Congratulations, you’ve been accepted into the inaugural class of Therapy for Black Girls University. Whether packing for a new year on campus, thinking through your gap year, enrolling in a community college, or grabbing your stoles for graduation, TBG U is here to help you thrive at this stage of your life and beyond.
Your professors and older mentors have probably nagged you at least once about creating a LinkedIn profile, and while it may be easy to roll your eyes at this request, when utilized correctly, professional platforms like LinkedIn can be your gateway into securing your next internship or job opportunity.
Joining me today to discuss how she’s leveraged online platforms for career success is photographer and full-time student Denise Stephanie Hewitt. Since her debut magazine cover for Marie Claire at 17, Denise’s work has graced Vogue, Hypebae, V Magazine and more. Denise was dubbed “The NYU Student Ditching Class to Shoot the Met Gala” by Cultured Magazine.
In our discussion today, Denise and I explore what things should and should NOT be on your LinkedIn, how to strike a balance between personal identity and professionalism, and advice for impressing your employers in an internship.
Where to Find Denise
AFFIRMATIONS
My dream internship is within my reach.
I have the ability to secure the job I want without sacrificing all of the things that make me, me.
I don’t have to choose between my career commitments and my academic commitments. I have the ability to balance both while still making time for self-care.
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Our Production Team
Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Maya Cole Howard
Producers: Fredia Lucas & Ellice Ellis
Production Intern: Zariah Taylor
TBG University Host & Coordinator: Jayna Ellis
Congratulations, you've been accepted into the inaugural class of Therapy for Black Gross University. Whether packing for a new year on campus, thinking through your gap year and rolling in a community college, or grabbing your skills for graduation, TPGU is here to help you thrive at this stage of your life and beyond.
Hi. I'm Soria Taylor and I'm the TBG podcast production intern. We'll return to Jana right after the break.
Your professors and older mentors have probably nagged you at least once about creating a LinkedIn profile. And while it may be easy to roll your eyes at this request, when utilized correctly, professional platforms like LinkedIn can be your gateway into securing your next internship, job opportunity. Joining me today to discuss how she's leveraged online platforms for career success is a photographer and full time student, Denise Stephanie Hewitt. Since her debut magazine cover for Marie Claire at seventeen, Denise's work has grace, folk, hype, the magazine, and more. Denise was dubbed the NYU student digging class to shoot the met Gala by Cultured magazine. In our discussion today, Denise and I explained what things should and should not be on your LinkedIn, how to strike a balance between personal identity and professionalism, and advice for impressing your employers in an internship.
Here's our conversation.
Thank you for talking with me today. I'm really excited about our conversation. I personally need this advice that you're about to give and all these gyms you're about to tell us, And I know that our community is going.
To be really excited to hear this as well.
So to start off, since you were a teen, you lived at Hannah, Montana double life as a photographer and a full time student. Looking back, what do you think gave you the confidence to know you could succeed at both.
I just had a hunger for it. For me, it was never a question of could it work, but how can I make it work. I'd see these big opportunities for myself and just think, am I really going to pass this up just because of the schedule change or just because I have some homework assignments that I need to do. So I just always just had that confidence and that hunger for it. For example, when I was looking at my first photography gig, I thought, Okay, if I take this job, it's from four to six, and then I just need to leave my our class fifteen minutes early just to get.
Their own time.
I can do my homework as soon as I get home right after the commute, and then I just make it happen. So I just knew that there are things that are flexible within my schedule that I can just rearrange. Play tetrist with a bit, just to make things happen and go after things because there are such opportunities that really can push forward your entire career, which is where I'm at right now.
So I had to do it. And also I have no choice.
I'm a perfectionist too, so you know, whatever homework needed to get done was going to get done somehow. And it's also too because I was on scholarship, so I knew that to stay.
In good academic standing, I needed that. And also just me with my.
High standards again perfectionism, I was not letting myself see a logpa, So I was gonna.
Make it work no matter what.
My parents, I say, definitely had a hand in just encouraging me to be hungry and wanting to try everything like they had me doing gymnastics, tennis, soccer, like all the sports.
