June 24, 2025 • 32 mins
Ep. 221 Dana Loatman is the Executive Director of the Virgil Abloh Foundation, where she leads efforts to expand access, opportunity, and equity for underrepresented creatives.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Will Lucas here, Black Tech, Green Money. I have Dana
Loepeman here Today. She's the executive director of the Virgil
ad Blow Foundation, where she leads efforts to expand access, opportunity,
and equity for underrepresented creatives. Over a decade of experience
in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, Dana has driven impactful
initiatives at the intersection of culture, leadership and social change.
(00:24):
Prior to joining the Virgial ad Blow Foundation, she served
in senior leadership roles in the Obama Foundation, where she
helped shape legacy programs like My Brother's Keeper, which I
was a big fan of the Obama leaders initiative, while
building multimillion dollar partnerships with global brands like Nike, Apple, Google,
and more. A strategic leader and advocate for systemic change,
(00:44):
Dana brings a deep commitment to community empowerment, innovation, and
cultivating the next generation of cultural role change makers. Welcome
Tanna to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thank you, Thank you. Such a pleasure to be here
with you.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
It's my pleasure. So I want to start here, like,
what is Virgil Ablo's legacy? Define that for me as
you see it.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Such a great question.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I mean, I think we see it every day, right,
Like Virgil was a multi hyphen it He redefined what
it meant to be a creative in so many ways.
He was the first black creative director at Louis Baton,
the founder of Off White, the brand that we all
know in love, and he was also a DJ, an architect,
(01:32):
a designer, an engineer by degree, and so really redefine
and reshaped what it means to be a creative. He
was the first in many places, but did not want
to be the last, and so that legacy for him,
when you actually what is Virgil ABL's legacy, it really
is continuing the work that he has started to continue
(01:52):
his story by investing in young creatives, specifically young underrepresented
creatives he believed deeply and elevating black voices and diverse perspectives.
And so that's what our work is fully focused on
here at the Virgil Ablow Foundation, continuing that legacy that
he started to invest in underrepresented creatives.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
What part of that work resonates most personally with you
and professionally.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
With you, Dana oh Man.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I mean even in our first pilot program program a
blow Air, I'll share more about it, but every day
I see, you know, engaging with young people who are
just so passionate around their creative I think for me,
I grew up born in New York, raised in Maryland,
the DC area by an incredible single mother. Have a
relationship with my dad, but it was my mother who
(02:41):
really really championed education for me, hard work, and I
grew up with dreams and aspirations of being a choreographer.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
That was my goal. Dance. Dance was the passion.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Dance was the passion, but really one I didn't have
mentors in the space that looked like me to show
me that this was possible.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Right, how do you make a career out of dance?
How do you sustain?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
How do you pay for family and finances, you know,
and dancing and creative and so instead of pursuing dance
full time, I went to follow in my mother's flitsteps.
She was a proud graduate of Louis State University, one
of the oldest HBCUs in our country.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
And I ended up going to Louis.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
State as well, and there I studied sociology and so
not dance, but I studied sociology and that's where I
got my passions really for investing in our communities and
minority communities and really ensuring that we have the same
access that our counterparts have.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And so yeah, every day in our work.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
The work is deeply, deeply personal for me because as
a creative naturally, but I did not see the path
towards that for a sustainable career.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
You know, you're you have not You've had had an
opportunity to work with, you know, humongous personalities Barack Obama,
Michelle A, Virgil ad Blow and I'm sure there's others,
And I wonder, like, what about those experiences have prepared
you to carry on this legacy that or dosystem carry
on Virgil's legacy here.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, well it's a great question.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And yes, I've had the honor of the lifetime of
working with the Obamas and now and another incredible opportunity
and continuing for the legacy that Virgil started. And I
would say there's a couple of things really necessary. One
is just leadership, right. Leadership is the ability to really
inspire others around a collective mission. I would say values
(04:36):
leading through values, right, Like in all of these names
that you mentioned, there's a through line really in seeing
everybody as equal, right, and so and really valuing how
do we create more equity and inclusion and really I
think seeing humanity first and kindness, and so those are
values that I really lead with. But collaboration, collaboration. Collaboration,
(04:58):
I will say too, is something that I've learned. No
person could do anything, can't change the world by themselves,
and so Virgil believe heavily in collaboration and it's something
that I carry forth even from my experience with the Obamas,
who also did as well, and so bring it forth
unique perspectives across sectors, age groups, backgrounds, and so that's
(05:21):
that's I would say the three buy and a commitment
to the mission right the work first, Young people first.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
What are the first priorities you have step into this room.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Well, one I'll say is to continue to execute and
build impactful, transformational creative programs for young underrepresented creatives.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So we just.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Launched our first program at blow Air and so that
is a ten month program focused on exposing seventeen to
eighteen year olds here in Chicago. Chicago's home for US
is headquarters. It is Virgil's home, and so the foundation
is headquartered here. The work is global in nature, but
we're starting here locally, and so that program is.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Really a huge priority.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
For me right now and for our team, and it
really focuses on exposure, access and opportunity, which is our
which are three pillars of work. And so this program
ten months, ten students from all over Chicago from BIPOD communities,
Black Indigenous, first generation single parent homes all go through
a transformational experience for ten months where they came into
(06:30):
the program, they were they went through a rigorous application
process where they identified some area of creative passion that
they had in a creative area of interest that they
were interested in going into and in the work in
our In our evaluation, we identified ten that were superstars
and think over eighty were nominated and we decided that
(06:53):
we moved for this group. And over the ten months,
they each get a mentor virtual beliefs heavily a mentorship,
They go through a they each go through a creator
series that we host as a part of the program monthly.
