We asked some of the city’s leading artists and creatives to tell us about how they decided to pursue an artistic or creative career. We’ve shared some highlights below.

JocQ

I pursued becoming a professional R&B artist in attempt to align with my purpose. I’ve always involved myself in musical endeavors, yet nothing seemed to fill me until I began writing & performing music for myself. I’m so glad I did because it has been a breathe of fresh air making music that impacts others. Read more>>

Mya Seriki

I’ve always been drawn to the creative world. All my life, I’ve been involved in entertainment and performance—singing, dancing, acting, content creation etc. I always knew I’d be in this space; I just wasn’t sure in what capacity. Even now, I still hope to explore it all. Read more>>

Trevione Townsend

During my childhood, I faced relentless bullying simply for embracing my passions—anime, superhero movies, and the stories that fueled my imagination. Those experiences could have silenced my voice, but instead, they shaped my determination. As I grew older, my love for storytelling only deepened, extending to action-packed films like I, Robot, Transformers, Spider-Man, and Blade. These stories became more than just entertainment—they became a source of inspiration, hope, and strength. Read more>>

Hayley & Angel Cardozo

We decided to pursue the artistic and creative career of photography and videography due to the deep-seated passion we share together of capturing moments that range from the love of families and couples to luxury automotive and landscape photography. This career has allowed us as a couple to come together with two completely unique perspectives and share our creative sides through self-expression. This career further allows us to explore our imagination, experiment with ideas, and communicate complex thoughts in ways that traditional professions may not. Ultimately, this journey can be and has been personally rewarding and socially impactful, driving us to choose this path. Read more>>

Rasta Mendoza

I just feel like that’s what I was meant to do. Even from a young age I knew it. Read more>>

Brian Cox

In shorthand, to have a sense of community and connectedness. I have always had a gift of bringing people together, whether it is organizing a camping trip, throwing a party, or jamming with someone so they can shine and music can flow. There is a very unique bond that occurs when you get in a flow state with someone else musically and something organic pours out. I am at a stage in my life where I am feeling called to dig deeper and explore my gifts to the fullest potential, and to me that is bringing people together on an emotional level. Through releasing music publicly I am opening myself up to hopefully feel more relatable to others so they can connect on an emotional level; a so called “emotional networking”. Read more>>