Q1. Tell us about a side project that has meant a lot to you. 

I recently photographed a side project titled “Banded.” After experiencing Mardi Gras for the first time, one thing that stuck out to me in particular was the beautiful sound of the marching bands. Each one equipped with their instruments and uniforms; it was then that I realized there’s something mesmerizing about viewing a line of skilled young musicians. The very first marching band I photographed was the Holmes County Central Jaguars. They were originally from Lexington, Mississippi, a four-hour drive from New Orleans. They wore this fantastic shade of red and marched on the ground with excellence, like it was the last performance of their lives. The showmanship behind each move and sound was astounding. It was shocking to think they were all younger than 18 years old.

The marching band is the heartbeat of the parade, but before they were used to celebrate sporting events, marching bands stemmed from political roots -- in particular, for African Americans throughout the Civil War Era. In today’s world, Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Marching Bands play a major cultural role at college sporting events. Marching bands eventually evolved with the times, adopting jazz, blues, dance, and hip-hop into their performances. 

Q2. Why is it important to have ownership of, and to pursue your own ideas?

The start of 2020 has been something special. It began with me presenting my first campaign with Nike, titled "Until We All Win." The interesting part was that this Nike work referenced a personal project I photographed called “Jump Ball,” created by Josef Adamu and the Sunday School creative agency. The “personal idea” leant itself to the moodboard for the work Nike was looking to create with me.

It was my first out-of-home campaign that was on billboards in both Los Angeles and New York City. When notable moments like this occur, I try to be present and continue to remember what got me here in the first place. In a lot of ways, working on "Banded" is a self-declaration to keep telling stories, no matter how big or small, that each of our stories matter. 
 

Q3. What would you say to individuals trying and struggling to move their own side projects forward? 

When pursuing your own side projects, I think you need to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. There are healthy challenges present from beginning to end when you pursue your side projects. What I try to remember is that just because an idea initially started with you, doesn’t mean you retain 100% ownership of bringing it to life. It takes a good amount of discernment to build your side projects around and with people who you can trust.

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