Casually Creative
45 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 3 years ago -Casually Creative is a series of honest conversations with unexpectedly creative people. From poets to police officers, designers to developers, and artists to engineers, we’ll unpack how creativity is often evident in places we overlook. Co-hosts Byron Sanders and J. Damany Daniel talk to the people who embrace their creativity everyday and learn the things that make them “nerd out” along the way.
www.casuallycreative.co
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Episodes
Anthony Robinson: On Pursuing Passion, Growing Something from Nothing, and Bringing the Outside In
April 12, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBFor as long as Anthony Robinson can remember, he's loved being outside. No, like really loved it. While other parents may have had to encourage, cajole, or even threaten their kids into outside hanging compliance, Anthony was always in the creek bed looking for animals, picking plants, and just generally exploring the natural world around him. After a series of jobs that ultimately brought him no joy, he decided to Kondo that $h!+ (our words not his) and pursued a dream to connect more peopl...
Keisha Whaley: On Creating Space and Emptying Conference Rooms, Babies Potty Training Babies, and Changing the Creative Services Industry
February 26, 2021 23:52 - 1 hour - 87.3 MBKeisha Whaley got tired of waiting. A veritable wunderkind in the marketing and advertising world, Keisha looked around the room at pitch meeting after pitch meeting and knew something wasn't right. Sitting in chairs ringing the room were bright, young, eager, and talented creative professionals...who were doing nothing but taking up space. As a young and successful creative executive she realized that her path was an uncommon one...but it didn't have to be. Understanding the inherent value ...
Imani Daniel: On Connecting Dots, Supporting Visions, and Bringing Creative Dreams to Life
February 10, 2021 21:31 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBImani Daniel is one of those rare and amazing creative souls who can live comfortably in many worlds. As a trained dancer and choreographer, she spent much of her young life deeply immersed in the art and culture of performance, while simultaneously falling in love with the expressions available to people through fashion and traditional art forms. Bolstered by her parent's passionate love of the arts, Imani learned to love and live in the creativity she expressed, and celebrate the creativit...
Tynesia Boyea-Robinson: On Closing the Racial Wealth Gap, Institutional Giving as a Change Agent, and Reshaping the way the World Gives
February 02, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 73 MBTynesia Boyea-Robinson is brilliant- full stop. Byron says that she's one of the top 5 smartest people he knows...and that's saying something. An alumnus of both Duke and Harvard, her ability to make intellect approachable and complex concepts understood is a small part of what has enabled her to serve as counselor, adviser, and change maker for global brands and organizations who are focused on doing more good with more of their resources. (Yes, we wrote that sentence correctly.) As the Pr...
MacKenzie Green: On Side Steps, Progress, and Translation as a Creative Super Power
January 25, 2021 16:08 - 1 hour - 91.5 MBMacKenzie Green's story has been many things, but boring is NOT one of them. This Ivy League-educated, would-be Olympian, Miss USA top contender, marketing maven, sports (and Marvel) aficionado, daughter to an icon, and icon in the living's story has been full of side steps and, "eh, why not" moments that have led her on an amazing journey and exposed her to a myriad of realities that have perfectly positioned her to impact the community and the world around her. The daughter of Civil Rights...
Chequan Lewis aka Chequonce: From Haltom to Howard to Harvard to The Hut
January 14, 2021 16:21 - 1 hour - 115 MBChequan Lewis is funny. But he's funny in the low-key kind of way where his humor is infused with extremely poignant bits of wisdom that if you're laughing too hard, you'll completely miss. As the CEO of Pizza Hut (Chief Equity Officer- don't get him in trouble), Chequan stands as the founding leader in this position, responsible for navigating how Pizza Hut will successfully engage in the business and practice of equity so that its customers, its franchisees, and its staff are all able to b...
Sasha Souza: On Excelling at the Details, Designing for the Impact, and Keeping your Chairs Straight- ALWAYS
January 07, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBGoogle "Sasha Souza" and prepare to head down a rabbit hole of some of the nation's most beautiful weddings and events. Sasha stands at the top of her craft and has built a several decades career out of her signature style, impeccable design taste, and attention to extreme detail (ask her about "Sasha Souza Straight" some time). Sasha's story is anything but a straight line, however. Conceived on the corner of Haight & Masonic in San Francisco (no, seriously), and raised in the clubhouses of...
David Rodriguez: on Co-Creating tinsel Dallas, Being a Creative Wrangler, and Collaboration as an Art Form
December 28, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBAbout a month ago, Damany came to David Rodriguez (AKA Dr Gorilla) with an idea- to create a pop-up, drive-through, holiday arts experience that married massive murals, technology, large scale sculptural installations, and live entertainment and presented it in a massively public, but completely safe and "Pandemic Friendly" way. What was born out of that was tinsel Dallas, a brand new immersive arts experience that highlighted and celebrated the unique culture and inherent dopeness of West D...
