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New Mexico, Arizona, & arriving in Los Angeles

June 21, 2010 by Nabil 1 Comment

The odometer has clicked to 3,000 miles, tall palm trees line the streets, and dusty deserts have made way to a cavalcade of motorists heading to the grand blue Pacific. This can only mean one thing: I’ve arrived in Los Angeles.

The last few days have brought with them opportunities to get new perspectives on passion. Among them:
– Father Jim, the assistant priest at El Santuario de Chimayó, a famous church that has been called “the most important Catholic pilgrimage center in the United States.” Father Jim spoke about discovering his passion as a child while playing priest with his older sisters in Colorado. (Sante Fa, New Mexico)
– David, former employee of Los Alamos National Labs who quit his job to follow his passion for organic farming, and in the process developed a new form of garlic powder. (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
– Pritham, a good friend who balanced working as a full time management consultant with studying for her MCATs. She just completed her first year in osteopathic medicine and discusses the road that led her there. (Phoenix, Arizona)
– Three contestants who were auditioning for their own talk show on Oprah’s forthcoming TV network. (Laguna Niguel, California)

As I reflect on my time on the road, I feel blessed to have encountered so many unique perspectives, and also been supported so heartily by the family, friends, and friends-of-friends who were kind enough to open their hearts (and often their homes) to help make my project possible.

A few quotes that have stayed with me:
– “If you are fearful, fear will find you” – Volunteer for Heidelberg Project on working in neighborhoods with high crime (Detroit)
– “There is no such thing as a safe job anymore – Entrepreneurial baker on choosing your passion for a career versus what you think will be lucrative and stable (Chicago)
– “The unique thing about poverty in Buffalo is that it is neither entirely urban or rural. It is wide swaths of urban neighborhoods that are vacant, except for a few remaining city dwellers” – Local journalist on the new age of urban poverty (Buffalo)
– “To fail is to succeed at the wrong thing” – Engineer turned Pastor on the definition of failure (Tulsa)

A Day in Motor City

June 5, 2010 by Nabil 3 Comments

Yesterday was an absolutely incredible day in Detroit, thanks in large part to Tyree, founder of the Heidelberg project and incredible ambassador to his neighborhood. Besides a very moving interview with Tyree himself, I was lucky to be able to interview:
– John and Magnola, retired auto workers who moved to Detroit after growing up in the South
– Tishan, a highschool grad (as of yesterday) who is following his passion of culinary arts
– Lisa, a Native American and successful optician who traded it all in for a career in fine arts, with a focus on metal smithing

On my drive from Buffalo to Detroit I thought a lot about the focus of my project, and I’ve decided to shift it from stories of American values, to stories of people who have taken big risks to follow their passions. I like this subject better because it’s inherently personal, and it’s relevant to my own journey. My day in Detroit was a field test of this topic and I’m very happy with the results.

Now, on to South Haven MI for a little R&R with my good friend Matt, and on Sunday off to Chicago. Here we go-

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Practical Advice on Creative Success

May 15, 2010 by Nabil Leave a Comment

On Tuesday I had an inspirational call with Derrick Ashong (aka DNA), a West-African born musician, social entrepreneur, and host of The Derrick Ashong Experience on Oprah Radio.

Derrick inspires me for two reasons: First: he has guts. With the prospect of a lucrative career on Wall Street, Derrick (at the time a senior at Harvard) had the courage to strike a risky path for himself and co-founded Soulfège, a West African band with beats as catchy as their message is positive. Second: he pays the rent. Through speeches, performances, consulting gigs, and his radio show, he has designed a career that enables him to express himself artistically yet also supports him financially.

Derrick had the following words of wisdom regarding my storytelling project:
– On growing my network: It’s not about who you know, it’s about who knows what you know. Tell people what I’m working on.
– On finding a mentor: A mentor will want to work with me because they care about me deeply, or they respect my work. The most efficient way for me to find a mentor is to go out to venues and perform (a.k.a Just Do It).
– On the art scene in LA: Some of the most talented folks in LA’s art scene are artists who most people have never heard of. Seek them out.
– On where to perform: Start with Zanzibar in Santa Monica.

I’m excited to track Derrick’s pragmatic approach to building a career of self-expression, and I hope that I can channel his courage and discipline as I build my own.

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