they lyrics sometimes.
13:06
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm wondering like how do you keep the, the role of the days going up the poems that you've done or performed.
13:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, that poem was from my book, Arm's Late Tips and Thys.
13:17
[SPEAKER_01]: OK. And I mentioned that because I was with that book for a long time.
13:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I was typing it out.
13:22
[SPEAKER_01]: I was organizing it out.
13:23
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm seeing these poems over and over again.
13:25
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm adding over again.
13:28
[SPEAKER_01]: So I was able to memorize that poem pretty well.
13:31
[SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of my pieces I don't have by memory, but some of them I do, those who I was commissioned to write for.
13:39
[SPEAKER_01]: So I have to memorize them.
13:42
[SPEAKER_01]: And, uh, and I know there's some spoke of word poets that I'd be like, yeah, you gotta remember your poems.
13:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'll just like, I'm not really one of those people because I feel like, um, I'm not always in a slam mode.
13:54
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I'm not in a slam mode.
13:55
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm in the...
13:57
[SPEAKER_01]: I can captivate the audience and grab their attention with these words, and I really believe in my power to do that, whether I'm reading off a sheet of paper and looking up periodically or reading directly from the sheet a little bit more than looking at the audience.
14:11
[SPEAKER_01]: But you really just got to embody the words, and I feel like people will feel that.
14:16
[SPEAKER_01]: So...
14:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it just depends on what the poem costs for.
14:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Now, if somebody's booking me, I'm going to memorize the poem.
14:23
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I'm on stage.
14:25
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, that's the only professional way to beat.
14:27
[SPEAKER_01]: But if I met an open mic, which I haven't been in a while.
14:30
[SPEAKER_01]: But if I met an open mic, I'm going to read from my paper or if it's like pretty chill.
14:34
[SPEAKER_01]: And then there's these poetry readings where people are legit reading from their books.
14:39
[SPEAKER_01]: And I love those so much because they're so intimate and so just like soft and just like,
14:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Listen to these words, you know, and they're speaking in the same like there's nothing like, hey, you know, and huh, you know, to be like, you know, not to say that that's not important sometimes, but I just really love poetry readings because you really get to listen to the words like some dope poets out here that are great at writing like 90 coma.
15:05
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to show her how shout her out because I just went to a virtual.
15:11
[SPEAKER_01]: show that she did.
15:11
[SPEAKER_01]: And she just reads, you know, like, of course you can feel certain inflections in her voice, but like her workplace is just so amazing.
15:21
[SPEAKER_01]: It really just puts you in there, you know?
15:23
[SPEAKER_02]: That's though.
15:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
15:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Is there a, is there a magic sauce to be able to write a poem or
15:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I said, if you embody it, or if it's who you truly are, I know I can feel it when a poem is speaking from the heart or when they're speaking to impress the audience, you know.
15:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And you could do both of those things, but you know, I started my journey off with writing to impress the audience.
15:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I think I was called a peaceful Aurora, think that's not a poet name, and then I don't know what came over me.
16:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I was living in Texas and I was like, no, now I'm going to call myself Be Ward Poetry, which means that whatever these words are there, mine and it's my story and I'm not hiding behind any type of name or stage presence, you know, um.
16:17
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's just really like have you embody this poem?
16:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Are you this poem?
16:22
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, or are you just doing this because you know is going to make the crowd feel some type of way.
16:27
[SPEAKER_01]: I know I can pick that up like this.
16:29
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah.
16:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Would you rather do you like writing or do you like performing better?
16:36
[SPEAKER_01]: I really like.
16:39
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, I think I like, I like performing, but I wouldn't even call it performing for real.
16:46
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's when maybe Paul is a bit because it's still kind of performative.
16:53
[SPEAKER_01]: That's why I like gigs more than open mics and slams.
16:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
16:56
[SPEAKER_01]: I guess we can call it a gig.
16:58
[SPEAKER_01]: When somebody like books me to do a thing because now I know I'm here to do this thing.
17:04
[SPEAKER_01]: And the only thing that matters is like the hearts and minds of the people that I breach.
17:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Not necessarily like what's the judge's scoreboard or something like that?
17:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Got you.
17:14
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
17:15
[SPEAKER_02]: And you actually, you place, or you won a poetry composite motel mic?
17:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Motel mic, my first slam.
17:22
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, brisning you all here saying, you know, like, slams, you know, even try it.
17:26
[SPEAKER_01]: And so I did it.
17:28
[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, I got third place.
17:30
[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't get first, but yeah, I got third place.
17:32
[SPEAKER_02]: And you placed?
17:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I placed, I said, you placed the first slam.
17:36
[SPEAKER_01]: That's on the accomplishment, I'm like, yes, once in a row, that was my mentor.
17:40
[SPEAKER_01]: It's like, yes, you are correct.
17:42
[SPEAKER_02]: Could you tell us a little bit about Motown Mike?
17:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that was such a great experience.
17:46
[SPEAKER_01]: Shout out to Tristan, running around doing all the things.