Amanda Austin: On Being Funny in a Pandemic, Chasing Dreams and Knowing When to Take a Bow
December 21, 2020 22:30 - 1 hour - 87 MBAmanda Austin's story is proof that class clowns do get ahead (yes, you can tell your mom you told her so). As a child, Amanda had the unique combination of both natural born entrepreneur and innate entertainer- starting her first business by the age of 11. Over the years, her love of connecting with people and a study of comedy led her to found the Dallas Comedy House, an iconic improv and comedy club and one of the first in the DFW Metroplex. Over the course of 12 years, DCH would become a...
Michael Thomas: On Entrepreneurship as an Engine for Social *and* Economic Impact
December 03, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 77.3 MBMichael Thomas sees things that other people don't (or won't) see. No, he's not clairvoyant and doesn't speak to unseen forces or anything like that. Michael sees things that other people don't see because he's dedicated his life to seeing the people that other people won't. Michael's work with developmentally disabled adults at My Possibilities is fueled by his passionate belief that HIPsters are deserving of more than charity, they're deserving of life skills, vocational training, and the ...
Dope Black Women - Activists, Executives, Writers, and Lawyers
November 20, 2020 14:18 - 53 minutes - 73 MBThis week, we're taking a look back at some of the dopest Black women we've had the privilege of talking to since we started. These world-changing, boundary-pushing, genre-destroying women have inspired us, challenged our perceptions, and made us believe in, and push towards a better and more beautiful future. Mercedes Fulbright: @Mercedes.Fulbright on Instagram Since we have chatted, Mercedes' plate has been FULL. Black Lives Matters, Covid, and an Election have happened. Mercedes has p...
Veronica Torres: On Resilience, Relationship (and movement) Building, and Growing Up Narcos
November 12, 2020 15:43 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBA dynamic national speaker, community connector, and founder of the Hey Chica! movement, Veronica Torres has consistently been at the forefront of championing for the community of Latinx women who don't have access to the same opportunities that she saw available to so many others. After navigating unimaginable grief at the loss of her newborn son, Veronica's life took an unexpected turn. Confronted with the reality that she wanted to be a part of impacting and changing lives in a greater wa...
Molly Rasmussen: On Creativity as a Muscle, Knowing Your Purpose, and Pursuing It
November 05, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBMolly Rasmussen is a bit of a Unicorn. She's one of those rare people who, since high school, has known exactly what she wanted to do and is, you know...actually doing it. Her passion and skill for bringing people together through their most celebrated moments has been a cornerstone of her entire career and what has propelled her to create experiences for her clients that transcend their understanding of the ordinary- and Molly is anything but ordinary. Dedicated to finding the continual bal...
Renée Diresta: On Online Conspiracies, Anti-Vaxxers, Hunter Biden, the 2020 Election, and Social Media Manipulation
October 29, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBRenée Diresta spends most of her life looking online for conspiracies. Within the half-truths and outright lies online, she and her associates at Stanford Internet Observatory are on a mission to investigate and understand "the spread of malign narratives across social networks." In an increasingly polarizing political climate, where no one is sure what's true and what's fabricated pseudofiction, Renée and her team are on the veritable front lines of an information war that is many decades...
Jessica Burnham: On Civic Engagement, Community (and communication) Building, and Design that Changes Lives
October 22, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 73.4 MBJessica Burnham is and has been many things in her storied career- college professor, executive director, graphic designer, and above all, full-time advocate of the power of design to impact and change communities. After an unexpected series of encounters with and through design, Jessica realized that design thinking can do more than make things pretty, Design can also provide opportunities for connection and communication and bring people together to solve problems that have challenged peop...
Mike Baughman: On Beards, Beer, Leadership in a Pandemic, and Cursing as an Art Form
October 15, 2020 16:19 - 1 hour - 66.4 MBMike Baughman kept getting fired. Let's be more precise- Rev. Mike Baughman kept getting fired from the churches he was leading. He never quite fit in and never felt like he really got how other people "did church." An ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, he saw past the walls of the chapel and saw a community of people who were marginalized, and often overlooked or pushed past by the church. Mike now serves as the Founding Pastor and Executive Director of Union Coffee, a commun...