You know.
I just tried everything when I was younger, So that hungered and desire to just see where things go has always been a part of my upbringing. So yeah, I didn't know that I was getting into what would be an entire photography career when I started, but I just knew that it was something I was interested in. And I guess my overall thing is that I only know how to put my all into things.
It's all or nothing.
For me right now.
I completely relate to the perfectionism, all or nothing mindset and just the grind mentality, and that takes a lot of balance and a lot of honesty with yourself of what you can handle. So I definitely relate to that. Are there any photographers or media girlies that you look up to?
Okay, and I had Gold not a photographer, but she's a PR girly. I love her. Her story itself.
Is amazing because she started off on Broadway and then did this transition into PR and it's working with all of the dope black creative brands that I personally love. So she taught TIER love her photographer. I'd say Sophia Wilson. She's also was in my department at a point as well at MYU Adrian Raquel. Her colors are amazing in her photos and also just friends around me. They keep me grounded and excite me to continue working in the industry because I know that when we get older, we are going to be the ones that we all work with, So it's just going to be like working with friends and people you came up with.
So right, and how did growing up in New York City shape what you thought was possible for your career.
I was younger, I.
Don't think I truly understood how big the city was, But as I grew in high school, I think I came to understand the mentality. There's this innate, go get her mentality where every move is powerful and also purposeful and intentional. So I think there's a self awareness about that that teaches you to be very, very decisive and just like go So between my parents and also the city, I think I definitely.
Rubbed off on me in terms of how I carry myself.
And I think it was really when I started to go to the gallery openings at my job, and that's where I really got to see how big the industry is, and also the different sectors and what people do. And then's just seeing around me the creatives that would put on shows and seeing other black women photographers and just all the creatives convening in one space. I understood just how much of the industry is rooted here and how expansive also the city is in terms of cross disciplines. So I didn't get it at first when I was coming up, but once I got into the space, that's when you see things really and the kind of world's colliding and combining.
Yeah, do you think you have to live in New York City or another major city to have a creative career.
No, it makes it easier though.
One thing that I love about the city is that it feels like here you bump into people so much more often, and so things are convenient to get to, events end up in similar places, and just there's the balance that you can have where you can go to the cafe here, take a meeting, and then you can go to locksdown in the galleries right there. So I think it definitely has plus sides to it, but it's not necessarily needed. A lot of creatives have come from areas that may not have such expansive art scenes but have come to be some of our favorite artists.
So I think there's definitely.
The ease of it being in New York, but I don't think it's necessary. There's always a creative need, whether that's photos or videos for other people that want to capture memories or capture events. So it just depends on what you're looking for and what your niches.
I'd say, yeah, it reminds me of this concept that like the major cities like New York City, Chicago are similar to a college campus. Everything is walkable. You have your cafe, you have your library, you have everything you need in walkable distance, and that increases people's likelihood to connect and to learn more people and to experience more things. So it definitely reminds me of this new topic that's popping up around comparing colleges to these major cities. When choosing the college you wanted to attend, how important was selecting a school that nurtured slash, would allow you to pursue your creative passions and connect with the city.
Freely, absolutely top of mind.
I pretty much only applied to big city schools, and that was for a few reasons. One, because I knew that I wanted to still pursue photography or being in a creative field to some degree. So whether that was going to be my minor or continue to do freelance and seeing what was out there, I needed it to be in another big city like that, or I really just honestly, let me be so real, I wanted to stay in New York because my network is here and I really wanted to continue to build that, especially because I was starting in high school. I had only been doing it for three years, and I was starting to see growth that I wanted to make sure that I followed up on.
So a lot of the schools I applied to were just in New York.
Secondly, I'm just a city girl, like I can't. I can't do suburbs, even though where I'm at it's close to where you can get like that busy avenue, but still you can have that kind of quieter area of the city.
I need that convenience. My Bodega's not down.
The road, like that's a problem, that's an issue, and so yeah, I just had that top of mine.
Honestly, with locations, I only applied to New York schools in LA.
So yeah, that was really critical part of it because no matter if my major was going to be photography, which and YU.
