BLACK EXCELLENCE SHOOT – ATLANTA, GA

After this year’s Oscars, I was pouring over Mark Seliger’s photos of the attendees & winners. Then, my friend Kirsten King and I were chatting about how wonderful it was to see so many black artists represented. We said that it would be so cool to do an Atlanta shoot inspired by those pics. We were like, WHY NOT? So, the BLACK EXCELLENCE shoot was born!

A couple of the main reasons I love this city are its fantastic diversity, and its talented and vast group of creative souls. The group of artists in our shoot is a shining example of amazing heart, effort, and skill. I am BEYOND thrilled to have been able to photograph such inspiring and beautiful people! We hope to do an annual Black Excellence shoot, since there is no shortage of greatness in our special city.

 

 

Here are the bios of the magnificent individuals in the shoot:

Karen Ceesay is an actor, writer, producer in Atlanta, Georgia. Karen started her acting journey at age ten in her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania then graduated from Spelman Collge with a B.A. in theater. A long standing member of Atlanta’s improv & sketch community, she has performed with many of the local improv/sketch troupes. Karen can currently be seen as Bertie on “The Walking Dead” (AMC), Mrs. Sinclair on “Stranger Things” (Netflix), and Veretta Henderson on “Black Lightning” (CW).
She has been an active participant in the Atlanta Film & Television community for many years, holding memberships with Georgia Production Partnership (GPP), SAG/AFTRA and also served on the Board of Directors for Women in Film & Television Atlanta (WIFTA) for several years.

OkCello is the performance and production name of Atlanta cellist and composer, Okorie Johnson. Okorie has performed and/or recorded with independent and major label artists such as De La Soul, India.Arie, Big Boi, Anthony David, Doria Roberts, Callaghan, Brenda Nicole Moorer and Victoria Canal. In 2015 Okorie launched Epi.phony, a multi-city, 12-show, concert series, integrating cello, live-sound-looping, improvisation and audience interaction. The series produced the track list for his first album, Liminal, released in 2016 and established him as a pioneer of electronic and experimental string music in the United States. Okorie’s original compositions collide jazz with classical, EDM, reggae and funk. His songs are deeply emotive and narrative, complementing each other like short stories within a collection.

Jayme Alilaw is a professional singer and actress who thrives in the operatic, classical and spiritual repertoires. Originally from Southern California, Jayme currently resides in Atlanta where she is often seen performing with The Atlanta Opera and Dad’s Garage Theater and where she runs her music education company, Music After School.

Chris Thomas Hayes is an actor, screenwriter, comedian, puppet artist, and educator originally from Hartford, CT. Atlanta based since 2008, he’s worked with The Center for Puppetry Arts, The Lakeside Theatre Company, Dark Side Of The Room, and has been seen on Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf, Adult Swim and Sesame Street.

Kirsten is a proud product of a military family and has been an actor, host and educator in Atlanta since 2006. Kirsten attended Auburn University and graduated with a BFA in Theatre Performance and immediately following graduation attended the Circle In The Square Professional Summer Conservatory in New York. She’s worked with Georgia Shakespeare, The Center for Puppetry Arts, Ansley Park Playhouse, Blankstage Productions, the Alliance Theatre, Actor’s Express, Laughing Matters, Kate’s Club, and The Home Depot, and can currently be seen performing regularly at Dad’s Garage along with being the Youth Program Director at Dad’s as well. I have a passion for education and youth engagement and am always down for a teachable moment. Once I’m inspired to take on a task it’s a done deal. And THIS deal was a big one. Organizing this shoot was such a huge tasks to take on, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way and am happy to have been able to bring such wonderful people together to be a beacon of greatness to represent Atlanta.

Andre Castenell, Jr. is a New Orleans bred Atlanta improviser. He can be found performing with Dad’s Garage Theater, Dark Side of the Room, and Perfect Strangers. You can also find him in the ‘hit’ feature film, ‘Til Love Comes. During the day, Andre works with the refugee community as the Career Services Manager at New American Pathways.

Mike Jordan is a writer and editor who covers people, places and things: music, arts, entertainment, food, politics, and other subjects in and beyond America where great, true stories on humanity and culture exist. His works have been featured at Playboy, Observer, The Outline, Eater, Upscale, HipHopDX, American Way and others, and he is the coauthor of Takeo Spikes’ book Behind The Mask. He is the founding Atlanta editor at Thrillist, hosts a monthly literary event called Lit Atlanta: Books, Booze & Beats, and plays alto saxophone — sometimes publicly. He is a native of Huntsville, Alabama, studied English at Morehouse College, and resides in East Point with his wife Jacinta and their daughter Sienna. He is no longer a fan of Kanye West.

Brenda Nicole Moorer is making a name for herself one city at a time. The Atlanta- bred songstress has already graced stages alongside some jazz heavy hitters like Christian McBride, Brandon Williams, Julie Dexter, and Roy Ayers. Headlining the next generation stage at the 2017 Atlanta Jazz Festival opened up doors for Brenda to access larger stages, performing at notable venues like the Blue Note in New York, Rockwood Music Hall, and City Winery. Brenda is a graduate of SCAD Masters degree program. As an arts advocate, she also contributes to the arts community to advance the arts in metro Atlanta and is an alumni of the Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta (ALMA) 2016. She has worked with nonprofits such as New York Philharmonic, Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre, and Center for Puppetry Arts in continuing the arts in our communities.

Kamal Grant is the owner and CEO of Sublime Doughnuts. Master of Doughnuts! As the creative mind behind Sublime Brands’ distinctive doughnut and bakeshop concept, Founder & Creative Director Kamal Grant demonstrates a love for baking and bringing smiles to customers’ faces that can only be described as awe-inspiring. In addition to an opportunity to bake, his travels with the Navy also exposed him to international culinary treats and exotic flavor and texture combinations.

YES Atlanta! YES creativity! YESSSS BLACK EXCELLENCE!