Meet Fr3deR1cK Taylor

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Fr3deR1cK Taylor. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Fr3deR1cK below.

Fr3deR1cK, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

This is something that I think often about sometimes in my life. As a young kid never thought about it until adults and poorly socialized kids pointed it out, “Hey you are different?”

Funny thing it wasn’t always about what I was doing. It was about what I was saying that was different. Sometimes it is my clothes and in some cases it is the unique knowledge I have aquired in life.

Read the room they tell ya. If youre with a bunch of sports guys don’t talk about Shakspeare. If you are in a room full of Theatre geeks they may not get a James Baldwin reference.

These days it’s don’t talk politics when politics is all around. Don’t discuss being different, pretend to be like everyone else.

Honestly I just can’t and don’t care. The problem is that, in some cases conformity is tied to upward mobility and economic freedom.

They see you as different visually but they want you to act just like them. In certain cases if you do reflect them they resent it and reject you anyway.

They try to drown you and if you live you are the devil. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. You might as well just do you.

I know many people who are different and they choose to code switch. Assuming a false identity in my opinion leads to nowhere, or to a place of disappointment.

You may get the money but loose your soul and that is not freedom. The soul is still free even if it does not possess the spoils of materialism.

I Don’t Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelo is one of my favorite intellectual musing.

Sometimes the caged bird sings better than the uncaged bird because it longs for freedom while the so called free bird takes the open spaces for granted.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I take pictures.

In todays’ world of selfies and smart phones why take a picture? Smart phones capture a moment of emotion or reinforce a belief that you may not care about tomorrow.

You take picture with a camera to capture a moment and demonstrate profound life experience. As a fine artist that is why I take pictures.

I want to anoint the nature of human beings as it relates to their environment. The many different experiences of people is my canvas of image capture and inspiration.

The uniqueness of my work is the uniqueness of my life. I have traveled I have lived. I have visited Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and seen most places in rural and urban America. These experiences have allowed me to have a deeper understanding of all people. I respect and celebrate the unique existence of all lives as if it were my own. It is my belief the core elements of culture are admiration and understanding. Culture is knowing that we need each other. Culture is the universe joining hands and singing. Culture is dusty roads and the hard concrete. I have been there to take that picture.

My identity is derived from capturing moments in time. My passion is fueled by it. I is what I intuitively know. It is what I have studied and it is what I have put into practice. My existence and waking consciousness is images.

I am a human being contained in a vessel that for some has limits or boundaries. These falsehoods enable me to soar higher and reach deeper into the universe. Who I am and what I am set a tone and sends a message that all people have a place in the light and under God’s sun. I am an artist that lives outside of the box.

I am an artist because I want the world to not hurt itself, live in truth and be a better place for all. I am an artist because I appreciate the values of the past, the knowledge of the present and the hope for the future.

The camera is an extension of my heart, soul and character. This power allows my mind to dismantle and disrupt constructs such as human abuse, disadvantage and environmental neglect.

Images are my way of telling that story. I take pictures today for tomorrow.

I am currently making a new social justice documentary, “Hope And Story.” I am also in the process of producing a play and an independent film.

I still work with great clients such as Rotary International and various corporate entities and non-profits.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Respect the process and those who have come before you. All industries have a history. Know it and learn from it. Show up on time. First one in and last one out. Lead by example.

2. Work hard and no short cuts. Be a crafts person. Know your value and those around you. Instructional videos are fine but sometimes a good book has the answers you need or a veteran of your discipline.

3. Be innovative not trendy. Harness the past in the present to launch you into the future. There is always new bold frontier out there in the creative universe.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

If the next ten years of my life is the last I would like to do the following things;

1. Make several socially relevant films.
2. Put on a stage play.
3. Write books, instructional and creative.
4. Go on a speaking tour.
5. Be an adjunct professor at a few different universities.
6. Travel more and see the world.
7. Develop a platform to create opportunities for new stories.
8. Help people who are in challenging situations.
9. Focus on physical and mental health.
10. Honor the legacy of my family.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photographer: Lenny Rogers

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