Was the only place I applied to a.
Tonal major, or it was going to be like business or marketing or communications, I needed it to be in an area that would nurture that and also nurtured my need to walk everywhere record speed.
So yeah, gotcha. I'm curious.
Tell me about a time when you had a photography gig interfer take precedent over school. How did you approach balancing the demands of college with your career pursuits.
So many times, so so many times. Last semester especially, I was working on a global campaign. I still can't say what it is, so look out for that, but it was a global campaign. I dreamed of working with this brand. When I tell you, you can find it in interviews like I've been talking about it for a minute. And when I tell you I worked on that project every single day. It was giving full time job, honestly, tight turnaround meetings almost every day, casting location scale like the whole nine yard.
I'll say probably like.
A quarter of the meetings were taking place while I was supposed to be doing something else or while I was doing something else. I literally have a video of me. I'm an arian campus. I literally have a video of me doing a pitch update meeting while I was logging packages for my residents and like logging them away. It was it was crazy, it was demanding. But I'm so excited for us to come out.
And I know it's going to be good. I've seen the.
Final photos and we're like talking about inslation and all that, so it's going to be great.
But it's a daily struggle.
So whether that was like freshman year, me having to be on class on zoom, it was so much easier than and then doing photo shoot or telling my professor, Hey, like I'm going to be missing class because I have to shoot the mecala really quick. Sorry about that. I'll do my assignment later. I'll get it to that, I promise. Like It's That's been my entire career, and so it's bittersweet that I'm coming to the end of my college career. This sir that double life is not easy, but it can be done.
That's so real.
That is also real when I think of balancing a thriving career in school. I also think about the need for rest and unplugging. So what does that look like for you?
It's something I'm still learning what I actually appreciate.
I think for me, it typically starts with the topicals imask.
I won't even lie.
It's the smallest thing, but it works like it just does wonders. I don't know, but yeah, so topicos I'm ask even if I don't have the full time to do it, like or really take the time to not do anything, throw one of those on. I don't know, like healing powers. But I think what else too is I have been heavy into music forever. It's a critical part of my upbringing for sure too, So I think a lot of my time is also spent just building playlists out and organizing it by transition in and like by vibe and curating the entire thing that is my happy place. I could do that for hours. I often do it for hours and lease track of time. And then also reading. I'm getting back into reading. I did this past year over the summer. I started off with this book Homebodies at timing to in curse and she she can write her ass off. I don't know if it's supposed to not swear she's so good at what she does, and that was a really good introduction back into reading. I think the power of reading for me is that I can slow my mind and train myself to slow my mind, especially because I'm running around doing all the things all at once. Being able to take my time and like read words on a page and also like have something tactile that I'm like interacting with as they go along. I think it's almost a meditative process for me. So yeah, I've enjoyed reading for sure.
I relate to all three mine. I'm a topical, I'm ass girl, but I'm also a trader. Joe's Lemon Grass Body Oil Girl put it.
On in the mornings.
It's an amazing set and it just wakes me up and it gets me going. But I definitely relate to making playlists for hours on end and also picking reading back up. I think in college is so hard to like read for yourself, and so a mission of mine last year is similar to you, like in the summertime, it's too slow my mind down, pick up a book and read some words that aren't on your phone or on TikTok or on Instagram.
So I definitely relate to all of that.
I'm also going to expose myself, no shame. I'm a cartoon girl. So it just feeds my inner child. I'm sorry, I'm exposed myself, but I love the brad To animated TV shows period, the TV episodes of Brats.
I'm sorry. That is like it's iconic, and that just it feeds my.
Inner child, It really does, and it warms my younger self that watch those four girls navigate friendship, building a cool mad magazine, travel the world.
That was my dream and funny enough. So what am I doing now?
I'm a media girl doing similar things and finding my friends in that space. So yeah, no, the Brats girls like, yeah.
They were girls.
Yeah, they were those girls period.
Hi. I'm sorry, Taylor, and I'm the TBG podcast production intern. We'll return to Jana right after the break.
