Artistic and creative careers are among the most rewarding, but they also come with unique challenges. We asked some of the city’s best creatives to tell us why they choose to pursue a creative career.

Emani Figaro

I pursued an artistic and creative career because it’s what God called me to do—and for a long time, I didn’t even realize that’s what was happening. Creativity has always been the way I process the world, connect with people, and build a sense of purpose out of chaos. It started as a way to express myself—through writing, through storytelling, through creating—but over time, it became clear that this was more than a passion. It was a purpose. Read More>>

Geoff Ross

I decided to pursue a creative career, because I believe it is what I was always meant to do. I have been artistic for as far back as I can remember, beginning with inspiration from my grandfather, whom I knew as a painter. Read More>>

Shatori Rose

I have always loved photography. When I was younger, I had a little Tinkerbell camera that, at the time, I thought was just a cute toy to play with. I would take pictures of nature, friends, and family. It wasn’t until my late grandmother showed her interest in wanting me to take photos of the family more often than I did. I would take pictures everywhere we went, every holiday, every gathering, and I started to fall in love with it. Read More>>

Dezaray Hood

For me, it was a no-brainer. I’ve always been creative—naturally smart, but my heart was drawn to the arts, especially fashion. There’s something so powerful about using clothing as a language. Fashion lets you express emotion, culture, and identity without ever saying a word. It connects people on a deeper level, in a way that’s hard to describe but easy to feel. Read More>>