Christyna Pourhabib has been a wordsmith nearly all of her life. She finds her rhythm through finding her voice, she finds her voice through playing with words, she plays with words by profound storytelling and shedding light on topics she wants to spotlight through her work. Her experience in writing features in various editorials played a huge role in the beginnings of her career, but it also made room for Christyna to identify what she felt was missing, like her first coffee table book, The First Pair. This was her nod into considering how sneakers become an entry point into the broader subjects of race, gender, class, and identity. Later, she participated in Nike’s Air Max Accelerator program and after, expanded the focus of The First Pair to create The First Pair+ | The Next Pair. The double-sided journal features conversations with legendary women who have been instrumental in shaping sneaker culture, and with some of the fresh faces who are forging new paths and shaping the future of the industry. In this episode, Christyna touches on the somebodies that helped her identify writing as her medium and also trusting your gut in creating the space to make something you haven't seen before.
Archie Davis calls himself a “brand architect”, and rightfully so. He’s the SVP of Marketing at RCA Records, the founder and CEO of his record label and media company, Six Course, and he’s the co-founder of The OPM Company, an independent music and distribution company founded in 2009 with Dom Kennedy. Archie is a brilliant man who lives each day with purpose and intent, while everything he pours himself into exudes the energy of a true pioneer.
D’ana Nunez created a process under the moniker, COVL (Craft, Onward, Versatility, and Lifestyle), as a creative foundation for her storytelling through multimedia outcomes. Her art and design has graced clients such as Nike, MoMA PS1, Google, Samsung, Coachella, and more — but COVL maintains its freedom through prints, home goods, and numerous collaborations. Her personal foundation however, is attributed to her family and particularly her father who taught her the value of hard work and commitment. D’ana is someone who truly listens to her mind, body, and soul to initiate inspiration and change, which is why her story embodies the four pillars of COVL through and through.
Boo Bonic, Bonic, Al-Baseer Holly — you might’ve heard his music through his former rap career by Philly’s Most Wanted or you might’ve seen his artwork in galleries, murals around Los Angeles, and even showing at Art Basel. However you recognize him, you may have never known about the multiple lives he’s lived and all the somebodies he’s encountered to nudge him in the pathway he’s in today. Through his work, he’s expressed everything from childhood nostalgia to making a connection with his life partner and in this episode, we’ll hear how he ties everything together.
Justine Cuenco aka @cococuenco has worked with fashion companies, she once built her own business called Shop Gypsum, she grew influencer relations and challenged creative social content at Revolve, and now she works with Shay Mitchell in executing everything from campaigns to YouTube videos. All the while, Justine has understood the power of storytelling through concept and curation in the digital space, especially with influencer relations. In this episode, Justine shares what it’s been like to find connections to her childhood passions and use her creativity both behind the scenes and as her own somebody of influence.
From Los Angeles, to the UK, and back again, Samira Ibrahim has manifested a life of taking chances on herself and using resourcefulness as a tool for problem solving. Her background in PR and marketing for major fashion focused brands and agencies, and Disney, have allowed her to collect a wide range of connections from celebrities, to entrepreneurs, and key production experts. Because of that, Samira founded Amalia Consulting, where she champions new voices and brands through thoughtful storytelling and collaborations.
To some, Gavin Mathieu is a Fairfax legend, to some he’s known for the best JBC (or just be cool) parties, to many he’s known as YG’s 4Hunnid Creative Director, and now more than ever, he’s known for being the founder and leader of SUPERVSN, a creative platform of physical and ethereal experiences rooted from boundless ideas. In this episode, Gavin reflects on his late father’s unforgettable impact on him, becoming the springboard for his passions and the way he lives his life. He also gets personal about parenthood, mentorship, and how SUPERVSN feels like a cathartic, spiritual practice.
Sarah Kim, founder of By Way Of Us, a print magazine turned educational event series for entrepreneurial women, is somebody who effortlessly finds ways to connect people and conversations that transcend into meaningful relationships. Also having contributed to editorials, social and digital content, and influencer marketing for various brands has allowed her to invigorate important stories and topics. In this episode, Sarah talks about how women have truly inspired her work today and how that wasn’t necessarily the case for her growing up. She highlights her important somebodies and her 5 month old son, Kiko, even makes a cameo during our conversation because he probably knows just how incredible his mom is.
Jesse Boykins III is an incredible singer, songwriter, a multidisciplinary artist, a style genius, a model, and overall, a creative visionary. In this episode, Jesse talks about his Jamaican roots in song and dance, cultivated by his family while also crediting his grade school teacher for the gift of Jazz music. He talks about romantic "episodes", r&b groups, deep friendships, and what it means to be "somebody" to others.