And this is with top creators from Virgil and Shannon's community,
folks like you'll know names like Grace Lidojia and Alex
(07:16):
Sosa or Benjib and Don c and just you know
a lot of folks who have transformed the industry as
we know it and are game changing the game and
changing the industry as we know it. And they're given
real hard, tangible skills to young people. So whether it's
soft skills or hard skills, they're getting the behind the
(07:36):
scenes of the industry, whether it's marketing campaigns or they
like Don Cie hosted a campaign shoot with the students
here in Chicago, and they actually did a campaign for
just Don.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And in his store.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
And so this program virgially deeply in cultural immersion. And
so while he was local in Chicago, he was also
in Paris, around the world in so many ways. And
so we take the students on a ten day trip
to Paris in London, and during that trip they learned,
you know, they learned from a Fabian Montique and top
(08:12):
photographers like the topic, and they're actually getting that hands
on experience and behind the scenes of like attiliers for
Louis Vauton, only stuff that like a virtual APLO foundation
could do. And so we're not just showing them these experiences,
they're getting tangible skills that they can put on their
resume and they're graduating in the next few weeks from
(08:35):
the program, and they're all going to college as next steps.
Some are studying marketing, some are looking forward to integrating
political science with their photography interests. And so this program
really was built on virtuals quote that a lot of
people will know. Everything he did was for the seventeen
year old version of himself. And so I have the
(08:58):
north star of leading that program forth and continuing it
and growing.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
It and scaling it too.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
And so I know you touched them that was the
first program, but we're going to be doing a lot
more of that, a lot more of partnerships and resources
to to your creators.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yeah, you know, in taking this over, I imagine you
know you've got to you know, be the face of
the thing. You got to be on podcasts, you got
to raise money, you got to develop relationships with key partners,
you got to program things, you got to hire people
and lead people and all the things.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So you so big title means you do everything right.
And so I want you to talk about number one,
how you learn to lead number one, and then how
this is still a business even though it's a nonprofit.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, that's a great question. I mean you think and
now on the head.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
This is it's a startup at this stage, and so
we're building something that lasts for generations, right, So we
are doing all of the tasks ask it's too big
or too small when you have big vision, especially that
you know outlets, it's all And so learning how to
lead really for me is about like how I grew
up to, which is like community, right, you don't, like
(10:13):
I said, we don't do anything in silos. And so
learning listening to young people, what do they need? What
do young people of color feel like? There are their
gaps that they're facing within the industry, talking to experts
and like I said, the creators and collaborators and virtuals
and friends that know this industry and have had you know, success,
while navigating the barriers that are faced in the industry
(10:36):
and really getting out there and elevating the mission of
the work to your point around fundraising, we are actively
fundraised and receded by a gift from Shannon Ablow, Virgil's
wife and our founder. But we have to get out
there and ensure that we have the right resources to
bring this big vision to life. So leading is I
(10:57):
think really about like heart core and values and like
community and ensuring that you always have the mission and
the vision first and like foremost, and then being able
to work backwards from there. So what is the strategy
how do we get to that big north star, which
is for us a limitless creative future, which virtually deeply
(11:19):
in and so constantly in the in the reads of
making sure that we have the right team to succeed,
that we have the resources that we need to do this.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Yeah, what does success look like? You know, especially with
a blow air, you know, these these power programs and
other objectives that you have. What does success look like?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Well, success for us, like I said, it's not just
about giving students a great experience, right, there's a lot
of programs that do that. For us, we want to
give folks transformational experiences that they can tangibly use as
they grow into their careers.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
And so our.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Ultimate goal is to change and to influence the creative
set there as we know it. We aim to increase
equity and inclusion within the creative sector. And so for us,
that is the big vision and the huge the north star,
and so really building out those programs that transform the
industry and make way for this next generation of young.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Creatives you know, and based on this pilot you know
you said they got a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Left, right, Yes, they graduated.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I love it. You know, what do you think about
what did you learn in this you know, first iteration
and what do you want to enhance for future iterations
and you know, enhancements for the next programs.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yes, when we learned that the students really value the experience, right,
like we're getting there's stories of I mentioned as a
young lady in our program who she came into the program.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Passionate around music.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Right at the end of the program, now she sees
herself with integrated music and fashion she wants to model
and seeing that integration that things aren't just that siloed.
And that's that was the goal of the program, which
is to expose to all the possibilities, right, Like I said,
Virgil was a multi hype in it. He didn't box
himself into one creative And so to hear those stories
(13:17):
of young people who who feel like they gained value
from this experience and it's influencing their next steps in
their next career, that is really something that we learned that. Okay,
the program works right where anytime you're building a pilot,
you're learning as you're going, and how to indicate where
(13:38):
the organization goes in the future, and how to design
future programs too. And so our students are telling us
what they need as they enter into college and career
early career, and so making sure that they have the
resources in this next phase and the community as well
in collaboration, which we know is very necessary, especially with
(13:58):
communities of color too.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
And I know you mentioned you know the goal is
to you know, and influence the industry. And I think
about when you have these visions and you have these
goals and you're running pilots, you have like a vision
of what the future looks like, this grand vision that
maybe the resources aren't there to do to yet today,
or the connections aren't there to do yet today, or
whatever they are. When you can, can you paint a
(14:22):
picture of at its fullest, you know, version of itself,
what this foundation looks like.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I smile because I get to wake up every day
thinking about this. And you know, right now we're starting,
we're starting. We're talking about ten students here in Chicago,
right and we're in the process of executing the next
cohort of that here and expanding our programs, whether it's
with through philanthropy and grant making and ensuring resources go
directly to underrepresented creat as. We know that there's barriers
(14:54):
to access to resources in the industry for creatives. And
so the start I think when I think about that question,
we desired for the next couple of years where we're
going from that ten to thousands of young underrepresented creatives
who've been impacted by the work of the Virtual av
Low Foundation, whether that's through you know, in person experiences,
(15:17):
are bespoke programs, partnerships and collaborations, or you know online
programs as well, and so really excited to invest in
this next generation to change the way the sector currently
what it currently looks.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Yeah, and you mentioned, you know, even in your story
you wanted to dance and you're thinking about, you know,
how do you make money doing this and all these
other things. And these are the creatives, these students are,
these young people are and there's so often when we
are creative and we give our creations out into the world,
we don't always realize the reward of that, you know,
(15:52):
creation and that that contribution. So how do you or
do you yet? Maybe either question depending on where you
are in the state. How do you help them develop
that business acumen to understand their value in the marketplace.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
It's spot on, and this actually touches on your point
around you know what have we learned within the program.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
We're learning that even through the experience.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
That the students had on the trip with them getting
tangible like hard skills, they're working with different collaboration partners
like Billionaire Boys Club or Pablo T Shirt Factory, We're
learning that there's opportunities to ensure that they understand the
business side of the industry so that they're not going
into it blindsided.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And so even within our.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Programs and the Apple Air program, we're designed you know
what does the business of arts look like? Right, and
giving them that real tangible experience and understanding the legal side,
the tax implications, financials, all of that, the pieces that
you know, folks don't like to shy away from that
are necessary to be successful.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You know, how does maybe a better question how could
because you know you're in the pilot station, you're launching
this thing, which I think is remarkable, how could.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
You scale this?
