Sasha Lewis is a blogger, graphic artist, dancer, mental health and well-being advocate and single mama to a two year old baby girl. Sasha didn’t always think that her creative journey would lead her to blogging. In fact, she always believed dance was going to be her way. However when she was in her teens, her world was flipped upside down when she was told after an accident that she was never going to be able to do the things she loved to do, and her struggle to understand herself and her mental health began.

Sasha attended The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and initiated the possibility of a career in retail design, merchandising, and marketing. She silently battled her mental health hurdles when she began dealing with with anxiety, depression and OCD, but knew that it couldn't break her completely.
After years of struggling with her mental health and one beautiful baby girl on the spectrum of Autism later, Sasha created a safe space for those struggling with their mental health to turn to: The Cha-Cha blog. Her blog touches on wellness, lifestyle and even home decor as a way to serve as inspiration, and a source of information and entertainment. Most importantly the blog has created a community of positivity and open communication. The Cha Cha Blog is intended to be the outlet for others, that she wishes she had at the start of her journey.

Episode Highlights:

• The Cha Cha Blog and The Orderly Disorder about parenting and autism
• Dancing and an accident
• FIDM
• Retail design, marketing
• Dance competitions and breaking out of the validation construct
• Social Media - an artist’s new portfolio
• Full Time: Graphic Design, blogging and Single mama to baby with autism
  • The How question and future kids
• Seeing life through the eyes of someone with special needs
• “Numb”
• Postpartum depression & OCD
• Feels unnatural, but normal

Where to find Sasha’s blog:
www.thechachablog.com
Instagram: @sasha___monique

Podcast host of Word by Lolo, Founder CEO of the digital marketing agency, Rise DMA, writer and poet - Elizabeth Hidalgo, or Lolo, is a southern california native who is now based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Lolo is pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree in Digital Audiences at Arizona State University and has over 5 years of experience in creative writing, social media management and re-branding. Lolo mentioned that she “loves people through her words” and it’s proven true as she’s carried on her love for reading and writing and after a heavy time in her personal life, Lolo turned to the microphone and started her podcast show, Word by Lolo.

Elizabeth also “rose” through pain in her previous job, which inspired her to start her business, RISE Digital Marketing services, with the centralized goal to storytell through content creation.
Lolo’s desire to create is moved by her will to connect with people through her words.
Word by Lolo is available for streaming on Apple, Spotify and Soundcloud.
Episode Highlights

• Who is Lolo?
• Creating Authentically
• A natural writer
• Reciprocating feeling and writing
• Her present version of herself envisioned as a child
• Poetry Background(s)
• Lolo’s debut poetry slam piece inspired by the movie “Love Jones”
• How a toxic workplace led her to kick start her business at the front of the pandemic
• Her first “Dance” - Calling the suicide prevention hotline
• "I want to keep dancing"

Where to connect with Elizabeth:
Instagram: @classic_hidalgo; @wordbylolo; @risedma
Websites:
www.risedigital.marketing/
https://linktr.ee/classic_hidalgo
SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: 1-800-273-8255
Visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org for more info if you or someone you know may need assistance. On this website:

• You can obtain professional resources for mental health services
• 24 hour live chat with personnel
• Discover how you can get involved
• Read stories of hope and recovery

Tess Henderson is a professional Interior Designer. Founder, Creative Director, and Principal Designer of Tess Interiors based out of Los Angeles California. Also, Tess is a lover of all things beautiful, an adrenaline junkie, dog mom, sister, daughter, auntie, girlfriend, and an all around empath.

A creative experimenter at heart, she had always found opportunities in the ability to create. Growing up, she was introduced to the idea of interior design by her mother and experimented with color palettes of different papers after trips to Michaels. It was then, shortly into her teen years when her mom introduced to her the idea of Interior design as a career.

After a brief experience working at an admirable design firm, Tess was catapulted into making a determination for her career’s turn of events due to the unpredictability of 2020 and its impact on businesses.

A young woman who was sure in who she was and aspired to be her own boss and in creative control of her vision, she went onto becoming CEO of her Interior Design firm, Tess Interiors.
Episode Highlights:

• Interior Designing and it's many layers
  • Construction management
  • Architecture
• What interior designing means to Tess - it's more personal
• How her Mom inspired and pushed her to pursue this field
• Working in the industry in San Francisco
  • Hospitality interior designing
  • Her "Devil Wears Prada" Experience
• Her nephew's birth that changed her trajectory
  • Moving back to Los Angeles
• Dream position cut short due to the pandemic
• Layoff and jump start into her business on the same day
• Being in love with the process
• Interior Design - It's deeper than that
  • creative process with clients
• Making her client's vision come to life
• Tess's Dance - Feeling of loss and importance of "feeling everything"
• "Having is not so great a thing as wanting."