17:49
[SPEAKER_01]: I saw him in his counterparts.
17:52
[SPEAKER_01]: Motown Mike is an extension of black form, which is an open-mic spoken word label under Motown.
18:04
[SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was really cool to learn that
18:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Martin Luther King.
18:08
[SPEAKER_01]: I have a dream speech was on that record label.
18:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, Stoke Clark car Michael, don't get me to messin' up people's names and not remember it.
18:18
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, it's called Black Form.
18:20
[SPEAKER_01]: You could definitely check it out.
18:21
[SPEAKER_01]: And then they have a whole section that you can learn about this at the Motown Museum as well.
18:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
18:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, but yeah, Motown is a family within itself.
18:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, even from just becoming a finalist.
18:32
[SPEAKER_01]: They're like, welcome to the family.
18:34
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like,
18:37
[SPEAKER_01]: And I can definitely see why, because all of the workers there have felt like a family whenever I would be like, you know, just give them a make up done or photos, you know?
18:45
[SPEAKER_01]: So it feels good to be a part of that family.
18:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And also to just continue to legacy that I know my grandparents were a part of and experience like here.
18:54
[SPEAKER_01]: I am 25.
18:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Your parents were like a part of Motan.
18:58
[SPEAKER_01]: No, but my grandit song in a band, you know, they would talk about this all the time.
19:02
[SPEAKER_01]: This is all I heard on a speaker is growing up, you know, like all that type of music.
19:07
[SPEAKER_01]: So it just feels like this.
19:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it feels like at home, it feels nostalgic.
19:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Even though it was not necessarily my past or history, but it is because that's my ancestors.
19:18
[SPEAKER_02]: That's dope.
19:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
19:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, thank you for participating in freestyle Friday.
19:22
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah.
19:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Give us a poem and talking about the poetry journey.
19:26
[SPEAKER_02]: But I wanted to jump back in because I had more question about I and I.
19:29
[SPEAKER_02]: So tell me when you decided to start I and I and what was that transition like for you?
19:35
[SPEAKER_02]: Like what made you want to go and do this as an entrepreneurial venture?
19:41
[SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
19:41
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I started I and I because I wanted to have a better
19:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, umbrella for all the things that I did do the did and I do.
19:54
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, I wanted to refine how I showed up in the world and I still wanted it to be me.
20:01
[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of people still don't know, but I and I comes from my name be our I TT I and I
20:08
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's spelled differently and that's something my mom will always point out even when I said my name is Brittany like that's something like my mom will tell you like it's Brittany, you know, and so I just hold on to that because yeah get your name right you know, but yeah I and I this was says me a part but also the I and I on some, you know,
20:27
[SPEAKER_01]: I and I, like, my eye sees your eye on some third eye.
20:31
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's just levels to it, but that transition feel good because that was me.
20:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Just kind of growing with who I am as an artist, as a creator and how I want to present myself to the world.
20:45
[SPEAKER_01]: So I make that switch from my previous business name, Be War Designs to I and I.
20:53
[SPEAKER_02]: How do you choose or select the types of clients or people that you work with when it comes to development projects for other people?
21:04
[SPEAKER_01]: So, I'm in a really good space where people come to me and if they aren't coming to me, that just means that now it's the time for me to get back in the lab and do some creating of my own.
21:15
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not sure if you familiar with human design.
21:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, okay cool.
21:20
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm a projector and so as a projector we wait for the invitation and at first I was like What you mean wait for the invitation what am I doing in a meantime?
21:29
[SPEAKER_01]: But I really have been um real quick You put down human design for yeah, I do my best listen and watching how do my best So human design is pretty much
21:40
[SPEAKER_01]: It's nothing new for real, but it is like a combination of a lot of different practices that we already use like astrology or...
21:56
[SPEAKER_01]: But I know they're all in there, you know?
21:58
[SPEAKER_01]: And so I forget the person's name, they came up with this system.
22:03
[SPEAKER_01]: But like everything, it all comes from what we already know and already have experience.
22:10
[SPEAKER_01]: But yes, they created this system called human design.
22:12
[SPEAKER_01]: And so it's really like one of those things we can go online and type up your birthday and all the things.
22:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, and it gives you, yeah, run down the window when you are.
22:23
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, don't pay for that, well, let me not say that.
22:27
[SPEAKER_01]: But I tell people about it, and they're like, yeah, I pay this much.
22:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, you pay for it.
22:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Like you can look that up yourself.
22:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, yeah, and so I found out that I was a projector for myself, I was like, what do you mean I'm a projector?
22:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Does that mean I'm a projector thinks?
22:42
[SPEAKER_01]: But like, yeah, kind of is what it means, but I project what I'm seeing, and I'm able to kind of organize energy very well.
22:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I can walk into a room and I know what I need to do, who I need to speak to is really like,
22:58
[SPEAKER_01]: affirming learning about human design because I'm thinking this is what everybody on.
23:04
[SPEAKER_01]: Not to mention that other human design types are necessary as well.
