I was recently was interviewed by Mimi on Hot 93.3 in Austin. She wanted to discuss the recent DestinyByDesignProject.com documentary we produced. You can hear the audio below.

Additional DestinyByDesignProject.com coverage…

AltPick.com – Photographer OG’s Destiny by Design

AustinSurReal – Destiny by Design is Growing Strong! Word to the Youth!

MEDIUM – Destiny by Design Documentary

AustinHipHopScene.com – Video: Destiny by Design Project

The Incoherent Geek – Destiny by Design – Engaging Kids

Destiny by Design - Click to Watch

I recently completed my latest documentary. This recent vision focuses on the Destiny by Design junior high after-school program. Originally, I planned to create a photo-only project documenting the Fall 08 semester, but this time around I chose to merge my photo work with video to better communicate this amazing story. I was blessed to have the opportunity to be involved with this program yet again and single handedly witnessed the inspiration music is capable of providing.

Destiny by Design, in cooperation with Citizen Schools, focuses on culture and career development opportunities within hip-hop. Teaming with volunteers, the Destiny by Design kids were able to utilize their creativity to produce, write, and record their own song.

The Destiny by Design media project can be viewed online at…

http://destinybydesignproject.com

I was recently interviewed by Caitlin Tierney for her site, An Art Producer’s Perspective. Caitlin had a few questions regarding my Destiny by Design project. As stated on her bio, “Caitlin is an art buyer/art producer with experience on several accounts including VW, Celebrity Cruises, McDonald’s, New Balance, and Merrill Lynch. She is obsessed with photography and advertising.”

You can check out the interview here.

I recently completed work on my latest photo project. For the last two months I had the opportunity to photo document a junior high after-school program titled Destiny by Design. The program, formed by the Narcisse-Banks Community Resource Center and in cooperation with Citizen Schools, focuses on culture and career development opportunities within hip-hop.

The after-school program was conducted at Kealing junior high in Austin. Weekly classes were taught by Narcisse-Banks co-founder and music journalist, Robert Gabriel. Over the course of the semester, guest speakers and volunteers, including a group of local rappers, producers, DJ’s and other artists, spent their time with the kids to study hip-hop history and technique. Teaming with the volunteers, the kids were also able to utilize their creativity to produce, write, and record their own song. To conclude the semester, the kids showcased their new track and were able to perform it live in front of their classmates and supporters on the Kealing stage.

Working on this project was very much enjoyable. Being involved with the program from the beginning, I was able to witness the development and observe the new perspective and appreciation of hip-hop by some talented youth. Both the Narcisse-Banks Community Resource Center and Citizen Schools did a great job with their efforts this semester and it will only be getting better in the future. These two organizations are contributing their positive motives to the community which surrounds them and for that I applaud and thank them for allowing me to be apart of it.

The Destiny by Design project can be viewed online by visiting…

http://www.luxurymindz.com/projects.htm

The Narcisse-Banks Community Resource Center’s, Destiny by Design, after-school program begins this Thursday at Kealing Middle School. Here is some additional info…

In cooperation with CitizenSchools, the Narcisse-Banks Community Resource Center will teach its Destiny by Design afterschool program, which focuses on hip-hop culture and opportunities for career development within the artform. Weekly classes will be taught by Music Journalist and Narcisse-Banks Co-Founder/ Director Robert Gabriel over the course of the Spring semester and will include local artists as guest lecturers. Guest artists including DJ Baby G, Tee Double, B-Boy and B-Girl City, Lady Legacy, Blacklisted Individuals, Pilarsito, Capoeira da Rua and Dat Boi Drew will provide introductory information as well as direct training in content areas such as music production, performance, dance, and graphic design. Development for the program will be supported by Educational Specialist and Narcisse-Banks Co-Founder/ Curriculum Coordinator Jules Narcisse. While Narcisse-Banks as a foundation will be volunteering its efforts to Kealing students, funding has been raised so that guest lecturers will be well compensated by the foundation for sharing their expertise with students. At the end of the Spring semester, Destiny by Design participants will showcase their newly developed talents at a culminating event on the Kealing campus, so stay tuned!

The Narcisse-Banks Communty Resource Center would like to thank Mr. Alex Hendrex, a Social Science teacher at Kealing, as well as our most generous donors for making the compensation of guest lecturers possible. We believe in paying artists to do what they do best, share their art! In the Fall of ’08, Narcisse-Banks expects to continue its work at Kealing and extend its Destiny by Design program to Bedichek Middle School as well. Please visit our website and library lists at www.myspace.com/narcissebanks for further information on the non-profit endeavors of the Narcisse-Banks Community Resource Center.

Destiny By Design “Choose your path, Create your future”