2022 CAFECITO TAKEAWAYS

NET PAY DON'T PAY

This topic hit home the most - BIPOC creatives are hit the hardest by NET 30, 60, and 90 payments. With inflation and the rising cost of living, most cannot pay rent, pay the bills, and lose opportunities because they cannot leave their secondary jobs to shoot or take on a last-minute client. Most of these comments came from emerging creatives we praise for their bylines on covers, celebrate for shooting icons, or feature in interviews, so the facade on social does not speak to the realities of their hardships. There was a lot of debate stating, "it's just now the industry works," - but it's not a right of passage. BIPOC creatives are left fighting for timely pay only to be blacklisted for "being difficult" because of microaggressions or implicit biases.

Many talented BIPOC creatives are turned down for ads/commercial jobs because of this - creating a smaller network of BIPOC creatives overall and instead giving opportunities to those who are complicit in perpetuating this dynamic. Most creatives said the only time they do get hit up is during annual cultural events (more on that on the next slide)

THIS IS NOT NEWS

NOTE TO ADS, CDS, PHOTO EDITORS & DIRECTORS
FIGHT FOR THEM AND SPEAK UP! If you are in a position of power that can make a change by breaking NET pay, do it! This is a system issue, and we are doing this to the people who sell our work. There are people within the industry who can choose to make this a priority. Pay people on time either bi-weekly or when the project is over.

Do not hire creatives if you cannot commit to giving them timely and fair pay.

CHECKING THE BOXES

Creatives worry about being boxed in to only identity-based work and are rarely considered outside of "cultural work." Most said the only time they really get hit up for work is during annual cultural events.

There was a lot of conversation about being known for only getting work that is about their identity. Examples such as BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ only attract low pay rates during Black History, Pride, AAPI Heritage, Native American, and Latinx History Months.

In a few examples, creatives expressed concerns that they only get hired for doing "Black work." While it is such a great time for diversity - there has definitely been laziness from art directors, photo editors, creative directors, and photo directors who are simply checking the boxes to improve on DEl. Some creatives even expressed the fear of being known as a

"BIPOC only" creative.

NOTE TO ADS, CDS, PHOTO EDITORS & DIRECTORS
Just because someone shows their identity through their work doesn't mean they cannot do other work. Photographers capturing their community doesn't mean that they can only shoot people of color. Give more opportunities to diverse talent, crews, and producers. Trust your creatives; otherwise, it only puts them back into boxes and is not inclusive.

GATES OPEN COME ON IN!

This industry has too much gatekeeping, which does not provide accurate portrayals of work culture or resources for those we hire to work for us. This is an injustice if we want to improve the quality of creative work or help future creatives grow.

Many creatives who expressed gratitude and appreciation are saying how much of a rarity it was to have an opportunity to speak to someone doing work from the client side. Many conversations were not easy. Coming from a creative background, I remember how I would take the risk to speak to people 1:1 and pick their brains - I can count only a handful of those people who made themselves accessible.

NOTE TO ADS, CDS, PHOTO EDITORS & DIRECTORS
Make some time to help someone grow. Share your resources and connect creatives to your network if you feel they are a good fit - believe in their worth and give them a chance. Everyone is so busy and we all live our own lives, but remember that we were all once there trying to make it. It means so much for creatives to know whether they are on track. You do not need to do it all the time, but give it a day a week, or even a few hours throughout the year, to give back. How can we continue to innovate if we do not provide creatives feedback to show them how to improve?

CONSIDER YOUR AUDIENCE

Many BIPOC creatives have only recently been given more opportunities to showcase and be considered for their work. However, their journeys getting to that place can often times feel lonely and that isolation can create an inability to understand how others (especially clients) see their work.

My advice to creatives is to always think about how you go about looking at other creatives, how you do research, and how you experience the work. What captivates you? How long are you looking at work before you go on to the next thing? We live in a phygital world where our audiences are now native to the digital language - A lot of BIPOC creatives don't think about the client's side and how to see it from that perspective because of a lack of opportunity or a lack of a prior understanding of what is expected from them. We often feel that creatives need to learn this from experience, but there are opportunities to help someone, even if it means giving them tips for the pitch.

NOTE TO ADS, CDS, PHOTO EDITORS & DIRECTORS
Give honest feedback with objective criticism that is aligned with how you search for creatives.

What are your own patterns in research and what makes things stand out for you? This is remarkably valuable information for them!! They love it, and they appreciate being in the room with you!! Talk about what you love in presentations, websites, and fellow creatives - share your work and make an impact!

BE SEEN AND HEARD

THE BEST TAKEAWAY. Helping build someone's confidence is as simple as being present and listening. It is so valuable because this can often feel like a journey taken solo. If you are creative and you think you are doubting yourself, please share your work with other creatives, or a loved one, and ask for feedback - or simply ask them to hear you out.

Establish connections and reach out to the people you admire - let them know how much you appreciate their work and how much it means to you! Even if you don't get a response from them. You have nothing to lose! Be kind and humble.

If you feel underconfident in your work, allow yourself to be vulnerable and have all the feels - it is not an easy industry you have gotten yourself into, so take the time to care about your work and what you want to do. KNOW YOUR WORTH! Believe in your art and speak up for it; otherwise, who will?

NOTE TO ADS, CDS, PHOTO EDITORS & DIRECTORS
When in the room with a creative, listen to them, hear what they are saying, and understand where they are coming from. For some creatives, opportunities may come more easily and they might be seeking specific context, but others may just want someone to reaffirm that they are on the right path or seek guidance from someone they consider successful and who has made it (YEAH, THAT'S YOU!). You are where you are because someone let you be heard, and that is the most valuable thing of all.

THANK YOU!!

FOR JOINING ME FOR SOME CAFECITO!

A hundred times, A HUGE THANKS to all of the creatives who opened up and took this time to be open, honest, and vulnerable about their fears, aspirations, hopes, feedback, and questions. I am infinitely grateful for everyone's work and for showing up.

Thanks again for your follow-ups, updated sites, new pitch decks, email templates, and enthusiasm for creativity - these are the currency of repayment for me to hopefully make a change in the lives of a few folks. I only ask you to trust your gut and show up for yourself because that's the only way we can keep building our communities up and pay it forward.

Until the next Cafecito!