23:09
[SPEAKER_01]: But as a projector one huge thing that was pointed out to me is that I wait for the invitation and when the invitations aren't coming,
23:16
[SPEAKER_01]: That just means that this is a time for me to go back into my, you know, a little creative cave and work on the things.
23:24
[SPEAKER_01]: And I realize when I started going with that recipe, um, everything that I will be working on.
23:31
[SPEAKER_01]: in my own time will reflect what people are reaching out for me.
23:36
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
23:36
[SPEAKER_01]: I just really, it's just really like magical.
23:38
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, if that's the word to use, but yeah, I've been really following that, you know, with my flow, like everybody has their own individual flow.
23:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of projectors, they may feel like their flow is inconsistent, but
23:51
[SPEAKER_01]: Our flow is kind of inconsistent and comparison to the, you know, dominant narrative what consistency looks like, but it's like, I'm out in the world that you may not see me because I'm working on something that I'm out in the world, but it's like it makes sense for me and since I've been listening to that, it's just been great.
24:09
[SPEAKER_01]: So as it comes to my clientele, I really just wait for people to reach out to me and it's always been that way.
24:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Even when I was in I and I and I was just doing graphic design.
24:19
[SPEAKER_01]: people will come out to me.
24:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Now it's important for me to put myself out there like that's the secret sauce.
24:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Continuing to put yourself out there like I do this thing and then just like hands off, you know and then you'll see who and few comes to you and my network is also my secret sauce because I may not be touching masses of people but over time you start to realize that it's just like
24:48
[SPEAKER_01]: And then that seed blossomed to another seed.
24:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Other people have that seed that you gave that one.
24:52
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, that's the way of the projector, you know?
24:55
[SPEAKER_01]: And you see these people that are in connection with a lot of people, you know?
25:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, they're just reaching millions of people from one that's there, that's their design, you know?
25:07
[SPEAKER_01]: But me as a projector, I wait for the invitation because I have a very niche, a very specific,
25:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, roll here on earth.
25:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
25:15
[SPEAKER_01]: And so that's why I'm here.
25:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
25:18
[SPEAKER_01]: No, but yeah, wait.
25:21
[SPEAKER_02]: I like how you put that, uh, well, first you had to ask me if I knew what the human design was not when I immediately thought of, because I mean, I work and take.
25:29
[SPEAKER_02]: I nearly thought of um, user experience design.
25:32
[SPEAKER_02]: It's all I lie.
25:33
[SPEAKER_02]: So I definitely
25:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, no idea.
25:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I had no idea what he was like, you know, I look it up.
25:40
[SPEAKER_01]: That made me want to talk about it because not a lot of people know about human design.
25:44
[SPEAKER_02]: So yeah, so not now.
25:46
[SPEAKER_02]: We got that we got the 101.
25:47
[SPEAKER_02]: So now they're a little bit more research, but I really like how you put that in the sense of being able to Essentially plant your seeds and then the things that you are working on that you that you care about.
25:59
[SPEAKER_02]: comes out in the opportunities that you are able to have because one thing that always stressed the people are talking to different people about is like everybody's not going to be your target audience or you should be working with or you're going to have a great business or working relationship with but being able to find those people that's where the magic truly happens being able to find clients that you can vibe with and be able to make some some great things and magical things with and then
26:24
[SPEAKER_02]: audience as well like people who really rock with you and people might get caught up on followers and like only getting a hundred follow or a thousand followers and Something that changed my perspective that one of my friends told me it's like if you if you if a hundred people showed to your house right now like What that's a lot of people Yeah, man.
26:43
[SPEAKER_02]: What are these people doing here?
26:44
[SPEAKER_02]: So Being appreciative for those opportunities and the people that actually rock with you and are in your community and your circle because that's how you're able to
26:54
[SPEAKER_02]: experience true growth, like you start there, what a foundation that you're able to to grow and and and and branch out from there.
27:01
[SPEAKER_01]: I say, yeah, I learned that and like this year has been such a representative of what you just say because
27:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Whenever I do just kind of like force myself, I wouldn't even call it force and I didn't think.
27:14
[SPEAKER_01]: But when I force myself, that's when it doesn't really always work out.
27:18
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like I have to wait for the invitation, which is sucks.
27:21
[SPEAKER_01]: But then you just meet these amazing connections that you didn't even think, you know.
27:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, how do you build that patience because for me that's something that doesn't muscle I had to build over the years still working on it It's a every day struggle, but how for you how have you been able to build up that patience because for Creative sometimes, you know, you can you can get antsy because like you said force and things And maybe this thing you really got an idea about you like I know I know this fire like I got to make it happen I got to do it now
27:49
[SPEAKER_02]: And it might not necessarily be working out, but you know, that could be very irritating.
27:53
[SPEAKER_02]: That's not the most fun thing, like you said.
27:55
[SPEAKER_02]: But for you, how do you, how do you deal with the situation like that?
27:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Over time, for sure.
28:00
[SPEAKER_01]: And when I say over time, that just means so many lessons.