So let's get into the moment that we've been waiting for. Let's talk about LinkedIn. So can you give us a rundown of the platform, Like we're five year olds? What is LinkedIn?
I like to think of LinkedIn as your receipt when you get to that door, you show them. Listen, these are all the things that I've done, and I deserve to be here or to leave the door. Butnkedin is so easy, I think, especially in the amount of features on the platform, to just keep that record up to date. It's so important to remember to check off and also update that because this is like your record of everything you've done, and it's also public too. I honestly use LinkedIn like it's a social media like are you with somebody else?
But it ritruly is. So it's such a useful tool.
Thank you for that breakdown, and I would love to hear thoughts on how LinkedIn help you get to where you are now before.
I even get to the positions that I landed. LinkedIn just simply as a research tool is so critical, I feel like, especially going into creative fields where the industry is so mystifying and it's just it's a mystery about the different jobs and roles and how you can even be involved. LinkedIn showed me what those roles look like, not all of them, but it definitely showed me so many different sectors and parts to these large brands that I love so much. Because they would post their jobs on there, it would show me the descriptions, it'd show me how much they're being paid to do these things hybrid remote and also the amount of people within the teams as well, so you can see what aspect of the creative process you want to be a part of and then how far it can take you in each particular place.
So I think remembering that LinkedIn.
Can be your Google for jobs is perfect and I think in all ways, whether that's for pay or what jobs even exist before you start.
Applying, I think that's super important.
But beyond that, in terms of actually landing things, it again is a record of everything you've done.
So once you start on LinkedIn.
You put all of your previous internships, jobs, where you've been at, what colleges you've been to. You continue to update that as you go along, and so you just keep add and adding. You end up having a long list of things to showcase. And so when you have that, you have easy apply as well on LinkedIn, where some jobs you don't even have to do the job board separate website situation. You can apply with your profile. I think that's another thing to keep in mind. Alongside your resume, which is.
A PDF that you might have or your portfolio.
Your LinkedIn is not just that record but also you can put really short updates on there.
It's truly social media.
You can make posts and talk about the different things that you've done, or you just wrote this piece. Maybe that piece doesn't exist on a resume because it's not from a formal job and you did like a freelance opportunity, But because it's on your profile, that's already a.
Part of your application and your materials.
People get to see the in between of those jobs and the in between of what you've been doing in the meantime. So remembering that similar to Instagram, which I personally use for portfolio, where LinkedIn is just another version of that, but more formal for like a corporate side, I think.
Okay, so in today's world we have TikTok influencers and Instagram batties, but what would someone who wants to grow on LinkedIn post.
What's funny is that I'm seeing for sure they're actually like LinkedIn influencers, and as they should. I think I've seen creators use their platforms to post other job opportunities that they find, which can be really helpful.
But I think you have to define what you mean by growth first.
Does growth mean for you that you want to be an influencer creator within the space of the job market, helping people land things, or are you looking for growth in terms of the connections that you have and who you are connected with on LinkedIn, or you want to be seen by recruiters or people who are looking for people in your space. So I think, first define what growth means to you. For me personally, that's just about my reach and also the people seeing my profile. So for me, in terms of what I would post, would be the articles that I get to do, the coverage that I get to do for Vogue or for Hype, et cetera. Those are the things that I would do to showcase what I'm doing in the meantime. So it's not just a static profile that shows Okay, you've done all these jobs, but people like to see examples. So I think posts are really where you can show that I've done updates, when I got awards, or when I've done things school in school that I haven't been able to show. In another way, I think it's about leveraging the different features that LinkedIn has to do that, and I think posts are a good way too.
Got it.
So next up, I'm curious how have you seen people our age use LinkedIn in a creative way?
You know, plug on to my classmate's angel, I've seen her recently start to post her own like hot takes on things or just like ways that people should be working within this space. And I've seen this across the board in terms of people older than us as well, or more so, like within their late twenties or thirties. I personally love seeing like the social media marketers posting their memes on there because they're so relatable, like things talking about how social media is not just a one person job, or like things that pr girls say and things like that, like their relatable content that is also still on topic with what people are dealing with on a day to day, whether you're employed or you've done the job already. So I think those have been fun ways that I've seen people post. But I think in terms of using your own profile, I still love to see people take their profile more in the creative artsy way.
