Lala Economides was working in marketing before realizing that she could turn her love for cake design into a viable career. Her company, Cakes by LaLa will be creating the SheROCKS Decade Celebration Cake commemorating 10 years of showcasing women in the arts.

Timea Faulkner chats w/ Deborah Anderson, a 3D modeler who got her start working in a South Korean animation studio working on shows such as Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Scooby-Doo.

She continued her career back in the states in New Orleans where she worked for TurboSquid on their Checkmate program and Louisiana Economic Development - FastStart as an Animation Specialist.

On YouTube she makes content about the animation industry and has interviewed 80+ Black (and other) animation professionals.

You can follow Deborah everywhere @BlkWmnAnimator

Morgen Whiteman is a film and television director with a background as a filmmaker-in-residence in Ghana, and a 2022 Stowe Story Labs finalist for the SAGIndie’s Top Emerging Filmmaker of Color Fellowship. Morgen is a graduate of the AFI Conservatory’s Directing MFA Program, and her films have been featured as official selections at numerous film festivals. She has directed talent with credits on All American, Wonder Woman, and We Own This City. Morgen has a passion for the thriller and science fiction genres, especially speculative fiction. Her work can be best described as “allegories set in heightened realities”.

Currently, Morgen is crowdfunding for her crime thriller limited series Apophenia. This 5-minute 5-episode series follows Eva Nicholson, a struggling recluse who falls into the public spotlight as a superhero when a series of premonitions lead her to a serial killer moments away from claiming the life of his next victim. As Eva basks in the attention, her boyfriend, Daniel, is the only person even remotely concerned that Eva also brutally murdered the serial killer in the process. Then it happens again. And again. And as Eva’s body count rises, so do the suspicions surrounding who, or what, she really is.

It is estimated that 2 out of 3 Americans enjoy true crime/crime thriller content. Meanwhile, the canon of fictional serial killers in film are most often middle-aged heterosexual white men. Studies have shown that the homogeneity of the serial killer profile reinforces the societal hierarchy in America. In a bold way, Apophenia tackles representation, diversity, equity, and inclusion, by mitigating the constant barrage of victimization on individuals who experience oppression in real life.

It is said that women are often interested in true crime because these stories make them feel more prepared for the horrors that exist in the real world. Apophenia is a series that will not capitalize on the victimization of women (or minorities), which is a significant psycho-social shift.

Donate here: https://seedandspark.com/fund/theapopheniaseries

Laura Simpson, is the CEO and co-founder of Side Door. Side Door is an online platform created to connect musicians to the host of their next gig. The platform gives agency back to artists by turning any space into a music venue, negating the hassle and massive costs of traditional renting venues.

She shares her journey navigating the tech industry, how she turned her backyard into a mini music festival for indie artists, and why she's passionate about creating spaces for performing artists to share their art.

If you're currently an artist performing at Folk Alliance International (FAI) in Kansas City or showcasing at South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference & Festival in Austin, Side Door ensures a $200 USD guarantee for artists. The guarantee is in addition to the net ticket revenue split from shows. Please visit their program details page to apply and read more about the program.

You don't have to be a starving artists! I chat with Adrianne Ramsey about what it's like being an art curator and how artists can get their work into art shows, but more importantly, start getting PAID for their work.

Adrianne Ramsey is an independent curator, writer, and arts editor. She has organized exhibitions for Root Division, Berkeley Art Center, and USC Roski Galleries, and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of GIRLS Magazine, an online publication that interviews femme-identifying contemporary artists, art professionals, curators, and writers about art, politics, and their individual practices. Her writing on contemporary art and culture has appeared in several publications and exhibition catalogues. She is also Director of Communications of Art Into Acres, a non-profit environmental, art, and land conservation initiative, and is an MA Candidate in Curatorial Practices at the University of Southern California.

Connect w/ Adrianne on Instagram: @aramsey125

Check Out GIRLS Magazine: https://issuu.com/girlsmagazine3

"I AM..." (2021) exhibition page:

https://rootdivision.org/exhibition/exhibitions-iam/

I chat with designer and founder of Proof of Concept™️, Brittany Pierone on her journey in the industry. She shares why she left Nike to go to Africa, what it's like working with Jerry Lorenzo, and how she's been able to keep her footing in an industry where women are often overlooked and under-celebrated. Now, as a design director for James Perse, Pierone continues to leave her mark in design by remaining intentional and only doing the things that stir her soul.

Recording Academy Genre Manager Jalyn Nelson talks about her journey from radio to where she is now. She shares the importance of moving authentically in an often glamourized, relationship-oriented industry. We also chat about what she does as a genre manager, how to improve your networking skills, and giving yourself the grace to move through life as it happens.

Michelle is a Wiyot and Latina filmmaker who grew up on the Table Bluff Reservation, where she found her love for filmmaking. She has a Masters in Film and Electronic Media at American University in Washington, D.C. and a B.A. at Humboldt State in both Film and Native American Studies. Michelle most recently participated as a fellow for the 2nd Annual Native American Writer’s Seminar. She’s also a past fellow for 3rd Annual Native American Animation Lab with her script Edgar and His New Friend. Additionally, she won the Horizon Award at the 2019 LA Skins Fest and the April 2021 Showcase Cinema Femme Womxn to Womxn in Film Mentorship Program with her film Douk.

She is also the co-founder of Sugarbush Hill Productions.

Catch our 3rd Season starting Oct. 6!

Jiya Simon shares what life is like in publicity & awards at Paramount, provides tips for navigating the hectic red carpet, and shares the importance of navigating the balance of work, wellbeing, and creativity.