28:03
[SPEAKER_01]: And we can call them, I mean, times I've been burnt.
28:06
[SPEAKER_01]: By doing that, by thinking that these people were in alignment with me and this and that, but just to find out, no, they're not.
28:12
[SPEAKER_01]: And then I look back and I'm like, I was kind of inserting myself thinking this and thinking that.
28:19
[SPEAKER_01]: But the more you do it, the more you realize the fruits of this process, and so that makes it a bit easier for me to do it.
28:28
[SPEAKER_01]: You know like I tested it out.
28:30
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, oh, yeah, you know.
28:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you just learn this over time.
28:35
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, because it definitely take time.
28:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, take time for you to stop hitting your head.
28:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, you're done.
28:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
28:44
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not a bang in my head on this wall.
28:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Let me wait to the right.
28:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Literally and the door will open when it's time.
28:51
[SPEAKER_02]: Right.
28:52
[SPEAKER_02]: If it's supposed to open.
28:53
[SPEAKER_01]: If it's supposed to.
28:54
[SPEAKER_01]: That door might not open.
28:56
[SPEAKER_01]: You know about this door, man.
28:57
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a better door, okay.
29:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Thanks, facts.
29:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Can you talk about in terms of you mentioned that you enjoy when you're talking about Portia, at least that you enjoy being able to do opportunities where you get paid for a gig and like the audience to care right or focus on a specific thing for you.
29:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Could you talk about what that as a multifaceted creative like yourself?
29:21
[SPEAKER_02]: How do you create opportunities coming to you?
29:26
[SPEAKER_02]: But I guess how do you go about your business and making sure that your business is systemed, so to speak, aren't order?
29:32
[SPEAKER_02]: When those opportunities come about because some creators are like all over the place when they come to things like that and they could just let oh pay me whatever, blah, blah, blah, but for you, have you been able to build a business in systems and structure around that work that you've been doing?
29:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And he's the key word of where I'm at now, which is build, build Institute.
29:51
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I'm a shot on my own.
29:52
[SPEAKER_01]: Hopefully they don't steer me wrong.
29:55
[SPEAKER_01]: But they've been helpful.
29:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I was the creative Detroit creative fellow futures.
30:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Detroit creative futures fellow.
30:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
30:04
[SPEAKER_01]: I was a part of that program.
30:06
[SPEAKER_01]: And they really like linked us up with, um,
30:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Somebody that helps us build a business plan out as a creative, you know, like because I've just been doing the things.
30:17
[SPEAKER_01]: And I've been organized because I'm an organized person in general, like my Virgos and Jupiter, if you know what that means.
30:22
[SPEAKER_01]: So how I present myself to the world is very organized and strategic.
30:26
[SPEAKER_01]: and but I know I could have been doing better so build institute helpful organization to reach out to to get those type of things in line like for real for real you know like on paper are you legitimate are you in good standing do you know what these taxes mean this and that you know profit law statement how much are you charging do you need to charge more what is your what's it called like
30:50
[SPEAKER_01]: to meet your actual goal.
30:51
[SPEAKER_01]: What does that look like?
30:52
[SPEAKER_01]: What's quarter one two three four for you?
30:54
[SPEAKER_01]: You're no like, I just want to paint.
30:58
[SPEAKER_01]: But until I hired someone to do these things, here I am.
31:02
[SPEAKER_01]: And then on top of that, yeah, I mean, also that's just my makeup.
31:05
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I'm just an organized person.
31:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I don't like to feel unorganized.
31:10
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like, however I'm showing up, that's how I show up,
31:20
[SPEAKER_01]: I did start off.
31:21
[SPEAKER_01]: I remember like I wasn't college charge at $10 for a logo.
31:25
[SPEAKER_01]: That's when I was crazy too.
31:26
[SPEAKER_01]: I thought that was so much.
31:27
[SPEAKER_00]: I was like, you sure?
31:29
[SPEAKER_01]: Should I do $10?
31:31
[SPEAKER_00]: It's crazy.
31:33
[SPEAKER_01]: It was like, yeah, you should do it.
31:34
[SPEAKER_01]: You should do more than that.
31:35
[UNKNOWN]: But
31:36
[SPEAKER_01]: And then like, man, I'm far away from $10.
31:39
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's like you're just also in the mention that you start somewhere.
31:43
[SPEAKER_01]: But, sure, I could have known my worth back then too, because I was still making amazing logos.
31:48
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, now I look back in my cranger a little bit, but still more than $10.
31:51
[SPEAKER_01]: For sure.
31:52
[SPEAKER_02]: It's crazy.
31:53
[SPEAKER_02]: For sure, I built my first website for $100.
31:55
[SPEAKER_02]: And like, I look back.
31:56
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm grateful because at that point in time, I was still in college, so I really needed it.
32:00
[SPEAKER_02]: But I look back and I'm like, I was charging $100 for a website like you was tripping.
32:06
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so it's like once again, you learn as you go, like you just learn as you go.
