A Creative Goldmine and an Unforgettable List of BIPOC Creatives.
Do you ever find yourself on the internet, not quite sure what you’re looking for, but end up finding exactly what you need? That’s how I landed on Hook—a creative rabbit hole that I didn’t want to climb out of. I was casually browsing, expecting to find a few interesting takes on ad work, design, maybe some industry insights, but what I discovered went so far beyond that.
Hook didn’t just hit me with the standard ad agency hype or tired industry buzzwords. It was different. There was an authenticity to the way they talked about creativity, community, and the process behind everything they do. It was refreshing. And then I found the list.
This list is a lineup of BIPOC creatives whose work is changing the game, breaking barriers, and rewriting the rules of the creative industry. It was like finding a treasure map where every name led to an incredible body of work—design, art, storytelling—all of it driving culture forward. And it blew me away. Here are just some of the names I couldn’t stop thinking about:
Geneva L White is one of the minds behind Scope of Work (SOW)—a talent development agency that’s all about making real change for young BIPOC creatives in the industry. It’s not just about representation for Geneva; it’s about equity. It’s about changing who gets to be in the room and making sure the room is built for everyone. The way SOW is creating opportunities is something I have so much respect for—building sustainable paths for young talent that actually level the playing field.
These three are the brilliant folks behind Deem Journal, a print and online platform centered on design as a social practice. Deem isn’t just interested in aesthetics—they’re interested in impact. They’re talking about how design shapes our world, our communities, and how we interact with each other. It’s thoughtful work, challenging the idea of design as just something pretty, and instead treating it as something transformative.
Arthur Jafa needs little introduction. He’s an artist, filmmaker, and cinematographer whose work digs deep into Black culture in America. Jafa’s visuals are the kind that stick with you—the kind that make you pause and really see. There’s this undeniable honesty in his work, a rawness that captures the beauty and complexity of Black life, and he does it in a way that’s both profound and accessible.
Walter Hood is redefining landscape architecture with every project he touches. As a professor and the principal of Hood Design Studio, he’s turning public spaces into cultural landmarks—places that tell stories and reflect the people around them. It’s about designing with intention, creating places that matter. Walter’s work shows that landscapes are not just environments, they’re lived experiences, and they deserve the kind of thoughtfulness and creativity that he brings.
Temi Coker’s work is bursting with energy. He’s an artist who’s worked with pretty much everyone—Apple, Google, Adobe, you name it—but beyond the clients, it’s the spirit in his work that stands out. There’s a vibrancy to everything Temi creates, a sense of joy that just shines through. His pieces feel like a celebration of culture, identity, and community, and they bring something truly special to every brand he touches.
Ari Melenciano doesn’t fit neatly into one box—and that’s exactly what makes her work so interesting. She’s an artist, a technologist, a researcher. She’s exploring the intersection of tech, culture, and art in ways that feel ahead of their time. Ari’s work shows what happens when you bring a cultural lens to technology—using creativity to shape not just how we experience the world, but how we envision the future.
Jacob Rochester brings this incredible blend of illustration and painting to his work. He’s collaborated with brands like Nike and Netflix, but it’s the warmth and familiarity in his pieces that draw you in. There’s a certain nostalgia in his work, a way he pulls in the past and reframes it in a way that feels effortlessly cool. His art feels like a bridge—between eras, between styles, between cultures—and it’s all beautifully, unmistakably his.
Handel Eugene is an animator and multidisciplinary artist whose work is as much about storytelling as it is about aesthetics. He’s got this incredible knack for using animation to evoke emotion, to tell a story in a way that words just can’t. His work reminds me of the magic in movement—the way animation can breathe life into a concept and make it hit in a way that’s almost visceral.
Darryl Richardson brings an authenticity to his photography that you don’t always see. Specializing in documentary portraiture, his photos tell stories without saying a word. There’s an experimental edge to his filmmaking too, and his work just feels raw and real. He captures the humanity in his subjects, the in-between moments, and there’s a vulnerability there that’s deeply moving.
Hook gave me this list, but really, it gave me a lot more than that. It reminded me why I love the creative industry in the first place—how it’s about people. Their stories, their talent, their ability to see the world in ways the rest of us might miss. These creatives aren’t just contributing to culture; they’re shaping it, questioning it, and driving it forward.
This is the power of great design, great art, great creativity—it pushes us to look a little closer, to think a little deeper, and to reimagine what’s possible.
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