Byron and Damany: On Origin Stories, Awkwardness, and Putting People Back to Work
October 08, 2020 16:17 - 1 hour - 80.7 MBAfter over 25 episodes (or as we like to say- "a quarter hundo"), Byron and Damany sat down to reflect on Damany's journey from an awkward Brooklyn Black boy to an awkward Dallas Black man (some things don't change) Damany's journey has led him to more fully celebrate his "awkward" approach to creativity, embrace his love of random knowledge, and understand more fully the impact of a diverse set of experiences to develop, shape, and foster opportunities for people to be transformed by the e...
Erica Felicella: On Creating in a Pandemic, Overcoming and Celebrating, and Explaining WTF Performance Art is
October 01, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 93.4 MBErica Felicella has always felt called to the acts of creation and discovery. As a child, you'd find her building life-sized "log" cabins out of the sticks she could gather, or cutting down trees with nothing more than a pocketknife just to see if she could. Her fascination with understanding the "why" of a thing led her down a path of artistic discovery that has enabled her to curate, cultivate, and create experiences for artists the world over, while she continues to explore her own story ...
Brittany Barnett: On Intentionality, Daddy's Wisdom, and Imagination that Creates Prison Reform
September 24, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBBrittany Barnett's effortless wisdom comes from years of sitting at fishing holes and on front porches with her granddad and her father. These early and formative moments communicated to her a way to view the world that left her open to its possibilities, while acutely recognizing its challenges. Motivated early on to pursue excellence and not give up on a possibility simply because you can't see your desired outcome, Brittany has navigated through the halls of this country's most prestigiou...
Jeremy Biggers & Sam Lao: On Creating Together, Trying What's Inspiring , and Being a Super-Villain
September 17, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 74.4 MBSam Lao and Jeremy Biggers are precisely what you think of when you hear the word "creative." Endlessly inquisitive, aggressively competitive (with each other and themselves), and seemingly unwilling or unable to believe that "good enough" is actually enough, their work has been showcased around the world and celebrated during some of the country's biggest cultural moments. This quintessential power couple continues to break completely through boundaries to discover new passions, perfect new...
Michelle Williams: On Equity, Access, Mission Building, and Living your Best Bey Life
September 10, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 78.7 MBMichelle Williams goes beyond defying the odds and has, at every stage of her life, defined them. Her passion for economic and entrepreneurial equity comes from years working alongside business owners, CEOs, and non-profit leaders to push them towards a true understanding of their value, and how they can (and do) impact the world and community around them. As the founding Executive Director of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center at Red Bird Mall, Michelle was responsible for highlighting, celebra...
Chike Aguh: On American Identity, Questioning, and Fostering the Work of the Future
September 03, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 80.2 MBEvery now and then you stumble into a conversation that holds your attention in such a way that you look up and don't realize how much time has passed. That's what happened the entire time we sat down to chat with Chike Aguh. A Harvard Fellow, Wharton Alumni, and Presidential Leadership Scholar, Chike history has seen him navigating the halls of Harvard and the roads of Nigeria. Passionate about fostering opportunities to create and discover the future of work, Chike's career has allowed him...
Jennifer Burns: On Never Saying "No," Creating Companies, and Playing with Fire(works)
August 27, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBJennifer Burns' creative approach to problem-solving, question asking, and collaborating has been a large part of what has elevated her to being one of the top event production professionals in her industry. Her commitment to "never say no" to a client while still guiding them towards the decisions and outcomes that are best for their experiences has given her the unique opportunity to create and celebrate those moments with presidents, celebrities, and heads of state. Jennifer is one of the...
Jerry Hawkins: The One that goes from Chi Town to Dallas by way of Books
August 23, 2020 15:23 - 1 hour - 75.1 MBSitting down with Jerry Hawkins is like getting a master class in, well...everything. Equal parts storytelling historian and unapologetic activist, Jerry deftly weaves in and out of narrative and policy discussions with a skill that speaks to the many hours he's spent understanding, unpacking, and most importantly, reading. An avid bibliophile, Jerry has spent his life digging into the history of the places and spaces in which he finds himself, to unpack the roots of the systemic racism bake...
Kimberly Rhodes: The One with all the Weddings and the Importance of Creating
August 13, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBLuxury wedding planner, design guru, podcaster, instructor, semi-serial entrepreneur, professional dancer (ret), and multiple URL owner (you can catch your breath now) Kimberly Rhodes has been focused on creating beautiful experiences for clients for almost two decades and still finds joy in every one. From her days planning corporate meetings and conferences, grand openings and trade shows Kimberly was surprised to discover that her true passion was helping people celebrate their most speci...
