DSCS

Cat's out of the bag. I'm pausing DSCS to spend time as a Program Manager on M&A at LeadVenture?. I wrote about the change in industry, the challenges of job hunting, and where DSCS will go from here if you're curious: https://lnkd.in/g6D8KeXN Thank you to everyone who helped, cheered, and supported me this year and throughout my entire career. Time to move from art to auto! -D

Calling designers, artists, and funders! I'm hosting a free event to map Detroit's microgrants August 7th at 7pm at PLAYGROUND DETROIT. More information is below. If you like building community-centered maps, early access to funds, and supporting young talent, this is for you. https://lnkd.in/g-e6Y9tg (Huge shoutout to Change Collective, Paulina Petkoski, and Bocoup for helping me incubate, scale, and plan this event. Will Obama come?? Who knows!) - For thousands of years, Detroit/Waawiyatanong has been core to Michigan’s cultural industry—a?$15.4 billion and 100,000 job?industry across the state (larger than?transportation ($13 billion) or utilities ($10 billion)). Yet since the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), access to microgrants (under $10,000), space, and mentorship for early professional artists in Detroit plummeted. Several Detroit-centered foundations, for example, redirected resources to other industries with no indication that their critical investment to the cultural industry will return. This community conversation and workshop will collectively map the microgrant opportunities Detroit has offered to cultural workers before and after 2020. Attendees will walk away with an actionable network for new and/or forgotten funding resources, and takeaways will be published online to re-invigorate funders to offer microgrants in the city.

Another quarter, another 'stack: discussing the new work I've been building with Bocoup (thank you Boaz Sender and Sarah Z. Hakani!), an invitation to map art centers outside of NYC and LA, and how "functional optimism" is keeping me going—click by click, step by step: https://lnkd.in/gis7tH6d RE: PCAC, thank you of course to the many years of support and opportunities to speak on the project, including Tony Patrick , Sheetal Prajapati , and #USDAC. If you want to host a mapathon with PCAC or add to our map, just head here: https://pcac.team/ (PCAC is also hosting an upcoming event ... August 7, so I've heard ... keep an ear and eye out.)

It's the last day to support my client Project For Empty Space's campaign to bring queer and women's rights across the country! They're filling a 27-foot truck with 200+ artworks celebrating bodily autonomy from New York to LA to Miami and back in September 2024. You can help them hit the ground running by sponsoring 100 miles, grabbing an archival Marlene McCarty bumper sticker, getting a print by Chitra Ganesh (also a past client!), and more: https://lnkd.in/g4qEHr-a DSCS helped them craft their marketing, comms, design, and fundraising strategy over the past few months. We can't wait to see them on the road and take a pit stop in Detroit.

After 1.5 years scaling a solution for toxic polarization with Share Our America—and 4 years building DSCS from the ground-up into a thriving consultancy for 30+ clients across North America and Europe—I’m looking for my next opportunity, with priority for full-time work at a remote or Detroit-based startup/cultural org building a more equitable, durable world. I’m asking my network to spread the word by introducing me to recruiters and inspiring leaders hiring in tech, art, culture, and/or climate change. Feel free to forward this post and see where the convo leads! *What I do* I scale products, programs, and projects by designing and launching their teams, tools, and content. For example, I've: 1. Hired and managed a 40-person team for 14 nationwide civic actions with the Wide Awakes 2. Convinced 40+ companies to pilot a Four Day Work Week in 2022—with none returning to a five day week since, and our work carried to the U.S. Congressional Floor by Bernie Sanders and Mark Takano 3. Redesigned and launched programs with new CRMs, AI, and 4-year plans with Hyundai, Primary VC, and Kickstarter—reducing project timelines by 50% 4. Tripled audiences with museums, collectives, seminars, and emerging tech platforms through product and program launches 5. Raised $4.85+ million dollars for 500+ projects since 2017 that have been featured in the Guardian, NYT, TODAY, Vogue, and more. Check out my case studies for more: https://lnkd.in/gijCCjas *Types of roles* My generalist skillset fits best in titles like Design Operations, Senior Project Manager, Program Manager, Content Designer, Brand Strategist, and Chief of Staff. I've functionally performed these roles as a consultant both in tech (SaaS, B2C, B2B) and the arts (foundations, collectives, museums, publications). The more collaborative the work environment that encourages testing, iterating, and launching, the better. *My priorities* 1. Full-time roles at startups, incubators, and organizations that are fully remote and/or have an office in Detroit. 2. Workplaces with a four-day work week. 3. Opportunities that advance culture, tech, and policy. 4. A field pivot to green tech, climate change, and urban infrastructure would also be exciting. *Why pivot to in-house?* As an independent consultant for the past four years, I miss working with a dedicated team and in-house mentorship. And while a consultant lifestyle provides some spectacular highs ... the lows are low. Long-term stability is increasingly a priority for my mental and physical health. If I land something, DSCS will scale down to work with fewer clients on an as-needed basis. And while the bar is high, I will entertain opportunities that require a location change if they are compelling and comprehensive. Thank you all in advance! Let’s see where this takes us! #workmilestone #designops #program #manager #scale #consultant #newopportunities #Detroit #startups #vc

Come listen to me talk about my work at DSCS when it comes to crowdfunding! Yes, not only do I program manage and work in design ops, I also do marketing, fundraising, and comms—and you need them to nail online campaigns. I'll answer questions about the best uses of crowdfunding platforms, best practices to get people engaged, and how to meet and exceed expectations: https://lnkd.in/gMuKZ3uB Big thanks to Heather Darcy Bhandari, Dexter Wimberly, and Julia Clark for the opportunity to be real about $ and how to ask for it. #crowdfunding #culturalwork #fundraising #crowdsourcing #marketing #fundraising #comms #kickstarter

My client People For the American Way just launched their billboard and activation campaign to ensure Trump stays out of office. We're focusing their efforts across four key swing states—Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Arizona—and you can help by sponsoring a billboard, sharing posters, and showing up to the polls. Join us here: https://lnkd.in/g4wzsu2D Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ghFcHy7w Or listen to artist Shepard Fairey discuss how critical this work is with Rachel Maddow: https://lnkd.in/gxmZqZtc Artists involved include Victoria Cassinova, Shepard Fairey, Jeffrey Gibson, Titus Kaphar, Deborah Kass, Christine Sun Kim, John Lehr, Beverly McIver, Amalia Mesa-Bains, Sam Messer, Angelica Muro, Cleon Peterson, Alyson Shotz, Hank Willis Thomas, Carrie Mae Weems, and more. Big shoutout to Rio Tazewell - a true champion for artists and advocacy.