Speaker 1 (17:07):
So here's here's probably a better way to ask this.
You know, you talked about the this is a global
effort ultimately, but it's starting local there in Chicago, and
the goal is to scale globally. Are there things that
you could do in local communities across the country, across
the world that maybe Dana doesn't have to be there,
(17:28):
you know, in one year, employees don't have to be there,
but maybe there's like curriculum or something. How do you scale?
This is my question?
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Yeah, well, I love I love this conversation because it's
about big vision and scale one is going to happen
through partnerships. Right, So we look at Virgil actually started
the Virgil Ablo Postmodern Scholarship Fund at the Fashion Scholarship Fund,
and so that's the great example of the type of
partnerships that we look forward to continuing and that we
(17:57):
look forward to developing additional ones.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Right.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
That scholarship directly gives scholarships and grants to students who
are in college Black students study in fashion, and so
that's a way to actually reach additional students at scale.
But partnerships and collaborations, whether we've done it through the
Royal College of Arts, where Virgil also has a scholarship program,
will be tangible examples of the types of programs that
(18:23):
we look to expand. But we can't do this work
in silo, and so there's a lot of great work
happening in the sector already, and so anticipate a lot
of collaboration and partnerships to really scale and to reach
to that vision of thousands of creatives.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
What criteria are yoused to select these students.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Yeah, well, all of the students were nominated from local
partners in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
We work.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
We did not want to, you know, there's no need
to start from scratch. There's people in the city who
are already working with young people, and so we identified partners,
whether it was with My Brother's Keeper locally here in Chicago,
or Chicago Scholars or Little Black Pearl and Gray Matter Experienced,
Chicago West Community Center, Yola Calli Arts, Mexican Arts Center,
(19:11):
just to name a few of them that we actually
worked with to nominate the students. And so they identified
students in their programs who were interested in some form
of creative whether it was fashion, music, design, visual art,
you name it. They nominated students for the program, and
then the students went through an application process and then
(19:32):
from there our committee reviewed it the committee is. It
was a group of folks from our board and with
the mergers community as well, and so that's that's the
process that they came to be within the ten the
ten students.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Right the first Yeah, and so I'm a student. I've
gone through this program. I've met some of the most
incredible people, designers, photographers, models, the whole thing. I met
all these wonderful people. I've learned a ton. But I'm
from so so, you know, less a social economic background.
I don't have all the resources in my family, et
(20:05):
cetera to help me launch. Where do I go? I've
been through this program, it was remarkable, had a great time.
What's next?
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
So that's exactly what where we're focused right, Like, this
won't be a one and done experience. This is a
community and that's something that you'll see kind of when
we talk about what is Virgil's legacy. In every conversation
with folks who knew him personally, it was about community, right,
And so for us, anyone going through the program, we
(20:35):
are actively staying in touch with them through their like
next years in their early career, working with them to
identify either internship opportunities or the resources that they need
and you know, to be successful. And so one of
our students is studying political science and going I think
to Morehouse and will plan to continue to do his
(20:56):
photography and integrate that.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
With the social justice perspective.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
And so for us, this is not it's about building
that community where they know that they have a r
resource in the Virgial Apple Foundation for to pursue their
dreams within this industry.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
So they will be they'll be right here with us.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
And so they've actually already acts to be mentors to
the next cohort.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
We're like, no, you keep going, you know.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And so yeah, the goal is that community and collaboration
and you know, future creative spaces where they know that
they can meet meet peers and collaborate, but also really
leverage and continue to utilize the skills and the relationships
that they build from this experience.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
And none of those relationships their mentors.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
The creatives, they're all theirs, right, Like this is not
just they have their contact info. They're able to communicate
with them and knowing this COVID, they're going to run
with them.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
What they do you know when when Virgil pass you know,
oh God, bless them, you know, this will twenty twenty one.
So he saw, you know, what happened with COVID. He
saw how the world changed post COVID, but he wasn't
here to see how AI is impacting you know, the
creative industries. And so what I guess my question is
how does the Foundation think about how to stay adaptable
(22:19):
and to meet the needs of creatives as the world
continues to evolve and change.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah, well, to your point, exactly, so much has evolved
over the last couple of years, and so we believe
deeply in innovation and at the core of everything with
the Virgil Apple Foundation is creativity, right, and so Virgil
believes in that innovation and adaptability and the change in world,
and so we're we're staying close to.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Ensuring that things are modern. Right. This gets to that.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
Real ethos of what he believed in that post modern
and so for us, we're always willing to evolve and
continue to make sure that the work is at you know,
the cutting edge and relevant to this nextion. And so
really I think it'll be a lot of listening to
young people and how do they receive information or you know,
what's the best way to communicate and so to your
(23:09):
point around AI, you know you have to use these
modern tools to reach young people directly.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
What advice do you give to people aspiring to be
in leadership in this in nonprofit sector? You know you
found obviously you found your way, you know, having worked
directly with Valerie Jair and again the big names that
you've worked with. But what is it about people who
find success in nonprofit that you would like to lend
as advice?
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Yeah, well, I would say hard work, like you mentioned
the name like Valerie Jared, Like that is you have
to show up right, like nothing is handed to you.
And so hard work and commitment to the mission, right
and so it's not always about you ever, right like
it is about the work and about who you're seeking
to serve in the communities that you're looking to impact.