Tanner Hockensmith: The One with all the Millions
August 06, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 105 MBTanner Hockensmith is somewhat of an enigma. This show choir singing, deer hunting, karate-kicking (ok, it's Jiu-Jitsu, but the alliteration was too good to pass up), nonprofit leading husband and father has been a part of the building and transformation of a number of organizations throughout his career. From starting an arts-based cultural center that focused on the strengths of the community instead of trying to correct its weaknesses, to his time leading not one, but two different chapte...
Tanner Hockensmith: The One with the all the Millions
August 06, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 105 MBTanner Hockensmith is somewhat of an enigma. This show choir singing, deer hunting, karate-kicking (ok, it's Jiu-Jitsu, but the alliteration was too good to pass up), nonprofit leading husband and father has been a part of the building and transformation of a number of organizations throughout his career. From starting an arts-based cultural center that focused on the strengths of the community instead of trying to correct its weaknesses, to his time leading not one, but two different chapte...
Ben Hall: The One with the Malört
July 30, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 66.4 MBRaised from an early age to appreciate, interpret, and engage with a variety of musical and creative expressions, Ben Hall spent most of his life educating and inspiring young people to connect with music in their own unique ways. When suddenly faced with the opportunity to shift careers, Ben found himself in seemingly unfamiliar territory but quickly learned that much of what he learned while teaching had perfectly prepared him to impact the lives of those he was now connected with. We sat ...
Mike Arreaga: The One with the Pants
July 24, 2020 14:00 - 48 minutes - 45.2 MBYou've heard of multi-instrumentalists before, right? You know, those musical types who can pick up just about any instrument and play it with the skill of a virtuoso. Well, Mike Arreaga is like a multi-creativist (yes, that's a made-up word you can now use- you're welcome). An accomplished painter, printer, designer, welder, carpenter, furniture architect, and scenic designer, Mike has discovered his own particular brand of inspiration in, well...everything. A true believer that you can be ...
Paul Wizikowski: The One with Space & Dinosaurs
July 16, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 97.9 MBNarrative and story have always been a powerful part of Paul Wizikowski's life. Since discovering in elementary school theatre how people can be transported and connected through impactful moments, he has made it his mission to create, capture, and share those tales. Currently, in his position as Video Production Advisor to the NASA Administrator, Paul has been consistently tasked with telling some of this nation's most hopeful and awe-inspiring stories. Most recently, he led the team respon...
HaeSung Han: The One that's so Poetic
July 09, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 62.6 MBDr. HaeSung Han has dedicated her life to empowering girls and young women to lift themselves out of situations historically destined to destroy them. Refusing to allow the young women she serves to be defined by the worst moments of their lives, she and the team at Poetic have built a community that has empowered and uplifted them to amazing heights. We sat down with Dr. Han to discuss her creative approach to impacting and changing the juvenile justice system so that young women have an op...
Yasaman Hadjibashi: The One with the Galactic Woman of the Year
July 02, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 87.5 MBYasaman Hadjibashi is one of the most powerful global women in technology, and has a bunch of awards to prove it (we think it might be all the awards, but who's counting). A brilliant conversationalist, her innate ability to make complex financial or technological concepts make sense for a variety of audiences is one of the things that sets her apart from so many others in her field and has established her as an international icon in the field of financial technology. Growing up in Tehran at...
Dr. Michael Sorrell: The One with the Football Field Turned Farm
June 25, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 72.5 MBDr. Michael Sorrell has been hailed by Forbes Magazine as one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders, and when you meet him, you instantly understand why. With a commanding yet approachable presence, it seems as if nuggets of wisdom just live in every sentence he speaks. Dr. Sorrell began his tenure as the President of Paul Quinn College, a historically black university in Dallas, 13 years ago when it was in dire straits. Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and with 3 months until they had to ...
Creativity in Corona- Eddy Badrina: The One with ALL the Foliage
June 18, 2020 15:00 - 49 minutes - 67.4 MBEddy is not what you'd expect when you imagine the CEO of an urban farming company. Mild-mannered (yes, you can TOTALLY think of him as Clark Kent), brilliantly insightful, and a veteran of both the advertising and marketing world and global foreign affairs, Eddy's career has been varied to say the least. From his time working in the federal government as a Middle East analyst pre, during, and post 9-11 (yeah, not a lot to focus on there), to becoming a foreign affairs spokesperson in the B...
