We’re Home for the Holidays.
Image by Get Fokus’d Productions
As a Buffalo-based creative agency, our greatest investments are always made in our community. With the holiday season in full effect, we’re rounding out the year by finishing up exciting collaborations with local creatives and leveling up on continued partnerships. For Get Fokus’d, giving back is a habit we practice year-round. Happy Holidays!
Take a look at how we Capture. Teach. And Give Back!
A Special Thank you to Mathews Management Group and NFL player Shaq Lawson of the New York Jets for giving us the opportunity to develop “Kreative Content” - We produced and filmed a short recap of Lawson’s donation to 50 students for the holidays. The students all bought gifts for an impactful person in their life.
Produced by: Get Fokus’d Productions
Filmed & Edited by: Alex Rojé Felix
Written by: A.I. The Anomaly/Aitina Fareed-Cooke
My Top 10 Favorite Client Captures
Our collaboration with CEPA Gallery teaching students from the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management and The Wakanda Alliance Academy was a success!
At the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts, a handful of students completed our 9-week program. They learned hands-on photography, and how images support the Culinary Arts industry through marketing and editing. These students will have their work displayed in their School Grounds Restaurant!
At the Wakanda Alliance Academy, a selected group of students completed our 8-week program and visited CEPA’s current exhibition curated by Stacy Robinson called “The Ascension of Black Stillness.” During the program, these students visited local businesses and had hands-on photography training, ultimately capturing images that showcased their response to the question - “What is Black Stillness?” Their answer: “Black Stillness is just being human.”
We wrapped up our Young Audiences ArtWorks paid apprenticeship with a successful showcase! Over 40 attendees joined us at SUNY Buffalo State Alumni Center to showcase our students’ photography, videos, and choreography. A special thank you to Buffalo State College!
Under the guidance of Get Fokus’d Productions, Young Audience student apprentices produced a short video to support Upward Design for Life’s efforts to support communities and furnish homes in need! Check out their work below:
Check out some of our student images below!
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/motivational SPEAKER:
We provided a collaborative poetry workshop for Cornell University's Fall 2021 General Advocacy Training Speaker Series - this is their fourth and final workshop in the Advocacy Project!
Supporting organizations/companies in their efforts to give back to the community:
Get Fokus’d CEO, Aitina Fareed-Cooke is a longtime member of Christ Crusaders Assembly. Their collective goal is to give back to the church’s surrounding community. This month, Get Fokus’d supported in distributing over 50 Christmas stockings stuffed with toys along with gloves, hats, and more to Stanley Malkowski’s Saturday Academy’s attendees.
Spotlight Moment.
“I celebrated my mother, Lateyfah Fareed’s 89th birthday back in November. May you all be encouraged to celebrate the ones you love and give them their flowers while they can still smell them!”
-Aitina Fareed-Cooke
Awards & Achievements
New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA)
A Special Thank you to New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA)! Aitina is a Round Three 10K Grant winner! Learn more about NYSCA and their effort to support arts and culture organizations in NYS!
CLICK HERE to learn more!
More information to come on what will be produced thanks to this investment.
Upcoming
Check out what we’re working on!
We are finalizing our co-curation with Aaron Ott & Edreys Wajed at the Albright Knox! Titled ”In These Truths,” this all-black exhibition highlighting the complexity of Black America will open at the Northland location in February 2022 - CLICK HERE to learn more!
We are partnering with Christ Crusaders Assembly to offer students a hands-on photography program next month, January 2022 - CLICK HERE to register!
“Fokus’d” docu-series is will be released in 2022. Official announcements will be released at the top of the year!
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our Youtube Channel to stay connected!
Opportunities
Check out the following opportunities that we came across:
FOR TEENS:
Albright Knox - 2022 Museum Ambassadors Program: In this program, high school juniors and seniors will focus on learning about museum education while creating their own activities, lessons, and programs for all ages. Each participant will receive a $500 stipend on completion of the program!
FOR TEENS:
Young Audiences ArtWorks Youth Apprenticeship:
Get Paid to Create!
For either 6 weeks Young Audiences ArtWorks Youth Apprenticeship:during the summer, or 24 weeks after school, high school students apprentice with professional artists to gain arts and employment skills, as well as college readiness. Working in teams with a Master Teaching Artist, apprentices produce high-quality art and gain valuable experiences transferable to any future career.FOR ARTISTS/ORGANIZATIONS
Arts Services INC.: Arts Services Inc. (ASI) empowers the region’s artists and arts organizations with connections to funding, learning opportunities, and community access to the arts. We are a resource hub for the Western New York arts and cultural sector.
