part-time dreamer, full-time doer:
for ten years, I've worked on things that people thought were disparate, when they were simply discrete and leading up to what would eventually become MaacahMedia, an extension of the very simple thing I've always been doing: platforming creatives via projects that used frivolity as a smokescreen for deeper impact.
a fashion magazine that, behind the scenes, insisted on diversity in practice: women photographers, art directors. who is behind-the-lens has always mattered as much as who is in front of it.
a salon series that, behind the scenes, addressed my personal irritation with the fact that our culture loves to joke that women belong in in the kitchen--until it's time to get paid or win awards. then, suddenly, it's a man's world.
an arts grant that, behind the scenes, challenged the barriers to access in traditional philanthropy.
I insist on whimsy, and my work challenges cultural conflation of carefree with careless.
the garden grant
"grow something beautiful."
an extension of my personal brand and belief that #whimsyisvital," the Garden Grant was an arts grant for seeding metaphorical gardens (not literal ones!) we welcomed broad definitions of art by varied definitions of artists: art as expressions of joy, as activism, and as civic engagement. the less traditional an idea, the better.
on the backend, we challenged the institution of traditional philanthropy--as people have heard me say over and over: stop making people jump through five hundred hoops for the chance at $500. the more experimental the funder, the better.
belladonna magazine
belladonna, n. may refer to:
1. the Italian word for beautiful woman
2. the deadly night shade.
belladonna magazine, n.
1. a dedication to women who are both beautiful and deadly.
2, the first Black woman-owned print fashion publication in US markets in years.
multicultural. multifaceted.
MaacahEats
I turned an IG hashtag into a dinner party and event series, because I eat my feelings the way I do everything else: with flair. it started with my critiques of my city's food scene, then grew into a space for chefs to play.
once upon a time,
I gave a TEDx talk, informed by the work I was doing with the magazine. the talk was years ago.
the topic is evergreen.
#Renaissance2020
branding and assets by Mekenzi Esensoy.
I needed to ring in the new decade with something more epic than drinks and a DJ so, in one month of independent planning, I threw the party I wanted to go to. I led the production, creative direction, and marketing--down to writing every word of the copy and being a total nerd about paper stock for printing. Kenzi designed the flyers and invitations, and built the 7ft tall moon (a staple of vintage roaring 20s parties.)
we sold out to 200 guests, with a waitlist and national attendees, before any other venue in town.
I knew everyone was going to throw Roaring 20s-themed parties for 2020.
this was the one worth being in town for.