So there's like ways that you can take.
Your headshots or like the banner on your profile, stuff like that that kind of showcases a little more personality, but of course you want it to still be professional in a way, So it's like a nice mixed.
There, right, And I've seen a lot of people our age take vulnerability in a creative way and so being very blunt and honest on LinkedIn on social posts talking about their wages and equal pay and just being honest and open.
About the workforce at large.
And so that's been really interesting to see pop up on LinkedIn because it's so quote unquote professional. What key pieces of information should someone be featuring on their LinkedIn and other platforms to ensure that they're selling themselves and their skills in the best way.
Yes, you can post the jobs that you've done, but what have you actually done while you're there?
I think one thing that I've continued to learn to do is to update my job descriptions as i've gone along where I can showcase the highlights. So I worked at Tiadeola for a time and one thing that I made sure to put on there is that one of my reels hit fifty K. Like those things are like key moments and key highlights that you want to use to show off your skills and what you've been able to achieve during your time there. So talk about the projects, name the brands, that you were able to collaborate with All those things are really great ways to demonstrate that yes, you have the fancy name and what's a big company, but what did you actually achieve while you're there? I think is really important. And then one thing also that you can do is leave a kudos on people's pages too, which I think is a face. Sure people don't use too often, but I feel like that'd be a good way to back your friends or people that you've worked with and give them the I guess external validation that they may need for like a recruiter or somebody else to reinforce the.
Skills that you have. But I think that those are a few ways to do that.
Interesting what red flags or things one should avoiding on their LinkedIn.
Oh my goodness, things not to have? Oh my gosh. Okay, this is me being picky.
But also I'm a photographer and a perfectionist, so I'm just say your headshots, leads, don't let them be selfies LEAs, let them not be a batty picture. We know you look good, that's great, but LinkedIn is not the place for that. Make sure you can seek out someone to get your headshots done. Maybe me, but you know, make sure that you have a really nice, clean headshot for that. I think that's one of the first initial things. And then I just like to see a profile that's really thought out and flushed out. It's easy to put the jobs, it's easy to put the titles, et cetera. But without clear descriptions that are also really short and concise, sometimes it feels like overload or that you're trying to fluff it up without it necessarily being informational. I think again that goes down to refining your resume as you along, which is a skill. Honestly, it's very hard to do, but I think one that's really clear and to the point, especially considering the fact that for a lot of job applications they only take one page resumes, which can be super hard. So really think about and be intentional with what is going on there.
In addition to LinkedIn, what other platforms have been helpful to you for networking?
Instagram? I'm sorry is that girl?
Like I have been able to use that as a way to connect with other creatives that I really am inspired by and follow up their work and just continue to be surrounded digitally with people that inspire me. People that I want to get to know more people in the space that I'm really interested in, and through just continuing to consume their own works and get to know them digitally, i'd be able to see them at events and be like, Oh, I know you you do this, and I'm really inspired by your latest post about this or your latest pit photo project about this, and so there are ways that you can follow through with that in real life and really get to connect with these people. So I think following intentionally is really really critical.
And then also one thing that I was glad I.
Found out about is that if you go to the production companies who have been working on projects or production companies that work within the field, they will post the products that they worked on, as well as every single person that has been on the project. And this kind of space to a larger issue about credit and creators and make sure that you're tagging people in posts so that people can promote themselves and get more opportunities off of that. But seek out the people who actually worked on the projects, whether that's through photographers, directors, production companies, or even the credits on an article. That's really where you can find who you really need to know about It's not always about who's in the campaign, who made that campaign happen. So I think Instagram, the tags, credits, captions are really the place to be to really come to understand how big the industry is and also who you should really know about.
Right, So basically pay more attention to the captions.
Okay, okay.
Many of us are thinking about what it means to be professional in twenty twenty four, and we're seeing more and more members of gen Z pushing back against the notions of professionalism, like having to look a certain way, talk a certain way to score a job. How do you strike a balance between professionalism while also keeping your identity intact.