Where to connect with Tess and seek her services:

Instagram: @tessinteriors

Website: https://www.tessinteriors.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessinteriors/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tessinteriors/

Jonathan Dixon is a photographer, artist, Black creative, adventurist and lover of the outdoors who works to capture the magic of moments through photos. Jon is from Ventura, CA and has always had a passion for photography. However, it wasn’t until 3 years ago in 2018, after much time spent going through the motions working in an industry where he lacked passion, he decided to walk down the street on his lunch break and make a purchase of his first professional camera - the first major step into walking into his creative purpose.
Since then, Jon has shot family sessions, weddings, landscapes and after a tumultuous year that 2020 soon became known to be, he also captured the social justice movement that occurred in Ventura County, CA during times of civil unrest and the loud plea for justice. Jon shortly after served beyond the US borders and flew out to Kenya in East Africa, with The Love Foundation and connected with his camera to Kenya’s exotic animals and its beautiful people and felt a realignment in doing so.
Jon embodies the creative process and enjoys the process of pushing himself into uncomfortable positions to test his limits with his art that is now his full time profession.
Episode Highlights:

• Photographer, Landscape Junkie + Pushing the boundaries
• Landscape photography
• Breaking out of the corporate structure
• Investing in his technology
• “Accidentally” Capturing the 2020 protests - as a Black Creative
• Re-connecting in Kenya with the Love FoundationWildlife
  • Connecting with the people in the villages and slums
  • Self-Taught & Family mentorship in photography
• Sink or Swim - Creating necessary pressure
• Booking his first gig, with clients at his “regular” job
• Jon and his “Gift”
• The change in human connection with social media
• Endless creative potential

Where to connect with Jon:
Instagram - @Jdixon_shots
Websites - Jdixonphoto.com, for prints, session inquiries and more of his work

Burju Perez is a mommy of two, wife, former professional Latin Dancer and CEO and lead designer, of the world renowned quality, customizable professional dance shoe/dance heels brand Burju Shoes, based out of Massachusetts. Burju was born in Istanbul Turkey prior to immigrating to the United States. As an adult, she began her professional career by studying International Business at Boston University, prior to landing a job in banking. Burju began Latin dancing in college, where she met her then dance partner, now husband, and launched herself into the world of Latin dancing for 15 years, which included instructing, competing and paid gigs around the world.
An artist at heart, Burju combined her love of creativity and dance when altering modern Latin dance shoes for her teammates with more fun colors, jewels, feathers and with an emphasis on comfort. Burju unknowingly unlocked a level of her passion and was building her business before she knew it; Burju Shoes was created in 2010.
Burju has collaborated with widely respected and talented names in the dance industry such as Kiira Harper, Nicole Kirkland and Janelle Ginestra. Burju heels have been worn by high profile music artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Normani, Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Hadise, Meg the Stallion, for numerous concert tours and award shows such as MTV’s Video Music Awards. Most importantly, Burju’s shoes are worn by dancers of all ethnic/gender/non-binary backgrounds all over the globe.

Burju Shoes is a brand that celebrates diversity and aims at strengthening our communities by highlighting the individual's inner confidence through fashion.

In this episode, Burju and Ariana speak about the story of Burju Shoes and what it was that challenged Burju to stay true to her vision and mission as a brand and a person.

Burju Shoes Instagram: @burjushoes

Website: https://burjushoes.com

Episode Highlights:

About Burju

• A brand that doesn’t just profit - a brand that lifts and supports
• Burju: An Artist’s spirit
• Child of immigrant parents
• Challenging the structure
• Heels community, pole dance community (!!)
• Branding It + Pop Up Shops
• Her crossroads and full time Burju

BURJU SHOES: The Beginning

• Constant observation
• Shoe Talk
• Artist bucket list?
• Serving a need
• The importance of appropriate gear

BURJU’S DANCE

• “I have to maybe fail at this.”
• Full Transparency: Defining herself and her business
  • Learn and grow as a business owner and human being
• Burju’s little nuggets of wisdom

BURJU’S GIFT