We recently connected with Kyle Holbrook and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kyle, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I’ve often been the only one in the room that looks like me and ever since I was young,
I believe it’s subconscious just to be myself, having a black mother and wife father I’ve always been different than everyone else in business often times I’m the only person of color in the room and also having started my business when I was a teenager at 19 years old for the first 15 years I was always the youngest. So with these different factors says, I think it’s important I always make sure you speak up. I’ll never be in a room or at the table at the decision making table and don’t say anything that should never happen if you are part of the decision making team or leader. I think it’s also important to remember and remind yourself that you represent more than just yourself and often times you’ll be speaking for your group many times I will be the only African-American how to make sure that in addition to my own personal thoughts that I remind myself and be the voice for my community.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an Artist and executive, Artist of MLK mural project for 22 years and I’ve working in 49 states and 43 countries around the world I am most excited about a new company a new project called Allegheny Arts. It’s helping to create a new arts district, called the Allegheny arts District in Northside Pittsburgh, using Murals and Street Art, and live installations/events to activate areas in the community that have been dormant decades, abandon spaces and empty, lots, utilizing shipping containers, and arranging them to have a ability to create an create an exhibit bringing international national and local Artists painting murals in close in close proximity. We have identified 800 mural locations to be painted over the next 10 years will be doing in one square mile radius I’ll make it one of the most concentrated Mural areas in the world put it on the map with Wynwood Miami, Brooklyn, shorditch in London La Candalaria, Columbia what’s the Neria virgin way that has been a lot of crime by putting the mirrors in this little alley similar to Hozier way in Melbourne Australia it will alleviate crime and become an interactive tourist attractions for families. I will do the project in phases and phase 2 will begin to incorporate a augmented reality component that I’m very excited about. It’s a dream for an artist really.
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?
1) Perseverance is important understanding that there’s ups and downs. Will be a lot of those a lot of challenges another matter work to make sure that you continue to move forward and never give up.
2) I think another one is creativity making sure that you’re listening to yourself and not spending too much time looking at what others are doing. Is they can water down your creative thoughts and process, remember, Einstein said creativity is more important than knowledge, and that can be applicable to any profession.
3) I think faith in spirituality those important to be thankful for and for that were you were connected to something larger and that every day life is precious and I’m not a religious person, but I am very spiritual, I believe understanding power of positive a.m. and meditation is essential to accomplish your goals and benefit your mental health.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I think when you feel overwhelmed a strategy, that is important is to take some time to step away for a couple moments, and remember the bigger picture, pray or meditate briefly if possible, you can work on another project or component of that project because when your mind is right in the correct mindframe you can accomplish whatever goal or problem much easier, it can you take 10 minutes to complete something that you may have been working for hours, days, weeks, months and even years to figure out if you’re in the correct mindframe for whatever is overwhelming.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mlkmural.com/allegheny-arts
- Instagram: @Artworld187
- Youtube: @artworld9887
Image Credits
Duane Reider