(23:57):
So always keep that first. And then I would say integrity,
right Like in the nonprofit we have a lot to
be accountable to. You're accountable to resources from funders, there's
nine nineties at the end of the year, and you're
accountable to the mission and to the people that you're serving,
and so that integrity is key. And then I would
really say mentorship, seek guidance. And this is something that
(24:21):
is very deep to the mission and the vision for
the Virtual Atlow Foundation is that you surround yourself with
people who might be smarter than you, and you're willing
to learn from them, right, And so I think that
that willingness and eagerness to learn and to serve and
to grow while being committed to the mission and maintaining
the values first, I think it'll get any of us
(24:42):
far within our careers and within the creative industry. So
that would be my advice. Yeah, in the nonprofit.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Industry, sure, yeah, And we talked about you know, this
is a startup and you wear many hats. You do
all the big things you do, the little things you know,
all the things you know. And in that regard, you've
got to find a balance between the creative aspects of
leading this, you know, charge and the administrative aspects of
doing this like and not you know from a thirty
(25:10):
thousand foot view, but actually tactically every day, how do
you balance that work? And so what are you using,
what tools are you using? How do you balance you know,
are you doing these sorts of things on Mondays and
Tuesdays and these sorts of things on Wednesdays and Fridays
and we do something mails on Thursday, like how do
you do it?
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Yeah, well, it's a great question.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
I would say, I'm not right now doing this thing
on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Maybe one day we'll get there. But at this stage, I.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
You know, I love organization, and so I used tools
like Asana.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Those are you know, necessary for me to.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Project manage a lot of meetings and a lot of
calls with our team, like we're built, you know, in
the early days, we have you know a series of
consultants and partners who are helping us to get the
work started as we're able to hire later this year
and really build out the long term team for the foundation.
And then I have a great partner and Auti, who
(26:06):
is our chief creative officer and who was Virgils.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
He was his chief of staff and his assistant for years.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
And so from the creative side, we really get to
balance that business, the nonprofit business side, with the creative
side daily so that I could really shure up during
this critical time that we're building out the infrastructure and
the operations and the fund reason and the staff men
to be successful. So again in early days, it's all
all hands on deck for every task. No task too
(26:34):
big or too small, but a lot of project management
and time management, right like, we have to ensure that
as leaders, we are taking care of ourselves and while
still able to show up with the work daily.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
And so that's how I do it.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Yeah. Yeah, you know you mentioned the phrase a minute
or two ago, and you saw you about this conversation
having big vision, and that has been ringing in my
head since you said it, and I think about so often.
We have young people who have this particular worldview. You know,
they're young, they haven't had all the experiences in the world.
So they see, you know, I want to be the designer,
(27:10):
but they don't realize they can own the house. You know,
they see that can be I want to be in
the NBA, but they don't realize they can own a
team or a league.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
You know.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
So how does your work directly and the Foundations work
more globally help people creatives, young creatives and you know,
embolding their ideas make them bigger.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Yeah, Well, this comes down to our key pillars, which
are that exposure, access, and opportunity, right like, you have
to see it to believe it, right, even in the
story of Virgil and his legacy, right, we're talking about
the first black creative director of Louis Baton but also
the founder of Off White simultaneously. And so for us,
we want young people to see what's possible so that
(27:53):
they can actually pursue it. And so a lot of
the programming will be about them meeting mental towards and
people who are in the space already so that they
know what's possible, and then providing and exposing them and
connecting them to the resources so that they can actually
pursue those dreams. And so yeah, that's really how we're
(28:14):
doing it, through that mentorship and that exposure and that
access so that they know, you know, how to turn
these streams into reality.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Yeah, and we're talking about somebody who you know, unfortunately
isn't here anymore. And so I think about how do
you instill that desire to build legacy in the next
generation of creative so they're not just thinking about what's
trendy today. You know, again, we were talking about work
that Virgil did years ago and it still permeates today.
(28:44):
So how do you think about that and how do
you instill that desire to build something that lasts beyond
their own you know breath.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Yeah, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
On the trip, we had a there was a panel
talk that that Stammy Gier and Clint Quartet who's from Cortez,
and a few others as well. Like there was a
panel where they talked about legacy. One of the students
asked about like, you know, I have this passion with
(29:14):
my art and I have a hard, hard difficulties letting
it go. And the panel Clint actually gave him advice
on archiving and you know, Virgil archives everything, and so
that's a big part of the work that Audi is
doing with us is the archives or Virgil, so that
young people can learn from that legacy and learn, you know,
how did what was the process to the works and
(29:35):
so really that story you know that Clint gave him
that advice is to say, share your work with the
world and like that legacy lives on and just make
sure that you're you know, capturing it as you go.
So that's I think that that archiving and teaching them
the importance what it what does it mean to have
an archive as a creative and portfolio? Right, and so
(29:55):
these are the skills that we're teaching them.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
And finally I asked you a different version of this question.
I kind of want to ask this in a different way.
And you know, the work that you're doing, it has
to mean something to you. And you talked a lot
about how you know, what resonated with you with this work,
you know, but I'm interested like it, what is if
you have it, you know, nailed down, Like what is
(30:19):
your personal mission and how does this work align with it?
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Yeah, well you'll see.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
I think this is a through line any like my
full full career experience.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Right.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
I am committed to equity and inclusion in advancing communities
of color, right, And so that is the heart of
everything that I do.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
And so when.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
I met Shannon Ablo in twenty twenty three where she
hosted a summit which was really focused on what building
what the future vision for the Virgil Ablo Foundation would be,
and it was a series of folks across sectors, creative foundations,
philanthropy partners and corporation and collaborators from Virgils community.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I'm young people.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
What I saw there in that room inspired me and
it lit up what I call, you know, my baby,
my mission baby, which is that ability to continue forth
legacy and leave something in this world that livets beyond us,
but lists beyond us with purpose and mission that is
about advancing and making the world, you know, easier for
this next.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Generation of people who look like me.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
So I would say that's the that's the commitment and
the three line and my mission if I'm your star
in all the work that I do.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Black Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro
Tech in the Black Effect podcast Networking Night Hire Media.
It's produced by Morgan Debonne and me Well Lucas, with
the digital production support by Kate McDonald, Sarah Ergan and
Jada McGee. Special thank you to Michael Davis in Love Beach.
