Meet Simone A. Francis

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Simone A. Francis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Simone A., so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

I keep my creativity alive primarily by dreaming big and executing small. I have always been someone who creates and imagines grandiose ideas; always thinking about the potential for an idea to make a difference in someone’s life. By dreaming big, I am always pushing myself to embrace my own audacity and to think beyond the confines of what exists. Giving myself the unapologetic freedom to never stop dreaming, and allowing my mind to run free often, creates a safe haven for my brain to tap into the power of imagination.

By executing small, I ground myself. Being able to navigate big pictures and minute details is often a delicate balance that many struggle with. However, I have found this to be one of my strengths and I have therefore leaned into it in my practice. I am a firm believer that although you should not strive to always do it all, there are many benefits to knowing how to do all, or at least many, of the things. With executing small, I continuously practice the smaller, more intricate skills and development areas, which allows me to grow and evolve over time. I think this is an essential component of keeping creativity alive — you have to grow.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Simone (she/her) is a first-gen West Indian educator grounded in community and creative practice who resides in Brooklyn, NY, the ancestral homelands of the Lenape people.

She is the Founder of Anansi Creative Studio and Creative Director of the Storytellers Portrait Series. Simone is passionate about harnessing the power of storytelling and creative modalities to curate community-oriented activation spaces rooted in social impact. Simone recently completed Series 1, a 4-month multimodal project amplifying narratives of NYC Black creatives and entrepreneurs. She is proud to have curated her first exhibition, which included the works of 8 photographers, capture of 25 portraits, collection of 23 stories, celebration of 3 Black owned NYC venues, and engagement of 100+ community members.

Known for her innovative approaches to cultivate transformative spaces, Simone’s visionary leadership style has also advanced diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging priorities in higher education institutions and arts-based organizations, both locally and internationally. Full time, Simone currently works as an NYC-based community impact practitioner at New York University, and is pursuing her MPA with a focus in Social Impact, Innovation, and Investment.

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. Believe in You. If you don’t, who will?
This is often one of the largest hurdles folks have to move past, and it is often reoccurring. As an entrepreneur, although there are many struggles along the way, I have often found that the internal struggle to believe in myself and keep going can be the most difficult.

2. Be Unique in Your Approach.
No matter your pursuit, there are specific skillsets and knowledge areas required to do what you do well. However, what creates an individual of distinction is the way in which they apply those skills and knowledge; your approach should make folks remember who you are. Try to illustrate or write a short and concise philosophy statement that defines how you approach what you do. This exercise is helpful in identifying what is most important for you, and can assist in identifying values, assumptions, and non-negotiables that you bring into your work. When people know what you’re about, they can trust you.

3. Be Able to Articulate Your Strengths.
If you can’t advocate for yourself, you’ll be stuck chasing rather than leading. An important element of self-advocacy is being able to articulate the specific skills, attributes, and approach you can enter a room with that makes you the worthwhile pick. Whether it’s for a job, an opportunity, a connection… the articulation of your strengths can push you through doors you may not even be thinking of opening.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

A book that made a significant impact on who I am today is “More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)” by Elaine Welteroth. Not only is the storytelling phenomenal, but the relatability was simply off the charts. A few of the most valuable takeaways for me were:

1. Finding and Using Your Voice: A central theme throughout is the power of finding and using one’s voice. She kindly, but firmly, encourages readers to speak up, advocate for themselves, and utilize their platforms to drive change. It can often be difficult to “find” that voice, but it’s always there.

2. Navigating Career Transitions is Hard: This was extremely relatable as someone who recently began pursuing a creative-based pathway from a more traditional field of education. This book reminded me that it’s all about the journey and grace for yourself is required.

3. Redefining Success: I absolutely loved reading about Elaine’s pathway and how she broke barriers in the process. She had to go through her own personal growth to redefine success for herself while combatting internal and external challenges. In this day and age, I believe this is absolutely necessary to ensure we aren’t losing pieces of ourselves while chasing definitions of success that doesn’t align with who we are.

I am so grateful that she put her story in print, because it undoubtedly has changed lives for young Black women like me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anansicreativestudio.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/simoney_says
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sifrancis/
• Other: https://instagram.com/anansicreativestudio

Image Credits

Lami Amoky
Xavier
Pocstock