From photographers and performers to filmmakers and writers, these individuals are pushing the limits in their fields and leaving a lasting impact on the art and cultural landscape.
Graphis in partnership with Retrospect is proud to celebrate the exceptional talent and contributions of Black creatives. These individuals are pushing the boundaries of their respective fields and leaving a lasting impact on the world of art and culture. Their work ranges from photography and performance, to film and writing, and reflects a deep connection to their heritage, communities, and personal experiences. We hope to encourage others to embrace their own creative potential and continue pushing the boundaries of the arts.
George F. Baker III
Creative Director, Illustator, Muralist
Atlanta, GA
George F. Baker III, also known as GFB3, is a Nebraska-born, Detroit Grown, and Atlanta-Raised Creator. Using his instruments of design, illustration, and production, he employs a playful childlike spirit to engage the inner-child we all have. Currently, he is the Creative Director of Foster, a studio-collective striving to make people unafraid to play. Clients include Switchyards, NFL, Nike, Epitome, One Musicfest.
Rochelle Brock
Photographer
Brooklyn
Rochelle Brock is a size inclusive photographer who lives and works in New York City. The main subject of Rochelle’s work is women. She focuses on topics directly related to their ideas of beauty, fashion, identity, femininity, and personal experiences with body image, creating the art she wishes she had seen growing up.
Michael Cooke
Director
Brooklyn
Michael Cooke is an award-winning director and cinematographer from Atlanta, Georgia. His credits span from commercial work to narrative to documentary serving clients such as Apple, Walmart, American Express and National Geographic. Together with a cadre of diverse story tellers, Michael has brought directing and production services to deliver fresh and cinematic storytelling, customized to the client’s budget, demographic, and/or brand.
Sherrell Dorsey
Technologist
Atlanta, GA
Sherrell Dorsey is an American data journalist, strategist, and entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of The Plug—a subscription news and insights platform serving as the business intelligence source for Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and ecosystem leaders across the country.
Nick Fulcher
Art Direction, Brand, Graphic Design
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nicky Chulo (Nicholas Fulcher) is an Art Director & Designer who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. After studying a few years, honing his craft, Nicholas made the move to New York City where he actualized his passion by becoming an Art Director at Atlantic records. He has carefully navigated his way through the industry and has grown into one of the most sought out visual artists.
Hannah Harris
Marketer, Creator, Speaker, Consultant
Los Angeles, CA
Hannah Harris is a marketer, creator, and advocate based in Los Angeles. She founded Brown Girl Hands in 2020, which has become a content studio that works with brands including Pinterest, Glossier, Warby Parker, and more. She also serves on the Equity Committee for the Fashion Scholarship Fund, where she was an inaugural recipient of Virgil Abloh’s “Post-Modern” Scholarship.
Erwin Hines
Designer / Creative Director and Founder at Future Is Color
San Diego
Erwin Hines is an artist, designer, and creative director who prioritizes empathy and inclusivity in his work. He has led the creation of industry-defining work for companies such as Google, Coach, beats By Dre, Under Armor, Webbys’, Amazon and more. Erwin believes that design can help shape a more equitable environment and co-founded Open Gym Hospitality in 2020 and started FUTURE IS COLOR® in 2021.
Robin Johnson
Creative Producer, Founder of Indie Creator Society
Los Angeles, CA
Robin Johnson is the founder of Indie Creator Society in 2019 – ICS’s mission is to dismantle gatekeeping in creative spaces, and disrupt the existing infrastructure of networking, sponsorship, and recruiting. Through informative programming and ICS’s non profit arm Indie Creator Fund, they have invested over 250K into black creative entrepreneurs, and are working on raising and investing 3 million by 2024.
Melissa Kimble
Cultural Copywriter, Strategist
Memphis, TN
Melissa Kimble is a writer, cultural strategist, and community builder with two hometowns – Chicago and Memphis, Tennessee. Melissa’s impactful viral manifesto ‘This world does not move without Black creativity’ reflects her work’s central theme and focus: preserving, producing, and prioritizing Black stories, culture, and creativity for the betterment of the world around us.
Lyne Lucien
Illustration, Graphic Design
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Lyne Lucien is an award-winning Haitian artist based in Brooklyn, New York. Lyne draws details from her vibrant upbringing in Haiti to create the bold spaces in her work. Her illustrations were published in various publications from New York Magazine to NPR to The Atlantic to The Guardian. Early 2022, Lyne was Kip Republic’s resident artist for the Free Heri Heri for All Campaign, for which she created the national black emancipation art for the Netherlands.
Tobi Oluwo
Designer, Photographer
Oakland
Tobi Oluwo is a technologically driven artist who possesses the rare mix of a reverence for design fundamentals and a penchant for rule-breaking innovations.
Celso White
Web developer
Brooklyn, NY
Celso White is a web developer whose primary expertise lies in front-end development and crafting engaging user interactions. With a passion for blending functionality and aesthetic appeal, he has made it a focus of his career to achieve a delicate balance between form and function. Celso’s areas of experience span across various digital mediums including e-commerce platforms, web apps, and marketing websites. Ultimately, Celso’s mission is to bring brand stories to life on the web in a creative and impactful way.
Retrospect is a Black-owned, creative storytelling and technology studio that focuses on purpose-driven work for clients. Through research, compelling narration, building, and technical prowess, Retrospect specializes in services that drive significant impact in audience extension, community connection, and purposeful identity.
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