Ten Best YAMZ Moments in 2021
So many new experiences to be thankful for.
This was a huge year for me as a business person, an artist, and a community member. There were so many amazing things to happen but these top ten are the most important to me. I hope you enjoy it!
10. Starting a Youtube Channel
Yes! I started a youtube channel in 2021! Whoop Whoop! In the span of a year, I released 7 videos total. These videos were mostly vlogs on my days and what I was doing in the studio. I also released one or two about popups and how they have worked for me.
Starting a youtube channel was something special for me as I've always wanted to do a long-form videos for myself and my story. I grew up watching lots of YouTube and was inspired by Casey Niestat to create vlogs to tell cool stories.
9. Not Your Hard-working Immigrant Illustration
This illustration was one of the most important and meaningful illustrations to me. The illustration was a lettering piece that I created out of something in the media. “you're such a hard-working immigrant” or “They're such hardworking immigrants''. I took up the opportunity to reflect on why this was so triggering for me as immigrants are always represented as tools of capitalism and treated like second-class citizens.
I reflected on the farmworkers in the sunbelt that work for low wages to get food on our table.
The piece was created on my Ipad in Procreate for the iPad. I also made a TikTok for the pice and it became one of my most viewed tiktoks ever!
You can see that here on my tiktok profile
This is one of the first times this year that I made a piece that really spoke to the way I was feeling. The creative process was really about processing my feelings about that phrase and reflection on why I made it.
8. Being in a Mitu article
A huge move this year was being in this amazing feature with 8 other immigrant-owned businesses. Not only was this a great way to build more community but it really showed us that there are a lot of immigrant-owned businesses that are succeeding!
To me this was a show of strength and unity as we stood together as undocumented-owned businesses.
Extremely grateful for this moment! So excited to be featured in more articles and publications.
7. Working with Businesses and organizations across Denver
Did you know I do more than just make stickers and badass illustrations!!! Well, I do a lot of cool work behind the scenes that don't make it on to social media too much. In 2021 the YAMZ world of color provided design services to a range of businesses and organizations in Colorado and across the country.
A special thanks to The Latino Community Foundation of Colorado, The Motus Theater in Boulder, Johnson Law Group, The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, and La Diabla Denver for their constant support of my work and vision.
Most of the organizations I work for are latino and immigrant serving or are owned by people of color. To me this is important as I want to move work forward that is important to my community.
6. Creating a line of Astrology stickers
I Had to include the creation of these stickers in the top ten YAMZ moments for so many reasons. The first one is that they are so darn cool! This was another creative breakthrough for me as I created 12 designs that became the best-selling item in my shop for all of 2021.
I used so many tools in my arsenal to create these. My illustration skills, my color matching skills, branding tools, and on and on. I was extremely proud of how these turned out and the reaction from the community has been amazing!
So excited for how many more designs there are to come just from this line of stickers!
5. Side Hustlers Coaching Program
This year I had the opportunity to be part of Coach Scotty Russels Side Hustlers coaching program for Fall 2021. During these 12 weeks, I had the opportunity to be part of a cohort of fellow creatives looking to find their way forward in their creative practice. Led by Coach Scotty Russell of the Side hustlers perspective podcast, this program was an absolutely game-changing experience for me.
A lot of things came out of the program, including this blog. For me the program was all about finding how my creative voice fits into the greater picture in my creative practice and what steps forward can take in order to best big on myself, grow a community and create authentic work that speaks to my heart and the heart of my community.
I am going to make a bigger blog post specifically talking about this so stay tuned. For now you can hear my episode of the podcast here
Picture
4. 100 Day Project
Yes, you heard that right and maybe you didn't even know that I had done this. Every year the famous designer Michael Beirut puts on the challenge of creating something for 100 days in a row. Check out more of the challenge here
Everyone's challenge is going to be defined by themselves and for me, it was sitting down and creating an illustration piece that I could only do for 45 minutes a day. This was a very daunting task because I had never undergone such a big daily project. I had done some daily projects before but nothing in the span of 100 days.
To me, this was the challenge of practicing, getting quicker at putting down sketches, and getting an illustration to the finish line. Let me tell you… I made so much art. Some amazing, some really bad. I had so much fun doing this and it really made leaps and bounds for my illustration practice.
Check out the video recap here.
3. Adelitas Collaboration
Another one of my favorite moments in 2021 was my collaboration adelitas apparel
Adelitas apparel is an immigrant-owned business made by the undocumented community for the undocumented community. In late 2020 I reached out to them to connect with them as a fellow undocumented business. We connected a nd the rest is history.
The collaboration leads us to create three shirt designs and two stickers. Two of the shirts and one of the stickers went to their DACA fund which provides funding to those who are renewing their DACA application.
This collaboration was very special to me at it is one of the first times an apparel brand has used my designs for their brand. Not to mention that it was someone who shares a similar story and identity to myself. This was very special to me!
2. Latinas LEAD Conference
Coming in second in the best YAMZ moments of 2021 is being part of the Latinas LEAD power summit in the summer. The Latinas Lead power summit is put on by the Latino Community foundation of colorado (LCFC). The conference is a bilingual and culturally relevant shared learning environment where Latinas of all ages and backgrounds could share their unique strengths as well as challenges and discover powerful strategies to advance their personal and professional leadership.
Not only did I design the conference look for the year but i was also contracted to create a special video for the conference. Here my mom told the story of what it means to her to be latina and what it means to latinas. Using data we gathered from the Latina community across colorado we created a special sticker that was given out to donors during the conference!
1. YAMZ Popups
The number one spot in this year's countdown is definitely the 30 + popups I had this year. The best part of my 2021 was getting to meet people, eat some bomb food and be in a community with so many folks around Denver.
This summer I started to do in-person vendor events. These events ranged from vegan food truck rallies, Latinx vendor events, and Queer events. Honestly, I thought I would maybe do 5 at most but I ended up doing 30 this year. To top it all off I didn't start doing in-person vendor events until May of 2021. That means I didn't even start until about halfway through the year.
In-person events were a great way to meet a lot of other businesses and create a network of like-minded business owners.
Thankful for this year and so ready for the next.
Thank you to everyone that supported me this year in big and small ways. Every ounce and drop of support goes a very long way and without you, there would be no YAMZ.
I hope your holidays are fille with nothing but Joy
Peace love and YAMZ aka Brayan