32:12
[SPEAKER_01]: And then as you go, the experience just keeps adding on, which means like, what you charged?
32:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Two years ago, Shinabi, would you charge now, simply for the fact, now you can talk about how much equipment costs and this and that, but just because you're experienced.
32:25
[SPEAKER_01]: and the things that you've been a part of, like, they're stacking up.
32:29
[SPEAKER_01]: So when people say the price, what they say, the price is, yesterday's price is not today's price.
32:34
[SPEAKER_01]: The price has gone up.
32:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I should post it every time, the price has gone up.
32:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, everything, you know, because yeah, the price has indeed went up.
32:47
[SPEAKER_02]: And you want to end me, too.
32:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I want the price to be way up.
32:50
[SPEAKER_01]: That's what people tell me.
32:52
[SPEAKER_01]: But that was, I'm not even, but that was in college.
32:55
[SPEAKER_01]: It just felt like, and here I am charging $10 for logos.
33:00
[SPEAKER_01]: That was for production video, spoken word.
33:02
[SPEAKER_01]: I did a slam video.
33:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
33:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and also, yeah, yeah, right.
33:05
[SPEAKER_01]: I personally like,
33:08
[SPEAKER_02]: You should have brought Amy with you today, just put on the table.
33:10
[SPEAKER_01]: I know, it was a collaborative, Amy.
33:12
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it was a whole thing.
33:16
[SPEAKER_01]: I was just nominated, then I'm like, oh, we won.
33:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Think we're all there and did the speech.
33:23
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm sorry, this is so surreal, but um.
33:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it was just like really a random thing because I did this poem for the university and then the girl, the lady, she said we got nominated for Emmy for Natus and I was like National Arts and television
33:43
[SPEAKER_01]: What is not to stand for national arts and TV association?
33:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, don't get me missed.
33:49
[SPEAKER_02]: It's probably an association or academy.
33:50
[SPEAKER_02]: So I was like, yeah, it's something like that.
33:52
[SPEAKER_01]: And then I was like, oh, she's like, oh, forgot to tell you.
33:55
[SPEAKER_01]: I submitted that.
33:56
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, oh, OK.
33:58
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if I should tell you this time about this, but it's nice.
34:01
[SPEAKER_01]: And then we went to the, um,
34:03
[SPEAKER_01]: ceremony and in the name was called I'm just like I wasn't aware of any of that stuff at that time like I'm just now coming out around that time performing poetry and this and that so yeah but yeah people tell me like you need to put that a bit more out there that you got to embe you know like you only away with the ego and I was like right so yeah you see on my page now
34:30
[SPEAKER_02]: I'll say based on your background, you definitely have the, you have the avenues to get ego to show.
34:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
34:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
34:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
34:39
[SPEAKER_02]: So tell me about you got that event coming up at any times the your latest, just your latest exhibit correct.
34:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
34:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so tell us about that how I came together because I'll really intrigued by the message in behind it because it's true to who you are in terms of being a multifaceted storyteller and that's essentially how what this exhibit embody.
35:00
[SPEAKER_02]: So tell us about tell us about it and then how I came about.
35:03
[SPEAKER_01]: So, yeah, I'm going to tell the story the way that it should be told, which is in truth.
35:11
[SPEAKER_01]: So, yeah, shout out to Bernie, Vernika Strickland, a visionary V. She's a marketing person for high society.
35:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Also a good friend, sister of mine.
35:21
[SPEAKER_01]: She's my sister's best friend.
35:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Talk about connections, talk about people you know.
35:25
[SPEAKER_01]: She reached out to me.
35:26
[SPEAKER_01]: I just so happened to be sharing.
35:28
[SPEAKER_01]: that I was working on artwork, you know, my paintings and things of that nature and I showed in my website, talk about being prepared for the moment.
35:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I heard, like, be prepared, you know, for the moment.
35:39
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, when is this moment happening?
35:41
[SPEAKER_01]: So I was just getting all my paintings together, you know?
35:43
[SPEAKER_01]: That's behind the scenes.
35:45
[SPEAKER_01]: So anyway, I met this event and I showed her my website.
35:48
[SPEAKER_01]: I got it all nice and laid out because I did the work.
35:51
[SPEAKER_01]: And then she was like, oh, would you be interested in doing a solo exhibition at High Society?
35:58
[SPEAKER_01]: That felt very daunting.
35:59
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not gonna hold nobody up.
36:01
[SPEAKER_01]: It was very daunting, but something was like, yes, you are.
36:05
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, yeah.
36:07
[SPEAKER_01]: And so I'm like a whole show of just my art.
36:10
[SPEAKER_01]: And so fast forward to now.
36:12
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm so grateful that I did because yes.
36:16
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, then from there, I reached out to Omomisha of the Erwin House art gallery because I still was nervous.
36:24
[SPEAKER_01]: but she's a curator and a director of our gallery and also she's an animation and so she's really been like one of the first few people when I started putting myself out there as an artist as a creative that like really just kind of brought me in was like you do good and I was like thank you
36:40
[SPEAKER_01]: And so yeah, it's just been like this lovely grown relationship.
36:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Someone that I can come to as mentorship and help me out with different things.
36:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, hey, I have this solo exhibition.
36:49
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, really?
36:50
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, yeah, you think you could help me curate it?
36:52
[SPEAKER_01]: So she's like, oh, yeah, sure.
36:54
[SPEAKER_01]: Easy.
36:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Which I appreciate about her.
36:57
[SPEAKER_01]: And so now I have a curator.
36:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Somebody that helped me out with this.
37:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Cause what?
37:02
[SPEAKER_01]: And then I'm thinking about
37:05
[SPEAKER_01]: Because I'm a community organizer.
37:06
[SPEAKER_01]: That's where my background came from, like, from start zero, community organizing.
37:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, that's what my message degris in.
37:12
[SPEAKER_01]: That's what I did in college, like, always think about community and organizing community, which makes sense as a project that because I'm good at that.
37:20
[SPEAKER_01]: And so, I'm like, how can I bring in other people?
37:24
[SPEAKER_01]: you can't do anything without nobody else to put it in plain terms but to put it in better words like we have to collaborate with people that are in alignment with us of course but like collaboration is important like even this podcast you're just going to talk about yourself for 25.
37:41
[SPEAKER_01]: How many years have you been doing this?
37:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Five years.
37:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Five, like 25, like, how are you?
37:46
[SPEAKER_02]: 25, coming soon.
37:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
37:48
[SPEAKER_01]: You're just going to talk about yourself for five years.
37:49
[SPEAKER_01]: No, you need to bring in community and you need to do the things.
37:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Especially as a creative, like, there's always some involvement.
37:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Even if it's just, you're painting a portrait of somebody.
37:59
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
38:00
[SPEAKER_01]: There's always some involvement of people, you know.
38:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and so I mentioned that I was trying to figure out what is a good way to still resonates with me, but also resonates with community.
38:13
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, the type of imagery and a concept for this exhibition that I wanted to put out there and so then the idea of many times came like the ideas just kind of come when I'm like trying to sleep or I'm just like think about it for so long and then I like say a prayer and then it just comes to me it's like what if you did this I was like that.
38:34
[SPEAKER_01]: And then I'm thinking like, okay, like your question, I don't cover all the mediums, you know, with myself.
38:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, food is one of them I didn't mention, even though I did use to sell vegan food.
38:44
[SPEAKER_00]: What did you sell to?
38:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Girl.
38:47
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not a chef.
38:48
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
38:49
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, because it's a whole thing about being a chef.
38:51
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's not like not accessible to people and that.
38:53
[SPEAKER_01]: people that can cook cook.
38:55
[SPEAKER_01]: You know what I'm saying?
38:56
[SPEAKER_01]: You know grandma my down the street that be selling the things in this.
39:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Like she can cook cook, but don't call her a chef.
39:04
[SPEAKER_01]: Why is that?
39:05
[SPEAKER_01]: You know?
39:05
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm with you.
39:06
[SPEAKER_01]: All of that.
39:07
[SPEAKER_01]: But um...
39:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
39:10
[SPEAKER_01]: And so I'm like, who cannot bring in people that I've been working with just from like random projects to be a part of this and really who see their work as storytelling.
39:21
[SPEAKER_01]: That was a very specific piece.
39:23
[SPEAKER_01]: So for example, I have a fashion designer a sustainable textile artist.
39:28
[SPEAKER_01]: She creates she up cycles clothing and also creates her own she's also a creative director stage designer.
39:33
[SPEAKER_01]: She might do a lot of things, Michaela Mickey Evans, who was also having something exhibit in the event.
39:43
[SPEAKER_01]: She connects a story to her pieces, you know.
39:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Me, spoken word artists, there's a story for sure around all of my pieces, even as a painter.
39:54
[SPEAKER_01]: Yasmin Evans of Indigo Culinary, she's cook, intentionally calling herself that as well.
40:01
[SPEAKER_01]: She has a story connected to her meals and not even just her meals, the seasonings that go into them.
40:08
[SPEAKER_01]: And she's also a farmer.
40:10
[SPEAKER_01]: And so she has her own farm, which is called the Joy Project.
40:16
[SPEAKER_01]: there's always a story attached to whatever is growing in her garden and I really appreciate that like she breaks down color grains and why that matters to the diaspora.
40:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Where did it come from?
40:27
[SPEAKER_01]: How did it get here?
40:28
[SPEAKER_01]: Watermelon.
40:29
[SPEAKER_01]: Why we feel this way about it and why we shouldn't.
40:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Like shout out to these people that have these like rich stories connected to their practice.
40:39
[SPEAKER_01]: And I really love how everybody, even though I intentionally did this, but I just really love how everybody involved in many tongues exhibition is rooted in some sort of storytelling like even the food vendor aside from
40:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Yasmeen Evans, we have Francesca LaMere, hopefully I pronounce them at right.
41:02
[SPEAKER_01]: She's Haitian and she creates meals, but she always brings in her culture with that.