Because of in a creative field there's a little bit more flexibility. So I am going to have a different perspective on it.
But I think that firstly you need to define what professionalism means or looks like, and to me, professionalism is more about character and how you carry yourself and how you handle situations on the job or related to the job or so than personality per se, which can vary by person.
And want to make sure again that you are remembering that.
People are people and we have different ways of being and being cognizant of that. So I think professionalism to me in the workplace is more so about proactivity. It's about communication and being able to keep that up, deadlines, meeting those deadlines and being cognizant of those, being able to be a good team player, all these different things that can show up on how you actually achieve on the job. Whereas your personality, what you're into, where you are raised, how that.
Informs your identity is so separate from that.
So I think you can't really necessarily change, at least for me, I can't fake things. But I still know that there's time and a place for everything too. So it's also like a balance of what you talk about on the job versus not I think is really where you start to see that difference or where you need to have that separation of identity per se, but especially being in a creative field. I come into work wearing the p and Moss shoes and the Hanifa skirt and whatever, because these are brands that I love or people that I want to pour back into in terms of the stuff that I wear. But of course, again there's logistics around how people show up and dress in the workplace, but I think again, it's a time and place thing rather.
Than having to change your identity.
I think I also appreciate our generation for kind of noticing these differences and wanting to make the separation so that people can still live their best lives and really just showcase their personality in that way. But I think it can also just be something that is a plus rather than a minus.
I think what.
I've done in job interviews is that when I speak to HR, you're very professional, you.
Choose very carefully what you speak about, etc.
But then sometimes you get to talk to the creative director or one of the photographers on the team, and then you can actually have a sidebar about somebody else that you love and create a field or I also talk to one of my bosses at an internship right now about topicals in NEVA, and you just spoke about that for half the interview. So there's ways that you can still have your personality live within the workplace. But it's just about knowing time and place for certain topics over others.
I love it.
Hi, I'm sorry, Taylor, and I'm the TBG podcast production intern. We'll return to Jana right after the break.
You've worked with some amazing companies like hype Beests and Greenpoint Pictures. Tell us about a favorite project you've worked on that's also foundational to you as a creative goodness.
This is like six years of stuff I go through. Man, I'll say I'm gonna throw it back. I'm throwing it back to twenty eighteen.
I worked with Barney's New York on a look book slash campaign where.
I basically got to take their clothes.
And do an ode to my great grandmother's immigrant story and just her entire life story. And I just got to choose everything from who was doing here and makeup and who was helping me with lighting and all of that stuff. I got to have a hands on experience in production before I even knew what the word production meant, and just getting to choose and have full.
Creative freedom with that project. That's like one of my favorite.
Projects from Reference because it was intimate, it was personal. It was also heavily with an editorial space.
Obviously had to.
Do with fashion, as that was what we were shooting, but I also got to include, like my aunt was in it too, so it was a personal but still fashion at ail story, which I think is the perfect example of where my work lives. It's this lend and mix of everything. So I think that project is always going to have a special place in my heart and I think that's the one.
Okay period, I love it. What are your top three tips for impressing in an internship? How do you make a lasting impact on your employer?
Proactivity? That's my biggest thing, and that shows up in a bunch of different.
Ways, whether that is you following up on something that you had questions about, or following up on something that you were interested in. You weren't given that task, but you want to be a part of it. There's that kind of showing that you're there and showing that you're present, that you're listening is something that I think encompasses that proactivity, which shows people that you are serious about the job but that you also see the potential in some other things as well, which kind of showcases how hungry you are are. So I think proactivity for sure. Communication too. I know it's very very, very simple, but it's also like the solution to almost everything. I think communicating early and ahead of time and also again being proactive with your communication.
Is something that shows off professionalism.
In a way because you're anticipating issues, You're anticipating and letting people know in advance. And it's also about keeping and holding other people in regard to You're not sure how your own actions or.
What you do or don't do or going to affect.