Learn more about my guess Other Tech The Shop is
an Innovatives afrotech dot com. Video version of this episode
(31:55):
will drop to Black Tech Green Money on YouTube. We'll
tap it. Enjoy your Black Tech Green Money shot us
to somebody, go get your money. Peace in Love
Will Lucas here, Black Tech, Green Money. I have Dana
Loepeman here Today. She's the executive director of the Virgil
ad Blow Foundation, where she leads efforts to expand access, opportunity,
and equity for underrepresented creatives. Over a decade of experience
in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, Dana has driven impactful
initiatives at the intersection of culture, leadership and social change.
(00:24):
Prior to joining the Virgial ad Blow Foundation, she served
in senior leadership roles in the Obama Foundation, where she
helped shape legacy programs like My Brother's Keeper, which I
was a big fan of the Obama leaders initiative, while
building multimillion dollar partnerships with global brands like Nike, Apple, Google,
and more. A strategic leader and advocate for systemic change,
(00:44):
Dana brings a deep commitment to community empowerment, innovation, and
cultivating the next generation of cultural role change makers. Welcome
Tanna to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thank you, Thank you. Such a pleasure to be here
with you.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
It's my pleasure. So I want to start here, like,
what is Virgil Ablo's legacy? Define that for me as
you see it.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Such a great question.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I mean, I think we see it every day, right,
Like Virgil was a multi hyphen it He redefined what
it meant to be a creative in so many ways.
He was the first black creative director at Louis Baton,
the founder of Off White, the brand that we all
know in love, and he was also a DJ, an architect,
(01:32):
a designer, an engineer by degree, and so really redefine
and reshaped what it means to be a creative. He
was the first in many places, but did not want
to be the last, and so that legacy for him,
when you actually what is Virgil ABL's legacy, it really
is continuing the work that he has started to continue
(01:52):
his story by investing in young creatives, specifically young underrepresented
creatives he believed deeply and elevating black voices and diverse perspectives.
And so that's what our work is fully focused on
here at the Virgil Ablow Foundation, continuing that legacy that
he started to invest in underrepresented creatives.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
What part of that work resonates most personally with you
and professionally.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
With you, Dana oh Man.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I mean even in our first pilot program program a
blow Air, I'll share more about it, but every day
I see, you know, engaging with young people who are
just so passionate around their creative I think for me,
I grew up born in New York, raised in Maryland,
the DC area by an incredible single mother. Have a
relationship with my dad, but it was my mother who
(02:41):
really really championed education for me, hard work, and I
grew up with dreams and aspirations of being a choreographer.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
That was my goal. Dance. Dance was the passion.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Dance was the passion, but really one I didn't have
mentors in the space that looked like me to show
me that this was possible.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Right, how do you make a career out of dance?
How do you sustain?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
How do you pay for family and finances, you know,
and dancing and creative and so instead of pursuing dance
full time, I went to follow in my mother's flitsteps.
She was a proud graduate of Louis State University, one
of the oldest HBCUs in our country.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
And I ended up going to Louis.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
State as well, and there I studied sociology and so
not dance, but I studied sociology and that's where I
got my passions really for investing in our communities and
minority communities and really ensuring that we have the same
access that our counterparts have.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And so yeah, every day in our work.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
The work is deeply, deeply personal for me because as
a creative naturally, but I did not see the path
towards that for a sustainable career.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
You know, you're you have not You've had had an
opportunity to work with, you know, humongous personalities Barack Obama,
Michelle A, Virgil ad Blow and I'm sure there's others,
And I wonder, like, what about those experiences have prepared
you to carry on this legacy that or dosystem carry
on Virgil's legacy here.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, well it's a great question.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And yes, I've had the honor of the lifetime of
working with the Obamas and now and another incredible opportunity
and continuing for the legacy that Virgil started. And I
would say there's a couple of things really necessary. One
is just leadership, right. Leadership is the ability to really
inspire others around a collective mission. I would say values
(04:36):
leading through values, right, Like in all of these names
that you mentioned, there's a through line really in seeing
everybody as equal, right, and so and really valuing how
do we create more equity and inclusion and really I
think seeing humanity first and kindness, and so those are
values that I really lead with. But collaboration, collaboration. Collaboration,
(04:58):
I will say too, is something that I've learned. No
person could do anything, can't change the world by themselves,
and so Virgil believe heavily in collaboration and it's something
that I carry forth even from my experience with the Obamas,
who also did as well, and so bring it forth
unique perspectives across sectors, age groups, backgrounds, and so that's
(05:21):
that's I would say the three buy and a commitment
to the mission right the work first, Young people first.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
What are the first priorities you have step into this room.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Well, one I'll say is to continue to execute and
build impactful, transformational creative programs for young underrepresented creatives.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So we just.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Launched our first program at blow Air and so that
is a ten month program focused on exposing seventeen to
eighteen year olds here in Chicago. Chicago's home for US
is headquarters. It is Virgil's home, and so the foundation
is headquartered here. The work is global in nature, but
we're starting here locally, and so that program is.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Really a huge priority.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
For me right now and for our team, and it
really focuses on exposure, access and opportunity, which is our
which are three pillars of work. And so this program
ten months, ten students from all over Chicago from BIPOD communities,
Black Indigenous, first generation single parent homes all go through
a transformational experience for ten months where they came into
(06:30):
the program, they were they went through a rigorous application
process where they identified some area of creative passion that
they had in a creative area of interest that they
were interested in going into and in the work in
our In our evaluation, we identified ten that were superstars
and think over eighty were nominated and we decided that
(06:53):
we moved for this group. And over the ten months,
they each get a mentor virtual beliefs heavily a mentorship,
They go through a they each go through a creator
series that we host as a part of the program monthly.
And this is with top creators from Virgil and Shannon's community,
folks like you'll know names like Grace Lidojia and Alex
(07:16):
Sosa or Benjib and Don c and just you know
a lot of folks who have transformed the industry as
we know it and are game changing the game and
changing the industry as we know it. And they're given
real hard, tangible skills to young people. So whether it's
soft skills or hard skills, they're getting the behind the
(07:36):
scenes of the industry, whether it's marketing campaigns or they
like Don Cie hosted a campaign shoot with the students
here in Chicago, and they actually did a campaign for
just Don.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And in his store.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
And so this program virgially deeply in cultural immersion. And
so while he was local in Chicago, he was also
in Paris, around the world in so many ways. And
so we take the students on a ten day trip
to Paris in London, and during that trip they learned,
you know, they learned from a Fabian Montique and top
(08:12):
photographers like the topic, and they're actually getting that hands
on experience and behind the scenes of like attiliers for
Louis Vauton, only stuff that like a virtual APLO foundation
could do. And so we're not just showing them these experiences,
they're getting tangible skills that they can put on their
resume and they're graduating in the next few weeks from
(08:35):
the program, and they're all going to college as next steps.
