Chess Avant-Garde

Storytelling, Culture Strategy, and Community Building

ABOUT ME

I’m Chess (any pronouns), a Culture Strategist, Community Builder, and Creative Producer from Atlanta, GA.

Currently residing on Piscataway Land in Southern Maryland. Wanderer by practice.

Living at the epicenter of creative practice, technology, and culture strategy. Passionate about fostering a sustainable culture in a sustainable world.

FOUR TRUTHS AND A HOPE

  • has seven siblings
  • has been a bartender
  • has worked in reality tv
  • has lived in a tiny home
  • has had brunch w/ alice walker

VALUES

  • curiosity
  • creativity
  • community
  • contribution
  • communication

INTERESTS

  • technology
  • photography
  • sustainability
  • global history
  • sociocultural change

FUEL

  • hugs
  • music
  • dancing
  • saturday morning
  • gathering with people

HOBBIES

  • photography
  • axe throwing
  • hosting events
  • walking + hiking
  • travel + exploration

PLACES

  • chicago, illinois
  • aspen, colorado
  • berkeley, california
  • ann arbor, michigan
  • chiang mai, thailand

PODCASTS

BOOKS

  • essentialism
  • crazy rich asians
  • parable of the sower
  • what happened to you
  • subtle art of not giving a f***

FILMS

  • selena
  • black panther
  • cheetah girls 2
  • eight crazy nights
  • akeelah and the bee

TELEVISION

  • sense 8
  • scandal
  • ted lasso
  • living single
  • sweet magnolias

ARTISTS

  • hozier
  • alicia keys
  • john mayer
  • aretha franklin
  • chance the rapper

ALBUMS

  • take care | drake
  • montero | lil nas x
  • for all we know | nao
  • where the light is live | mayer
  • dirty computer | janelle monae

CREATIVE WORLD

  • Film/TV: Good Trouble Films, BET, Bravo, NBC
  • Theatre: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Alliance Theatre

NON PROFIT WORLD

  • Broadway Dreams Foundation, Joffrey Ballet, University of Michigan School of Music/Theatre/Dance

CORPORATE WORLD

  • Diversity & Inclusion @ LiveRamp, Niantic Labs, PatientPop, University of Michigan
  • Consulting @ Disinformation Defense League, New Currents Collective
  • Research @ Roosevelt University, Chiang Mai University