Contemplatively Creative: On Tallness and Privilege
June 12, 2020 23:33 - 8 minutes - 12.3 MBWhat exactly is "privilege" and what is our responsibility if we have any? In this audio essay, Damany unpacks privilege and how those that have it are duty-bound to change their world and build their communities through their usage of it. Episode Music: TRIPPIN COFFEE by Audionautix | http://audionautix.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/casuallycrtve/message
Contemplatively Creative: A History of Violence
June 04, 2020 18:48 - 7 minutes - 9.97 MBIn the wake of the worldwide cry for justice and the call to see black and brown bodies through the lens of equality, Byron and Damany share their thoughts on where we stand as a nation and how healing and justice must go hand in hand. In this bonus episode, Byron shares his thoughts on how America's history of violence is showing up now, and how that violence can lead to a victory for those victims who have suffered at the hands of those that often sees them as less, while continually pus...
Christina McSwain: The One with the Quintessential Black Girl
May 28, 2020 15:00 - 53 minutes - 72.9 MBChris McSwain's devotion to uncovering and understanding people and their stories has led her to discover a series of intersecting narratives that have informed her creative outlook and approach to the pursuit of life. Her fascination with the ways in which those stories are told has placed her behind the successful communications efforts of some of the most impactful movements and campaigns and made her acutely aware of the power of creativity and the written word to transform communities a...
Creativity in Corona- Justin Henry: The One with the Lunch Ladies
May 28, 2020 07:25 - 42 minutes - 58.8 MBAs the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for one of the largest school districts in the country, Justin Henry already had a daunting task. When faced with the challenges of COVID-19, and the sudden closing of all public schools, he and his team were suddenly tasked with delivering more than education- they needed to deliver for those suffering with food insecurity, and provide online education when getting online for many is nearly impossible. We sat down with him to see how DISD creatively ...
Din Tolbert: The One with Story and Superheroes
May 13, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBDin Tolbert stands at an impressive 6'8" and though towering over any and everyone he comes into contact with, is one of the most soft-spoken and gentle people you'll ever come into contact with. As a lifelong communicator and lover of stories, Din's love first was alighted when he was introduced to the Marvel Universe through comic books. From there, he began to realize the impact that story, both those narratives that are universal and those that are unique to individuals were one of the g...
Jordan Swim: The One With All the Serving
May 07, 2020 15:00 - 45 minutes - 62.2 MBJordan Swim, in addition to having one of the coolest names out there, had one of the coolest jobs. He and his company, Vestals Catering, got to wake up every day and cook great food for some of life's most fantastic celebrations. When COVID-19 began to sweep its way through the country, he saw all that come to a screeching halt. With dozens of employees and fridges full of food, he knew he had to do something. From a desire to continue serving the community he found himself in, Furlough Kit...
Byron & Damany: The One with the Origin Story Pt. 1
April 29, 2020 15:00 - 11 minutes - 15.7 MBByron and Damany sat down to discuss the vision behind Casually Creative and how a chance conversation led to a decision to connect with visionaries and those the world over who embrace creativity in their everyday- whatever that may be. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/casuallycrtve/message
Mercedes Fulbright: The One with Sci-Fi Wokeness
April 29, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 86.1 MBFor Mercedes, community organizing is about more than making changes in government. Community organizing is about creating a better and more verdant world where any and everyone can find their place. From her time in college becoming more prominently aware of social injustice, to her time on the frontlines pushing towards the world she envisions but can not yet see, Mercedes' life has been marked by defining moments. It was a momentary encounter with her grandmother and three words spoken th...
Creativity in Corona Minisode- The One with No Closets
April 24, 2020 15:00 - 38 minutes - 53 MBCreativity is often best discovered within confines and constraints, and we wanted to take a step back and celebrate and cheer on those who, in the midst of a moment that has caused the world to stand still, are still actively moving forward. Those whose decision to pivot their businesses has led to new innovations, entrepreneurial ventures, and socially impacting movements that are making our world better. These bi-weekly minisodes will feature those folks and invite you to think differentl...
The One Where the Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo
April 10, 2020 15:00 - 53 minutes - 73.2 MB*Just a quick note- friends sitting around a table sometimes use more colorful language when they're comfortable with each other. If you're listening to this episode around kids, you may want to throw in some earbuds- we promise it will be just as good.* John LaRue is one of those guys who you meet and instantly want to spend hours talking to. Softspoken with a boisterous laugh and stories to match, John is one of your new best friends. John's story is varied and interesting, to say the le...
John LaRue: The One Where the Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo
April 10, 2020 15:00 - 53 minutes - 73.2 MB*Just a quick note- friends sitting around a table sometimes use more colorful language when they're comfortable with each other. If you're listening to this episode around kids, you may want to throw in some earbuds- we promise it will be just as good.* John LaRue is one of those guys who you meet and instantly want to spend hours talking to. Softspoken with a boisterous laugh and stories to match, John is one of your new best friends. John's story is varied and interesting, to say the le...