I was born and raised here in Jacksonville, Florida.
How was your path to your role?
My father is a photographer and introduced me to photography at a young age. However, since I like to play sports, that’s what I mainly focused on. I played basketball and soccer and got a scholarship to play college soccer. Although my NFL dreams didn’t come true, another dream came true, photography and videography. I transferred to Florida A&M University, where I studied broadcast journalism and did a lot of sports broadcast work. I was passionate about my work and took it very seriously from an early age. In 2019, Deion Sanders sent out a tweet asking to start a social team. I replied to that tweet and the next thing I knew I was on my way to Dallas to shoot a game. Deion liked my job and hired me as a summer intern. The internship turned into a full-time job. I managed all social content for Deion and his son Sheduer Sanders. When Deion took on the role of head coach at Jackson State University, I was promoted to video services director for the football team. Being away from home was exhausting, and when I decided to move back, I got the faith and applied to be a social media specialist with my home team, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
What elements of yourself flow into the content you create?
My passion is something I take pride in in every aspect of life. I capture moments that highlight emotions. I love creating content people can feel and timeless moments that live on forever. As a former athlete, I am an extremely hard worker; I bring that same blue-collar mentality to the creative field, which is why I feel like I’m succeeding. I work hard for the people who come before me. It’s only right because they fought for the opportunities we have today. When my father was a child, my grandfather brought home a camera from Vietnam. This act of kindness ignited my family’s love for film, photography and videography. Who would have thought that a gift 50 years later would open the door for me to thrive as a creator and make a career out of it? My parents are from the Deep South and they taught me a lot about our history and the pain my ancestors went through that still drives me today.
Advice for aspiring black creatives?
You only get out what you put in! This means that you will only be successful if you put in the work. There are no shortcuts in this industry. Opportunities don’t just magically fall out of the sky. You must be strategic and intentional in your craft. Find your lane, be consistent and race your way. It’s often easy to compare your trip to others, but you need to focus on your trip. My final piece of advice is to stay humble, but always know your worth!
Do you love working on your team or with the Jaguars?
Coming from Jacksonville, working for the Jaguars is a dream come true. I grew up minutes away from the stadium. When the crowd roars, you can hear it from my kitchen. The Jaguars are part of my DNA so honestly just being a part of this organization is a blessing!
Favorite memory or moment with Jaguars?
I have two moments: When I pulled up to the stadium on my first match day, I was very emotional and tears of joy flowed. The dream of making it to the NFL finally came true. The second moment was winning the playoff game at home. It’s notable when the Jags win in town; it brings incredible companionship, camaraderie and love. People from all walks of life come together when the Jags win! After this Chargers victory, the city was on ten; indeed a great moment to watch.