41:07
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's like on her marketing, you know?
41:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so I could go on and on about that, but it's like, even the photographer, they're big on archiving that I have booked for this event or contracted for this event, like they're big on archiving AR, REO mark mark, she literally archives peoples, um,
41:31
[SPEAKER_01]: photos and videos that she takes and even offers like a archive grade if that's the right way for it imagery behind the photos that she will take like she offered that to me and I'm just like shout out to the story telling the elements of this whole event because that's what it's about and that's who I am and I think it's very important.
41:51
[SPEAKER_01]: for us to archive our stuff you know I'm saying because this is our history like we can think about the history and the present but that's what it is you know like especially at a time where things are getting erased so let's keep it let's not just have an event say we did the thing it's like okay but what is the sustainable practice around your work
42:14
[SPEAKER_01]: and so that's why I'm real heavy on archiving and shout out to black bottom archives.
42:19
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm a fellow with them, because I wanted to learn more about that practice.
42:22
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, okay, but what does it mean to actually archive?
42:25
[SPEAKER_01]: And also tell stories, like it's not just like, oh, I'm gonna tell this story, you know?
42:31
[SPEAKER_01]: That is a part of it, and it's very valid, but I also feel like there's a responsibility as a storyteller that you take when you're capturing the,
42:41
[SPEAKER_01]: elements of the story, you know, where are they, where is it living, how are you giving to the community?
42:46
[SPEAKER_01]: Is it accessible to the community?
42:47
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I only know all of this because of black bottom archives, you know, I can go on and on, but hopefully I answered your question.
42:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so what can people expect when they come to the exhibit?
42:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so they can expect to see all the different mediums that I choose for storytelling plus the ones of the panelist.
43:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Some of them I've already mentioned and then in addition Lamar Ward, who's also my brother.
43:12
[SPEAKER_01]: He's a filmmaker of Aquarian Age Productions and Michelle McKinney of Detroit Sound Conservancy.
43:19
[SPEAKER_01]: But also she does so many other things.
43:21
[SPEAKER_01]: She's a storyteller as well, so grateful to have her on there as well.
43:27
[SPEAKER_01]: they can expect to laugh, they can expect to eat good, they can expect to probably cry, they're hearts to be full, they're soul to be felt, they can expect some stillness and some deep reflection.
43:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they can expect to have a good time and all of those things I just mentioned are because not only isn't an exhibition from November 12th to December 10th,
43:56
[SPEAKER_01]: but there's also these different activations that are taking place.
43:59
[SPEAKER_01]: And these are events where you're experiencing storytelling, via comedy, storytelling via food, storytelling via like poetry and spoken word.
44:14
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
44:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
44:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Very dope.
44:17
[SPEAKER_02]: So November 12th is the opening night.
44:19
[SPEAKER_01]: November 12th is the big opening night.
44:22
[SPEAKER_02]: So where's it going to be and how can people make sure they can be there that night?
44:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, it is at high society.
44:29
[SPEAKER_01]: Ooh, what's the address?
44:30
[SPEAKER_01]: One, two, eight, two, six.
44:32
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't type it enough.
44:33
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's it.
44:33
[SPEAKER_01]: One, two, eight, two, six, liver noise.
44:35
[SPEAKER_01]: That's like 10 minutes from the Avenue of Fashion.
44:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, Detroit Michigan, for a two, two, one.
44:42
[SPEAKER_01]: and you can make sure that you're there.
44:44
[SPEAKER_01]: It's to be everywhere.
44:46
[SPEAKER_01]: It's definitely on event bright.
44:50
[SPEAKER_01]: What else?
44:51
[SPEAKER_01]: It's on my page in the link tree.
44:54
[SPEAKER_01]: It's on Facebook.
44:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, just Google it, many tongues.
44:58
[SPEAKER_01]: It should pop up.
44:59
[SPEAKER_01]: If it's not popping up then I need to think about my SEO.
45:01
[SPEAKER_00]: Is that what it's called?
45:03
[SPEAKER_01]: But yes, I'm doing my best to get it out there because yes, one is my first and then all so I'm just being more intentional about how I put myself out there as I and I, you know, it's time to level up.
45:15
[SPEAKER_02]: There we go.
45:16
[SPEAKER_02]: There we go.
45:17
[SPEAKER_02]: So I would love to ask you in your opinion with you.
45:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Working with different mediums of creators for the event and the other things that you've done in the past in your opinion, what do you feel makes a good creative in terms of somebody who is like invested in their Whatever their zone of geniuses, so to speak, for you what makes a good creative Because I'm sure you've seen a wide range of good and not so good
45:49
[SPEAKER_01]: Mmm, good is the interesting word, good and bad.
45:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, wouldn't necessarily use the word good, because somebody that resonates with someone else may resonate with them, you know?
46:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that whole thing, but I can definitely just speak to some of my favorites.
46:07
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, the people that you enjoy, what, what have they had in common?
46:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and the first person I popped in my head, I thought about Sabrina Nelson.