Some are studying marketing, some are looking forward to integrating
political science with their photography interests. And so this program
really was built on virtuals quote that a lot of
people will know. Everything he did was for the seventeen
year old version of himself. And so I have the
(08:58):
north star of leading that program forth and continuing it
and growing.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
It and scaling it too.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
And so I know you touched them that was the
first program, but we're going to be doing a lot
more of that, a lot more of partnerships and resources
to to your creators.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yeah, you know, in taking this over, I imagine you
know you've got to you know, be the face of
the thing. You got to be on podcasts, you got
to raise money, you got to develop relationships with key partners,
you got to program things, you got to hire people
and lead people and all the things.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So you so big title means you do everything right.
And so I want you to talk about number one,
how you learn to lead number one, and then how
this is still a business even though it's a nonprofit.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, that's a great question. I mean you think and
now on the head.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
This is it's a startup at this stage, and so
we're building something that lasts for generations, right, So we
are doing all of the tasks ask it's too big
or too small when you have big vision, especially that
you know outlets, it's all And so learning how to
lead really for me is about like how I grew
up to, which is like community, right, you don't, like
(10:13):
I said, we don't do anything in silos. And so
learning listening to young people, what do they need? What
do young people of color feel like? There are their
gaps that they're facing within the industry, talking to experts
and like I said, the creators and collaborators and virtuals
and friends that know this industry and have had you know, success,
while navigating the barriers that are faced in the industry
(10:36):
and really getting out there and elevating the mission of
the work to your point around fundraising, we are actively
fundraised and receded by a gift from Shannon Ablow, Virgil's
wife and our founder. But we have to get out
there and ensure that we have the right resources to
bring this big vision to life. So leading is I
(10:57):
think really about like heart core and values and like
community and ensuring that you always have the mission and
the vision first and like foremost, and then being able
to work backwards from there. So what is the strategy
how do we get to that big north star, which
is for us a limitless creative future, which virtually deeply
(11:19):
in and so constantly in the in the reads of
making sure that we have the right team to succeed,
that we have the resources that we need to do this.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Yeah, what does success look like? You know, especially with
a blow air, you know, these these power programs and
other objectives that you have. What does success look like?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Well, success for us, like I said, it's not just
about giving students a great experience, right, there's a lot
of programs that do that. For us, we want to
give folks transformational experiences that they can tangibly use as
they grow into their careers.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
And so our.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Ultimate goal is to change and to influence the creative
set there as we know it. We aim to increase
equity and inclusion within the creative sector. And so for us,
that is the big vision and the huge the north star,
and so really building out those programs that transform the
industry and make way for this next generation of young.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Creatives you know, and based on this pilot you know
you said they got a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Left, right, Yes, they graduated.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I love it. You know, what do you think about
what did you learn in this you know, first iteration
and what do you want to enhance for future iterations
and you know, enhancements for the next programs.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yes, when we learned that the students really value the experience, right,
like we're getting there's stories of I mentioned as a
young lady in our program who she came into the program.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Passionate around music.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Right at the end of the program, now she sees
herself with integrated music and fashion she wants to model
and seeing that integration that things aren't just that siloed.
And that's that was the goal of the program, which
is to expose to all the possibilities, right, Like I said,
Virgil was a multi hype in it. He didn't box
himself into one creative And so to hear those stories
(13:17):
of young people who who feel like they gained value
from this experience and it's influencing their next steps in
their next career, that is really something that we learned that. Okay,
the program works right where anytime you're building a pilot,
you're learning as you're going, and how to indicate where
(13:38):
the organization goes in the future, and how to design
future programs too. And so our students are telling us
what they need as they enter into college and career
early career, and so making sure that they have the
resources in this next phase and the community as well
in collaboration, which we know is very necessary, especially with
(13:58):
communities of color too.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
And I know you mentioned you know the goal is
to you know, and influence the industry. And I think
about when you have these visions and you have these
goals and you're running pilots, you have like a vision
of what the future looks like, this grand vision that
maybe the resources aren't there to do to yet today,
or the connections aren't there to do yet today, or
whatever they are. When you can, can you paint a
(14:22):
picture of at its fullest, you know, version of itself,
what this foundation looks like.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I smile because I get to wake up every day
thinking about this. And you know, right now we're starting,
we're starting. We're talking about ten students here in Chicago,
right and we're in the process of executing the next
cohort of that here and expanding our programs, whether it's
with through philanthropy and grant making and ensuring resources go
directly to underrepresented creat as. We know that there's barriers
(14:54):
to access to resources in the industry for creatives. And
so the start I think when I think about that question,
we desired for the next couple of years where we're
going from that ten to thousands of young underrepresented creatives
who've been impacted by the work of the Virtual av
Low Foundation, whether that's through you know, in person experiences,
(15:17):
are bespoke programs, partnerships and collaborations, or you know online
programs as well, and so really excited to invest in
this next generation to change the way the sector currently
what it currently looks.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Yeah, and you mentioned, you know, even in your story
you wanted to dance and you're thinking about, you know,
how do you make money doing this and all these
other things. And these are the creatives, these students are,
these young people are and there's so often when we
are creative and we give our creations out into the world,
we don't always realize the reward of that, you know,
(15:52):
creation and that that contribution. So how do you or
do you yet? Maybe either question depending on where you
are in the state. How do you help them develop
that business acumen to understand their value in the marketplace.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
It's spot on, and this actually touches on your point
around you know what have we learned within the program.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
We're learning that even through the experience.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
That the students had on the trip with them getting
tangible like hard skills, they're working with different collaboration partners
like Billionaire Boys Club or Pablo T Shirt Factory, We're
learning that there's opportunities to ensure that they understand the
business side of the industry so that they're not going
into it blindsided.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And so even within our.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Programs and the Apple Air program, we're designed you know
what does the business of arts look like? Right, and
giving them that real tangible experience and understanding the legal side,
the tax implications, financials, all of that, the pieces that
you know, folks don't like to shy away from that
are necessary to be successful.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You know, how does maybe a better question how could
because you know you're in the pilot station, you're launching
this thing, which I think is remarkable, how could.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
You scale this?