The other people who are also working alongside you, so giving them that heads up ahead of time, or letting them know about conflicts, or letting them know that, hey, I am going to be on time with that thing you ask me to do. It just shows that you are being again proactive and you're thinking of other people in that way to make sure that you guys all are working together as a team that can meet whatever it is that you're trying to hit.
Third thing, oh Man, getting to know people, but not just up also across easter race at it invest.
I feel like we've been quoting her on this for a few years now, but I think getting to know that other people in your department or people in other departments has been something that is not just useful in terms of showing the employer that you are invested in a place, understand not only what your role is better, but also other roles you might be interested in. I think again, we talked about LinkedIn being a great research tool, but I think talking to other departments is seeing what that work looks like has really been helpful for me and understanding what other ways can I be creative that's.
Still showcase and align with things that I want to do.
So there are like different ways that you can do that, but I think proactivity is the number one for sure.
I was going to fully agree with productivity. That's something that my profes or told me freshman year college and I was like, yeah, like okay, whatever, like I'll be productive, But it really didn't hit me until I was in my senior year that I really understood what that looks like and actually how to live a productive life. So I really I fully agree that productivity is number one for sure. I'm curious what is your biggest piece of advice for aspiring Black creatives?
Create for yourself and create with others.
I think a lot of people come up to me asking how can I work with this brand or how can I get this person to notice me? And honestly, so much of what you do in your own free time and just for yourself and the things that you create with your friends and building your portfolio on your own is what.
People come to you for, So don't necessarily rush having to have worked with everybody before you think that you you can call yourself a creative or invest in creating multiple times over. I think that's one thing.
It's very very simple, just to make work, but I think it's really critical because again I came into this industry. One didn't why I was coming into this industry, honestly, without connections, without knowing what like a PR team is, not knowing what producers are, like any of that. But I was creating in my free time and through the programs that I was in, so I was.
Getting to just make art. And then because I made.
Art, and I made art that I was passionate about and that no one was necessarily asking me to do, people.
Saw my eye and saw my eye.
In practice through these projects, and that's how people start to notice.
And also, I think I've also said this is my big advice and now remembering, is.
To keep posting your work and keep doing the work because you don't know who's wanted. Truly, I've had opportunities come in my inbox, which most of my opportunities to this point have just been people emailing me and it almost makes me sense like how did you find me?
Why? Me?
But it's again because if you promote yourself well enough on Instagram on LinkedIn especially, you never know who is actually following up with your journey and might not show up in your follower account. I might not show up and who requests you to be connections. But I'm telling you to keep doing it and keep showcasing it.
Right.
I love that.
It's a lovely jim that you just dropped. Now for a moment of reflection. What professional opportunities are you speaking into existence for yourself in twenty twenty four.
I'm gonna find good job in brand partnerships. I'm going to find a space for myself within marketing and production.
I'm going to have my work on a billboard somewhere. I'm going to work on another campaign. I'm bringing all these things into this year, and I'm gonna do another speaking engagement somewhere.
It's gonna happen. Bring that in for this year.
Okay, period, I love all of these things and I'm infesting it for you as well. We all are so period. Where can we keep up with you? What are your social media handles on Instagram.
I'm at the Denise Stephanie LinkedIn Denise Stephanie Hewett find me on there and we've been trying to do a little TikTok We'll see, but she's at the Denise Stephanie as well. We'll see if I really keep up with it. But it's there.
Okay, Well we're going to check the TikTok out. Thank you so much Denise for talking with me today. I really appreciate all the gyms that you had for us. They were amazing. And yeah, thank you for talking with me.
Thank you.
I want to thank niece once again for joining us for this episode. Class is over for now, but before we dismiss, take the following affirmations from my conversation home with you. My dream internship is within my reach. I have the ability to secure the job I want without sacrificing all the things that make me me. I don't have to choose between my career commitments and my academic commitments. I have the ability to balance both while still making time for self care. To learn more about the work Denise is doing, or to do more research on this topic, be sure to visit Theirppblackgirls dot com slash tvgu This episode was produced by Frida Lucas, Elise Ellis, and Zaria Taylor. Editing is by Dennison L.
Bradford