46:13
[SPEAKER_01]: She's a painter.
46:14
[SPEAKER_01]: She recently is doing a series with James Baldwin about James Baldwin.
46:20
[SPEAKER_01]: And so anyway, I attended one of her talks about the exhibition that was at the Charles Edge Right Museum of African American History.
46:29
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just started crying,
46:37
[SPEAKER_01]: the intention behind what she does it just is like you could tell she's like embodying this work and then the words just kind of roll off you can tell she didn't maybe put together a speech to say and think about what big words she can use I don't know I just really resonate with people that embody their work because then I feel it I'm a big filler person like I will have the
47:06
[SPEAKER_01]: And so it's such a great feeling to feel someone embodying their work.
47:12
[SPEAKER_01]: If I can feel like your words, like that's the best thing.
47:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Because one, my heart is opening and then two, I'm being inspired, you know, on many different levels, my embodying and so.
47:27
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, to me, some of my favorite creatives,
47:33
[SPEAKER_01]: embody their work.
47:35
[SPEAKER_01]: They are that.
47:36
[SPEAKER_01]: And they're also not afraid to shift, you know, as I'm wearing this Andre 3000 concert shirt, he wasn't afraid to shift Andrea Beones on his day talking about some, hey, yeah,
47:51
[SPEAKER_01]: No, you got a flu, like, sorry, because that's goals.
47:58
[SPEAKER_01]: You know what I'm saying?
47:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Just have fun.
48:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Like my friend, McKayla, Ares, she always be like, we just about to play or something to say, let's play or something like that.
48:07
[SPEAKER_01]: But it'd be like really serious work that she's saying.
48:10
[SPEAKER_01]: But then I start thinking about that and it's like, yeah, let's just have fun with who we want to be and who we are and what we're presenting to the world.
48:17
[SPEAKER_01]: And you have fun when you win body when you're not necessarily caught up in like a penguins from like, are they going to accept this?
48:24
[SPEAKER_01]: And I, of course, I still experienced that sometimes because I'm human, but majority of the time, like that window is getting real smaller than more I grow up and realize like, hey, if it's you, then that's, you know, it will resonate with who it resonates with and you just started noticing the patterns of that truth.
48:44
[SPEAKER_01]: And you lean on it more.
48:46
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
48:46
[SPEAKER_02]: very cool.
48:48
[SPEAKER_02]: So Brittany, what's on the rather for you?
48:51
[SPEAKER_02]: What are you seeing your crystal ball for the future?
48:54
[SPEAKER_02]: We know you have the exhibit going on, but in terms of what do you see next on the horizon?
48:59
[SPEAKER_02]: For you, for I and I, what could you invite us into what you're thinking?
49:05
[SPEAKER_01]: I see more money.
49:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Come on now.
49:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
49:11
[SPEAKER_01]: I see money.
49:15
[SPEAKER_01]: I see literally I see money.
49:18
[SPEAKER_01]: I see like, you know, chunks of it like 10,000, 25,000, 15,000, like those are the amounts that are coming my way, not that you X.
49:28
[SPEAKER_01]: And then that means I see more collaborations, and I see more artists being paid for their work under the umbrella of I and I, I also see more storytelling.
49:39
[SPEAKER_01]: I do have a few projects coming up, like I mentioned with Black Bottom Archives.
49:43
[SPEAKER_01]: I have the Detroit Poetry Archive and I am working on a place for all of the history of Detroit Poetry to live.
49:50
[SPEAKER_01]: I mentioned Boba Duke, music dad's and daughters that is a story telling project that's inspired by my dad.
49:57
[SPEAKER_01]: He transitioned in 2022.
50:00
[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, I want to tell that story about having a music dad and what's that like.
50:05
[SPEAKER_01]: And so that's a project that I'm actively working on.
50:08
[SPEAKER_01]: um yeah music to release there's actually going to be a part of that in my exhibition I haven't yet to release this music but I'm going to put in an exhibition so those that come they get a little sneak peek of the song that I've been working on with Talon Williams, Tay Boogie, my producer um yeah so just a lot more storytelling in multiple ways and money
50:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, money.
50:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, money.
50:34
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:41
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, money.
50:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, money.
50:45
[SPEAKER_01]: So as this money is coming in we're going to find you what's your social media websites are links all that good stuff Yeah, um, they can follow me on Instagram at i&i llc my website is i&i llc.com Yeah, those will be your best bet because they can lead you to all the other different channels And that's i&i that's e why e in e why llc on Instagram
51:14
[SPEAKER_02]: that well Brittany thank you for spending your time with us today thank you for sharing some of your art with us actually doing a poem during crazy freestyle Fridays and taking this through your journey as to how you have come to the current exhibition that you have going on and also all the other things that you've been doing through uh I and I definitely need it it's a space for and we appreciate the work that you've been on.
51:36
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for your work as well and
51:43
[SPEAKER_02]: see we we're needed in the in these spaces well appreciate you once again and everybody listening watching we're gonna tap in with y'all soon peace