It's not surprising that in a world and in a time where our attentions are pulled in a million different directions that when when someone captivates you with the words that they are saying and the work that they are doing that you pause.

That's exactly what happened when I came across Donovan Beck's work.

Donovan is using creativity, vulnerability  and various art mediums to tell stories. In this episode we not only talk about his career path and exploration into photography, film, poetry and so much more but also the importance of messing up, trying new things and truly to just do our best.  Let's see where happenstance takes us.

Episode Topics:
- Daily POP (00:01:46)
- Donovan Beck's Background and Career (00:06:45)
- Starting with Photography (00:08:35)
- Finding the Medium that Matches the Message (00:13:50)
- The Fear of Creating, Sharing, and "Staying in your Lane" (00:16:50)
- The Mind of Sol, Donovan's Production and Media Company (00:22:52)
- Accepting the "Figuring it out" Part and Getting Back to the Process (00:32:52)
-Donovan's Start with Tik Tok (00:37:52)
- A Moment of Happenstance (00:41:19)
-Vulnerability and Creating Spaces (00:45:51)
-Surprising Yourself Along The Way (00:53:50)
- Ornithology, by Donovan Beck (00:59:28)
- Connect with Donovan (01:01:52)

Guest Bio:
Donovan Beck is an author, filmmaker, advocate, and multi-hyphenate storyteller dedicated to redefining how we talk about mental health, creativity, and ourselves, especially online. Through the lens of poetry and filmmaking, Donovan creates a safe place on social media for people to embrace vulnerability in their daily lives and use social media platforms like TikTok & Instagram for good.

Since the launch of his creative career, Donovan has focused not only on his growth but also on setting the tone, resources, and access for other creators to pursue their passions and mental health journeys. Partnering with organizations like The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, The JED Foundation, Ad Council, BetterHelp, and now a direct creative partnership with Meta, Donovan has pushed barriers for non-traditional and minority creators worldwide. A member of the WeTheCulture Class of 2022 by Meta, a creative cohort of black creators across Facebook and Instagram, Donovan has worked to redefine how black and youth communities look at the realm of poetic storytelling and mental health. As a creative consultant for the AFSP & JED foundation, Donovan has helped craft campaigns such as the joint mission of Seize the Awkward, a national campaign to help young people
across the country better navigate the world of mental health and resources to learn how to check in on their friends who may be struggling.

Guest Links:
TikTok & Instagram: @TheMindOfSol
Website: https://www.themindofsol.com/

Book: A Fool's Guide to the Universe: Signed Copy, Amazon

Organizations Donovan Works With:
AFSP: www.afsp.org 
SeizeTheAwkward:   seizetheawkward.org 

Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie

Let's Connect:
@HappenstanceThePodcast
@CareerCoachCassie

Happenstance the Playlist