Speaker 1 (17:07):
So here's here's probably a better way to ask this.
You know, you talked about the this is a global
effort ultimately, but it's starting local there in Chicago, and
the goal is to scale globally. Are there things that
you could do in local communities across the country, across
the world that maybe Dana doesn't have to be there,
(17:28):
you know, in one year, employees don't have to be there,
but maybe there's like curriculum or something. How do you scale?
This is my question?
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Yeah, well, I love I love this conversation because it's
about big vision and scale one is going to happen
through partnerships. Right, So we look at Virgil actually started
the Virgil Ablo Postmodern Scholarship Fund at the Fashion Scholarship Fund,
and so that's the great example of the type of
partnerships that we look forward to continuing and that we
(17:57):
look forward to developing additional ones.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Right.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
That scholarship directly gives scholarships and grants to students who
are in college Black students study in fashion, and so
that's a way to actually reach additional students at scale.
But partnerships and collaborations, whether we've done it through the
Royal College of Arts, where Virgil also has a scholarship program,
will be tangible examples of the types of programs that
(18:23):
we look to expand. But we can't do this work
in silo, and so there's a lot of great work
happening in the sector already, and so anticipate a lot
of collaboration and partnerships to really scale and to reach
to that vision of thousands of creatives.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
What criteria are yoused to select these students.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Yeah, well, all of the students were nominated from local
partners in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
We work.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
We did not want to, you know, there's no need
to start from scratch. There's people in the city who
are already working with young people, and so we identified partners,
whether it was with My Brother's Keeper locally here in Chicago,
or Chicago Scholars or Little Black Pearl and Gray Matter Experienced,
Chicago West Community Center, Yola Calli Arts, Mexican Arts Center,
(19:11):
just to name a few of them that we actually
worked with to nominate the students. And so they identified
students in their programs who were interested in some form
of creative whether it was fashion, music, design, visual art,
you name it. They nominated students for the program, and
then the students went through an application process and then
(19:32):
from there our committee reviewed it the committee is. It
was a group of folks from our board and with
the mergers community as well, and so that's that's the
process that they came to be within the ten the
ten students.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Right the first Yeah, and so I'm a student. I've
gone through this program. I've met some of the most
incredible people, designers, photographers, models, the whole thing. I met
all these wonderful people. I've learned a ton. But I'm
from so so, you know, less a social economic background.
I don't have all the resources in my family, et
(20:05):
cetera to help me launch. Where do I go? I've
been through this program, it was remarkable, had a great time.
What's next?
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
So that's exactly what where we're focused right, Like, this
won't be a one and done experience. This is a
community and that's something that you'll see kind of when
we talk about what is Virgil's legacy. In every conversation
with folks who knew him personally, it was about community, right,
And so for us, anyone going through the program, we
(20:35):
are actively staying in touch with them through their like
next years in their early career, working with them to
identify either internship opportunities or the resources that they need
and you know, to be successful. And so one of
our students is studying political science and going I think
to Morehouse and will plan to continue to do his
(20:56):
photography and integrate that.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
With the social justice perspective.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
And so for us, this is not it's about building
that community where they know that they have a r
resource in the Virgial Apple Foundation for to pursue their
dreams within this industry.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
So they will be they'll be right here with us.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
And so they've actually already acts to be mentors to
the next cohort.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
We're like, no, you keep going, you know.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And so yeah, the goal is that community and collaboration
and you know, future creative spaces where they know that
they can meet meet peers and collaborate, but also really
leverage and continue to utilize the skills and the relationships
that they build from this experience.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
And none of those relationships their mentors.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
The creatives, they're all theirs, right, Like this is not
just they have their contact info. They're able to communicate
with them and knowing this COVID, they're going to run
with them.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
What they do you know when when Virgil pass you know,
oh God, bless them, you know, this will twenty twenty one.
So he saw, you know, what happened with COVID. He
saw how the world changed post COVID, but he wasn't
here to see how AI is impacting you know, the
creative industries. And so what I guess my question is
how does the Foundation think about how to stay adaptable
(22:19):
and to meet the needs of creatives as the world
continues to evolve and change.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah, well, to your point, exactly, so much has evolved
over the last couple of years, and so we believe
deeply in innovation and at the core of everything with
the Virgil Apple Foundation is creativity, right, and so Virgil
believes in that innovation and adaptability and the change in world,
and so we're we're staying close to.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Ensuring that things are modern. Right. This gets to that.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
Real ethos of what he believed in that post modern
and so for us, we're always willing to evolve and
continue to make sure that the work is at you know,
the cutting edge and relevant to this nextion. And so
really I think it'll be a lot of listening to
young people and how do they receive information or you know,
what's the best way to communicate and so to your
(23:09):
point around AI, you know you have to use these
modern tools to reach young people directly.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
What advice do you give to people aspiring to be
in leadership in this in nonprofit sector? You know you
found obviously you found your way, you know, having worked
directly with Valerie Jair and again the big names that
you've worked with. But what is it about people who
find success in nonprofit that you would like to lend
as advice?
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Yeah, well, I would say hard work, like you mentioned
the name like Valerie Jared, Like that is you have
to show up right, like nothing is handed to you.
And so hard work and commitment to the mission, right
and so it's not always about you ever, right like
it is about the work and about who you're seeking
to serve in the communities that you're looking to impact.
