We were lucky to catch up with Ayinde “yin” Rochon recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ayinde “yin”, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic is rooted in understanding that my passions are engrained in something larger than myself. As an artist and academic, my work feels more enjoyable when I am able to teach and uplift my communities through art and literature. I also understand this work is necessary and significant which leads me to draw on the strength of my family, on Earth and in Heaven, reminding me each day to continue to push forward. I am thankful for each sacrifice my ancestors have made for me to be in the position I am today. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to create and build, to take ideas and turn them into product. When I am thankful for the opportunity to “work”, the long nights of writing, editing, researching, shooting, etc., are all worth it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a doctoral student, writer, director, photographer, and videographer merging arts and the academy into one. Methods of photography and filmmaking have endless storytelling capabilities specifically regarding student experience and identity development. By utilizing my artistic gifts, I bring the coming-of-age story of Black youth to life through a scholarly researched context. Although much of my academic work contains human subjects, a plethora of my work utilizes scenic and abstract photography to subjectively exemplify the coming-of-age journey as well. For example, boats on the lake representing balance or a barren field representing isolation. I offer these scenic photographs for sale via my website yinCreate.com/prints. My newest collection of prints, yinPRINT Season 2 dropped Monday, August 8th. 18”x24” and 6”x8” pieces are available for purchase. Image previews are provided at the end of the article.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The best three qualities that I discovered and continue to uplift within myself were empathy, organization, and passion. Containing empathy in the field of creation is of paramount importance regarding customer satisfaction and connecting with all audiences. Through empathy, I understand the likeness within all of God’s children; all deserving of their story being told. Organization is key because there are often tasks may start to seem unbearable. Between writing, shooting, editing, attending class, and taking care of yourself mentally and physically, having an organized schedule in which you can cater to all needs and responsibilities in a timely manner will maximize your productivity and overall happiness. Lastly, one of the most important qualities needed in this field is passion. Having love for the work you do, to create with no limits, makes the journey always joyful. Regardless of what step you are at, passion will carry you to the next.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
In terms of collaboration, I believe the limits of creation become endless when a team is formed. I appreciate the ability to create a project on my own, however when multiple creators come together as one, the full potential of each project is truly reached. I am not only looking forward to partnering with print-buyers, but other creators such as camera operators, editors, actors, musical artists, gaffers, writers, directors, etc. to bring ideas to life. Each time I have had the opportunity to collaborate it has been a fruitful experience.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: yinCreate.com
- Other:yinPrint season 2 available now. visit yinCreate.com/prints to view and purchase. image previews displayed below.
Image Credits
photos taken by Ayinde Rochon.
