We are in the Season of Giving! (and Collaboration)
Image by Kristy Tasca Photography
For Get Fokus’d, supporting our community and fellow creators is the way we give back. Our rest and reflection over the summer was to build up the energy and strategy to take on new challenges and new opportunities with new clients, old friends, and our fokus’d youth! We’re all in this together!
Take a look at how we Capture. Teach. And Give Back!
Get Fokus’d Productions Welcomes Zack Moss
Produced by: Get Fokus’d Productions
Filmed & Edited by: Alex Rojé Felix, Get Fokus’d Productions (SFX)
Get Fokus’d Productions welcomes our new “Kreative Content” client, Buffalo Bills player Zack Moss through the Mathews Management Group. With our team of Creative Media Arts Partners we have been developing content that drives his brand. Be sure to support his ZMO Apparel brand by checking out his new website: www.zackmossofficial.com. Join the ZMO email subscription and gain early access and 15% discount!
My Top 10 Favorite Client Captures
Braveheart Movie
We are working alongside fellow multi-media company Expressed Entertainment to produce the educational short film Braveheart by Myra Ofield. The movie will be presented on Saturday, November 27th at the Central Library.
Through our collaboration with CEPA Gallery we are working with students from 2 entities: Buffalo School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management and The Wakanda Alliance Academy!
For the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management students, we are providing 8-10 students with hands-on photography training to learn how to take images that support the culinary arts industry through marketing and editing. Student work will be displayed in their School Grounds Café.
For the Wakanda Alliance Academy students, we took them on a tour of CEPA’s current exhibition that is curated by Stacy Robinson called “The Ascension of Black Stillness.” The goal of the program is for students to capture images that showcase their response to the question - “What is Black Stillness?”
Check out some of our student images below!
Young Audiences WNY Collaboration
As a Master Teaching Artist for Young Audiences WNY ArtWorks paid apprenticeship, we are working alongside fellow artist, Gaitrie Subryan of Devi Bollywood Performing Arts to provide arts and education programming for 5 teen apprentices. Students are gaining hands-on experiences in the field of photography, video productions, workforce development, and Bollywood-style choreography for a showcase in December!
The driving mission within Get Fokus’d Productions is to utilize my talents, skills and platform to support other entrepreneurs and young creatives. Over the last month I was honored to be able to continue to drive this mission! -Aitina Fareed-Cooke
This mission was pushed in the following ways:
Providing Motivation & Encouragement as a keynote speaker:
Women Touching the World Awards dinner to encourage and motivate the many women who were awarded for their amazing work with the community and beyond.
The District Parent Coordinating Council of Buffalo Public Schools Panel to discuss bridging the gap to dismantle racial outcomes within the educational context.
Independent Health’s Student Peer Advocate Program to motivate and encourage a group of teens about decision-making and the importance of staying “Fokus’d.”
Spotlight Moment.
“The highlight of last night’s Women Touching the World Awards Dinner was this young man!
His name is King.
After I delivered my keynote address he came up to me and asked me was I famous 😂 and that he really enjoyed my speech.
Then I found out he has a similar background. His adoptive mother shared that much of what I shared about my background he could connect with. She said he held on to every word.
That touched my heart.
This is why I share my story every chance I get. You never know who is in the room listening.
Stay Fokus’d King!” -Aitina Fareed-Cooke
Providing opportunities and support to the next generation of young creatives:
Students from The Young Audiences ArtWorks program were able to gain a real life experience by shadowing Aitina as she provided photography services for client Morgan Williams-Bryant during her MWB Ignites event “Sis, You Are the Table”. This will be a great addition to their growing résumés!
Provided photography services for our mentee Ryan Dowell who is a Senior with a 97.63 GPA at the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management! We are beyond proud of this young lady! Her focus and determination towards her goals cannot be ignored. You go girl!
Awards & Achievements
Suny Buffalo State Young Alumus Achievement Award
The official ceremony for the SUNY Buffalo State Young Alumnus Achievement Award happened last month. What an honor to be among the many awardee who are doing amazing work within our communities.
The Alumni Association established the Young Alumnus Achievement Awards in 2002 to recognize outstanding alumni who graduated within the last 20 years. Recipients are chosen by the Alumni Affairs Director and the President of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, from a list of nominees recommended by the Young Alumnus Achievement Award Selection Committee.
The 46th Juneteenth Festival, Inc of Buffalo’s 2021 Grand Marshall
Much appreciation to the Juneteenth Festival, Inc. of Buffalo for the honor of being selected as one of the 2021 Grand Marshall’s!
Upcoming
Check out what we’re working on!
A showcase for students of The Young Audiences ArtWorks program will be held at Buffalo State Alumni Center on December 14th. More details to come!
Working with our “Kreative” Media Arts Partners to support larger content creation projects for influencers and businesses. Our partners include Alex Rojé Felix, Luqman Muhammad, Shakief Rivers, and Mekisha Rivers.
Co-Curating with Aaron Ott & Edreys Wajed to curate an all-black exhibition at Albright Knox Art Gallery’s northland location in 2022.
“Fokus’d” docu-series is intended to release at the top of 2022. Official announcements will be released in December.
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