(23:57):
So always keep that first. And then I would say integrity,
right Like in the nonprofit we have a lot to
be accountable to. You're accountable to resources from funders, there's
nine nineties at the end of the year, and you're
accountable to the mission and to the people that you're serving,
and so that integrity is key. And then I would
really say mentorship, seek guidance. And this is something that
(24:21):
is very deep to the mission and the vision for
the Virtual Atlow Foundation is that you surround yourself with
people who might be smarter than you, and you're willing
to learn from them, right, And so I think that
that willingness and eagerness to learn and to serve and
to grow while being committed to the mission and maintaining
the values first, I think it'll get any of us
(24:42):
far within our careers and within the creative industry. So
that would be my advice. Yeah, in the nonprofit.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Industry, sure, yeah, And we talked about you know, this
is a startup and you wear many hats. You do
all the big things you do, the little things you know,
all the things you know. And in that regard, you've
got to find a balance between the creative aspects of
leading this, you know, charge and the administrative aspects of
doing this like and not you know from a thirty
(25:10):
thousand foot view, but actually tactically every day, how do
you balance that work? And so what are you using,
what tools are you using? How do you balance you know,
are you doing these sorts of things on Mondays and
Tuesdays and these sorts of things on Wednesdays and Fridays
and we do something mails on Thursday, like how do
you do it?
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Yeah, well, it's a great question.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
I would say, I'm not right now doing this thing
on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Maybe one day we'll get there. But at this stage, I.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
You know, I love organization, and so I used tools
like Asana.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Those are you know, necessary for me to.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Project manage a lot of meetings and a lot of
calls with our team, like we're built, you know, in
the early days, we have you know a series of
consultants and partners who are helping us to get the
work started as we're able to hire later this year
and really build out the long term team for the foundation.
And then I have a great partner and Auti, who
(26:06):
is our chief creative officer and who was Virgils.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
He was his chief of staff and his assistant for years.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
And so from the creative side, we really get to
balance that business, the nonprofit business side, with the creative
side daily so that I could really shure up during
this critical time that we're building out the infrastructure and
the operations and the fund reason and the staff men
to be successful. So again in early days, it's all
all hands on deck for every task. No task too
(26:34):
big or too small, but a lot of project management
and time management, right like, we have to ensure that
as leaders, we are taking care of ourselves and while
still able to show up with the work daily.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
And so that's how I do it.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Yeah. Yeah, you know you mentioned the phrase a minute
or two ago, and you saw you about this conversation
having big vision, and that has been ringing in my
head since you said it, and I think about so often.
We have young people who have this particular worldview. You know,
they're young, they haven't had all the experiences in the world.
So they see, you know, I want to be the designer,
(27:10):
but they don't realize they can own the house. You know,
they see that can be I want to be in
the NBA, but they don't realize they can own a
team or a league.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
You know.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
So how does your work directly and the Foundations work
more globally help people creatives, young creatives and you know,
embolding their ideas make them bigger.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Yeah, Well, this comes down to our key pillars, which
are that exposure, access, and opportunity, right like, you have
to see it to believe it, right, even in the
story of Virgil and his legacy, right, we're talking about
the first black creative director of Louis Baton but also
the founder of Off White simultaneously. And so for us,
we want young people to see what's possible so that
(27:53):
they can actually pursue it. And so a lot of
the programming will be about them meeting mental towards and
people who are in the space already so that they
know what's possible, and then providing and exposing them and
connecting them to the resources so that they can actually
pursue those dreams. And so yeah, that's really how we're
(28:14):
doing it, through that mentorship and that exposure and that
access so that they know, you know, how to turn
these streams into reality.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Yeah, and we're talking about somebody who you know, unfortunately
isn't here anymore. And so I think about how do
you instill that desire to build legacy in the next
generation of creative so they're not just thinking about what's
trendy today. You know, again, we were talking about work
that Virgil did years ago and it still permeates today.
(28:44):
So how do you think about that and how do
you instill that desire to build something that lasts beyond
their own you know breath.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Yeah, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
On the trip, we had a there was a panel
talk that that Stammy Gier and Clint Quartet who's from Cortez,
and a few others as well. Like there was a
panel where they talked about legacy. One of the students
asked about like, you know, I have this passion with
(29:14):
my art and I have a hard, hard difficulties letting
it go. And the panel Clint actually gave him advice
on archiving and you know, Virgil archives everything, and so
that's a big part of the work that Audi is
doing with us is the archives or Virgil, so that
young people can learn from that legacy and learn, you know,
how did what was the process to the works and
(29:35):
so really that story you know that Clint gave him
that advice is to say, share your work with the
world and like that legacy lives on and just make
sure that you're you know, capturing it as you go.
So that's I think that that archiving and teaching them
the importance what it what does it mean to have
an archive as a creative and portfolio? Right, and so
(29:55):
these are the skills that we're teaching them.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
And finally I asked you a different version of this question.
I kind of want to ask this in a different way.
And you know, the work that you're doing, it has
to mean something to you. And you talked a lot
about how you know, what resonated with you with this work,
you know, but I'm interested like it, what is if
you have it, you know, nailed down, Like what is
(30:19):
your personal mission and how does this work align with it?
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Yeah, well you'll see.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
I think this is a through line any like my
full full career experience.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Right.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
I am committed to equity and inclusion in advancing communities
of color, right, And so that is the heart of
everything that I do.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
And so when.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
I met Shannon Ablo in twenty twenty three where she
hosted a summit which was really focused on what building
what the future vision for the Virgil Ablo Foundation would be,
and it was a series of folks across sectors, creative foundations,
philanthropy partners and corporation and collaborators from Virgils community.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I'm young people.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
What I saw there in that room inspired me and
it lit up what I call, you know, my baby,
my mission baby, which is that ability to continue forth
legacy and leave something in this world that livets beyond us,
but lists beyond us with purpose and mission that is
about advancing and making the world, you know, easier for
this next.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Generation of people who look like me.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
So I would say that's the that's the commitment and
the three line and my mission if I'm your star
in all the work that I do.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Black Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro
Tech in the Black Effect podcast Networking Night Hire Media.
It's produced by Morgan Debonne and me Well Lucas, with
the digital production support by Kate McDonald, Sarah Ergan and
Jada McGee. Special thank you to Michael Davis in Love Beach.
Learn more about my guess Other Tech The Shop is
an Innovatives afrotech dot com. Video version of this episode
(31:55):
will drop to Black Tech Green Money on YouTube. We'll
tap it. Enjoy your Black Tech Green Money shot us
to somebody, go get your money. Peace in Love
Host
Will Lucas
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