Love for My People (Amor Por Mi Gente), A Story of Impact and Connection

Cultivating a more connected world by inspiring empathy through creative innovation.

Amor Por Mi Gente has been a developing seed inside my heart and mind for a better part of my working career as a self-taught video professional. Throughout my 13 year career and in my adjacent personal lífe, I have been searching for deeper connection and community. At times I was able to grasp those elusive desires in my life on various sets but when the job was done, lífe for me went back to lacking those things again. As lífe naturally does, the ups became downs and downs became ups. After a dark period of my lífe from 2016-2019, my world started to expand again and my desire to grow as well. In 2020, during the strangest period of our collective lives I began to reflect on a brighter outcome for my future and decided that some past goals needed to be addressed and overcome. One of those goals, the most life-changing one yet, becoming fluent in Spanish would lead me on a journey over the next 4 years that would cause that seed in my mind and in my heart to begin to finally sprout.

Who would have guessed that thousands of miles away in a country, who's name had once piqued my interest, would become the answer to my prayers. In July of 2021, I embarked on the riskiest leap of faith I had taken in my life since the literal leap I had taken in Wisconsin at 30,000 feet in the air. With $5,000 to my name and my first official year as a full-time freelance video professional behind me, I purchased a 3-month round trip ticket to Medellín, Colombia to study the Spanish language and achieve my goal of becoming fluent in Spanish.

Never in my life as a sheltered, black child of a split family did I ever think that I would find myself so far outside of my hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. And never would I have thought that in this place I would experience the true meaning of love, community, connection snd empathy. It is based on these values, that this incredible city and country has given me time and time again, that Amor Por Mi Gente builds its roots.

Learning to communicate in a second language has opened my mind, my heart and my world to so many new experiences, friendships, possibilities and perspectives. My beliefs have changed from closed off, individualisms to familial acceptance of all. My faith has been tested and strengthened because of my willingness to grow. My level of humility and empathy have been molded into my being.

Amor Por Mi Gente is the bouquet of love I've formulated from my life's experiences and my love for differences. It is my intention to pour out my love, my curiosities, my empathy, my respect for marginalized communities here on this platform, in its projects, in its community and in its collective experiences.

It is my mission to spread love to heal, to empower, to amplify and acknowledge, and to honor the best of humanity. As a sheltered, black child, I have and will forever hold a special place in my heart for the beautiful human beings of the Latín community. Ustedes representan lo mejor de la humanidad y merecen todo lo bueno que ofrece la vida. Que Dios les bendiga siempre. Acá en Amor Por Mi Gente, siempre tienes un amigo y un espacio lleno de amor.