We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Damon Lee Patterson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Damon Lee below.
Hi Damon Lee, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I think, in many ways, my work ethic was inherited—and nurtured in me for as long as I can remember. My family were all hard-working people because they had to be. Being born African American in America, you don’t really get the luxury of not working hard if you want to be something.
I think about my grandparents, born in the early 1900s, being told they were less than nothing and would never become anything. They had so much to prove—both to themselves and to the world. I think about my mother Glenda Ellen, a Black woman born in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Era, where everyone who looked like her had to fight twice as hard just to have something of their own. They had to fight for basic amenities, and respect. Naturally, they wanted their children and grandchildren to understand the value of work.
Growing up, chores weren’t optional. We helped take care of the house and the land around it. There was pride in that. When you don’t have much in terms of material things, you learn to take care of what you do have. You absorb these lessons over time. One of the biggest being: if you want to have or become anything in this world, you’re going to have to work your butt off for it.
That understanding sticks with you. It’s a transferable quality—you carry it with you everywhere you go. No matter what type of work you’re doing. You become determined to always do a good job. And part of that drive comes from wanting to live up to the work ethic your family instilled in you—and wanting to make them proud.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I wear a few different hats because I have so many interest—but the one I wear most, and feel most at home in, is the artist hat. It’s like the central umbrella that everything I do falls under. Art is my center, a super power for manifestation. I absolutely love creating and the process of creation. It’s also the thing I’ve been engaged in the longest.
I have a background in theatre, acting, photography, filmmaking, writing, and music. I produced, wrote, and released two albums, Thirsty Water and The Painting. I pressed a few thousand CDs and went on a mini tour by bus and train—couch surfing with friends I met online. lol I’ve been in more plays, musicals, and short films than I can count. I hosted hundreds of open mics, showcases, and concerts at a venue I created called The 1809 / The KC Art Factory.
Eventually, I got behind the camera, filming for other artists and bands, and went on to create a full-length documentary about the power of art, called Art Saved My Life. One of my proudest recent projects is Rooted & Reaching—an eco-art garden blending creativity, science, nature, and renewable energy. It’s where I create, grow food, experiment, care for Cayuga ducks, teach, and steward land in the historic Dunbar neighborhood. Essentially, it’s a makers space that has a nature theme, if that makes sense.
I recently became the Conservation Project Manager with Heartland Conservation Alliance—an organization rooted in care for the Earth, specifically restoring the Blue River Watershed. Nature, to me, is God’s art, so it’s big collaboration.
That connection to nature and creativity runs in my blood. I come from a family of gifted artists and musicians. My grandfather had a photographic memory, was a mathematician, and played the saxophone. My grandmother, a talented singer who won first place at the Apollo, gave up a promising career to honor her parents’ wishes. She sung Jazz music and later, in church. My mother has perfect pitch and played drums, and my uncle—a musical genius—taught at my elementary school and played over a dozen instruments. Most of my cousins are artists and multi-instrumentalists too, including Lil Donald and Tyrone, who can play just about anything. My cousin Tuesday, who sings, and has perfect pitch. Their father was another respected musical genius, Donald “Big Don” Cox, a wizard of a musician.
Even through marriage, that legacy grew. My grandmother later married Professor Willie Rice, a renowned composer and big band leader. My grandfather’s new wife had a son—Charles Williams, a brilliant virtuoso pianist—who became another incredible uncle I’m lucky to call family. It was everywhere around me!
As for new ventures, I recently created a plant-based laundry detergent called RainGlo—and just received trademark approval. It’s the first of many Rooted & Reaching product releases as I lean further into product development and manufacturing. More of us need to step into these spaces if we want to build self-sufficient communities.
RainGlo was inspired by the scent of rain, the way it cleanses the Earth, and the warmth of the sun. It was also born out of the fact that so many laundry products contain harmful chemicals. We wear clothes, sleep on fabric, dry off with towels, and wash our faces every day of our lives—from babies to elders—and our skin, our largest organ, absorbs whatever is on them. I wanted to help create a healthy option.
I’ve been an inventor since I was a kid, always tinkering and experimenting. This time, I took every step to turn an idea into reality—working hard on the formula, legalities, and manufacturing. I didn’t want to just say it’s good. I wanted it to be good. And it is. I use it myself. lol
It’s been a long, challenging process, but completely worth it. So keep an eye out for RainGlo—it’s just the beginning.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, three qualities that had the greatest impact on my journey were curiosity, perseverance, and resourcefulness.
Curiosity kept me exploring different creative outlets—whether it was theater, music, filmmaking, or environmental work. I never boxed myself into one path. I followed what sparked my interest, which often led me somewhere unexpected but meaningful.
Advice: Stay curious. Try everything. Take that free workshop, shadow someone doing something you admire, or pick up a new skill just because it fascinates you. Curiosity opens doors and helps you find your unique lane.
Perseverance helped me push through the long nights, the setbacks, and the moments of doubt. Whether I was touring with albums, building RainGlo from scratch, or restoring land in the Dunbar neighborhood, it was never instant or easy. I kept showing up—even when it felt like nothing was moving.
Advice: Be patient with your process. Growth takes time. Develop the discipline to keep going even when the rewards aren’t immediate. Consistency is often more important than talent.
Resourcefulness allowed me to make things happen with what I had. I’ve slept on couches, bootstrapped projects, partnered with people I met online, and repurposed materials to build what I envisioned. It taught me that creativity isn’t just about what you make—it’s about how you make it happen.
Advice: Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Use what’s around you. Learn to ask for help, barter, share knowledge, and stay solution-oriented. Resourcefulness builds resilience. Start where you are!
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’m always open to partnering with collaborators—especially when it makes sense for both of us. I genuinely enjoy creating win-win situations, and those tend to happen when the alignment is right on both sides. I’d love to collaborate with big-picture dreamers and doers—people who still carry their light and are committed to making the world better. People unafraid of small or large challenges.
There’s so much work to be done in our world and our communities, but I’m optimistic. I believe we can make things better—and we have to keep believing in that concept. We can clean our oceans. We can restore our rivers and creeks. We can reimagine how we build homes and design green spaces. We can connect communities through trails and parks. We can create more maker spaces for inventors, fund community-driven initiatives, and support young people in achieving their dreams.
There are countless untold stories and films still waiting to be made. And while I appreciate meaningful dialogue, I’m less interested in meeting just to swap résumés. Brainstorming is necessary, but I’m driven by action—by tangible outcomes and real deliverables. I like a little urgency in collaborative work. That’s how things get done.
These are just some of my big-picture goals. I’m also open to working with musicians, filmmakers, writers, investors, architects, and stores interested in carrying new products like RainGlo. I’m looking for a publisher for my children’s book as well. These are a few ideas, but there might be someone out there with a vision I haven’t yet considered.
If that’s you, feel free to reach out. It either works or it doesn’t—but you never know unless you connect. The best way to reach me is through social media. Just look up Damon Lee Patterson or Dae Ahzae.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://damonleepatterson.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daeahzae/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/damonleepatterson/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damon-lee-patterson-04942450
