- This month on The SPARK, our theme is "Art as a Catalyst".

We'll learn about an organization connecting socially conscious shoppers to communities in need through a curated selection of ethically-made goods, a nonprofit providing musical instruments to deserving band students while promoting education and the arts, and a granting organization growing the foundation of art for our city.

We'll also share a special moment from our SPARK Awards 2023.

- From Higginbotham's founding in 1948, our insurance agency has been built on the values of customer service, leading with integrity, and supporting our community.

We believe in promoting the positives, encouraging engagement, and leading by example to power the good.

Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services is honored to be the presenting sponsor of The SPARK.

- (male announcer) Additional funding for The SPARK is provided by United Way of the Mid-South, EcOp, The Memphis Zoo, and by My Town Movers, My Town Roofing.

- Have you ever been excited by a new idea, inspired by watching someone lead by example?

When we talk about creating change, we start by sharing the stories of everyday heroes who are making a difference in their own way, so we can learn and do the same.

I'm Jeremy Park and this is The SPARK.

They're an organization connecting socially conscious shoppers to communities in need through a curated selection of ethically-sourced goods.

We're here with the Executive Director of Joffa, Brandon Wells, and let's start out, what led you to launch Joffa?

- Well, Jeremy, it started out by living overseas myself and bumping into people who were trying to have a positive impact in their communities.

And they were making goods, but they were putting them in suitcases, bringing them to the states, and trying to sell them outta a suitcase.

And I ran into enough of them that I thought, this is not a scalable business model, and can we come together, create something that would help and service a lot of different people in a lot of different places and help them to increase their impact by increasing their sales.

And so just a personal experience with people that let me just get this started.

- So what does the name Joffa mean?

- The name Joffa is just some words that we smooshed together.

Joy, the J-O, through Fair Trade, that's the F-A.

And so we bring joy to both the makers, the artisans who are getting dignified employment and restoration and education and other needs met.

So we're bringing joy to them.

And then joy to the consumer who's, who's buying from Joffa, who's able to, you know, experience a really high quality, great, unique gift or a product for themself, but they also know that while they buy that gift, they're changing someone's life and having impact around the world.

- So go ahead and tease us with some of the items.

Because it's a wide variety from jewelry, necklaces, earrings to bags.

So tease us with the items.

- Yeah, I mean, we're trying to create a catalog that can find something for anybody that, you know, you're buying a gift for or for yourself.

So, you know, everything from home goods to, as you mentioned, jewelry bags.

We're starting to get some clothing items launched soon.

And so there's a wide breadth of products and we're constantly releasing new products, constantly releasing new partners around the world so we can kind of increase that catalog.

We wanna be a large catalog that, you know, anyone can find something that would be good for a gift.

- Paint the picture of the power of these purchases.

- All of our artisan groups are located in under-resourced communities around the world.

And so we're trying to lift them up.

And each community might be struggling with a different issue.

You've mentioned several of them already.

You know, you mentioned a trafficked situation where we're trying to bring women dignity and a different option to their career path, that they can actually get out of that into something new and something that brings them dignity.

Or people who are in poverty that just don't have another option for a job, or women who are in a place in the world where they can't get out of their homes.

And so we bring the products to them so they can work from their homes.

But in all these different places that we're working, we're trying to bring dignified employment, which is fair wage, so they're getting paid really well, but also beyond that, they have a safe working environment.

They become financially stable for their family and then it brings a sense of pride and relief knowing that they're able to take care of their children and it brings the community together, beyond the dignified employment, restoration.

So like people who need counseling, people who have been exploited.

How do we bring back a full healthy life and then education and skill development?

It might be in the skill of whatever they're making, but it could be even beyond that.

You know, now that they're making a fair wage, how do they manage their money?

How could they grow in bigger, other opportunities, whether it's accounting or management or moving up in kind of that business that they've been a part of?

So we're really lifting people up, trying to give them a holistic approach to rebuilding their life and having an impact that's sustainable and long lasting.

- Talk about, you know, what you're hearing from the retailers, the artisans, and other parts of the world, and then also from, you know, the clients here stateside that are purchasing these items.

- So our partners, it's fun.

We've actually received videos of them kind of dancing around, excited about the orders 'cause our orders are the biggest that they get from anywhere else.

You know, we're providing more.

We're becoming their largest buyer for most of these artisan groups.

And some that were having to let people go, let us know, like, "Hey, we weren't gonna be able to keep "all of our people and now we're able to grow and add more people."

And so the impact is through giving them a sales channel that works for them.

They can now hire more people and have a bigger impact in their community.

And all the things we talked about before, it's the holistic impact.

And then from a customer side, customers are often surprised at the quality of the products.

I think a lot of times we feel like, hey, we're gonna buy something and do something good and it's gonna be okay.

It's, you know, it's just kind of a, but I'm doing it because I wanna have an impact or I want something that's really quality product, but it doesn't have an impact.

So people are surprised that, hey, I really can get a really nice leather bag and I'm having an impact in the world at the same time.

And so people find real satisfaction in the fact that they can enjoy the product.

You know, I have a wallet from one of our partners, and even in my mind, you know, I go to pay for something and it helps me remember to be, you know, purposeful in my purchases in my everyday life.

'Cause I know like this wallet was made by someone that had an impact in their life.

And how am I spending my money and trying to be, you know, buying things with a purpose?

- We'll wrap up with where we go to shop with a higher purpose.

Where do we go to learn more about Joffa?

- Well, you can go to our website, joffa.com, J-O-F-F-A dot com.

And as this is airing, it's getting close to Christmastime, so it's a great time to check out some gift-giving items as well.

Of course, you can follow us on social channels.

We also have a corporate gifting program.

So if a company is looking to give gifts, whether it's a gift card or a product from our catalog or a corporate, you know, your logo on a product, we can do that as well.

So corporate gifting is something we offer.

And then as we're getting to self-sufficiency, if you're interested in donating, that's available as well.

But I think right now, just getting out there and shopping would be a great help.

- Well, Brandon Wells, thank you for all you and your amazing team at Joffa do to power the good.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thanks for having me, Jeremy.

It's good to see you.

[bright music] - They're a nonprofit providing musical instruments to deserving band students and organizations.

We're here with the Founder and Executive Director of Successful Inc., Erskin Mitchell.

And let's start out with your personal story, because that's where it starts.

So give us a little bit of your background tied to music and a special instrument that inspired you to launch this nonprofit.

- Hey, Jeremy.

I'm glad to be here with you today.

And I would like to tell everybody that we are Successful Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3).

And I was inspired by starting Successful Inc. because of my mother making the sacrifice to buy me a very expensive instrument, Bach Stradivarius trumpet, which at the time we really couldn't afford it.

So the sacrifice that she made to get that instrument for me allowed us to, allowed me to continue my education to go to college on band scholarship and got us here today trying to help a lot of young people do the same thing and, you know, uplift their families and their communities.

- So talk about what you do and how the magic works.

Because you work with band directors and organizations to donate musical instruments.

So, go ahead and dive in.

- Yeah, since 2018, we started Successful Inc. in 2018, we've been building relationships with band directors.

As of now, we've got over 20 relationships with band directors and music teachers throughout the Memphis and Shelby County area as well as the Mississippi Delta.

We provide musical instruments for kids who are in band programs, who are being taught by a certified band director or music teacher.

We provide those instruments if the family's in financial constraints or if the instrument's in disrepair and there's no way to move forward.

We provide a working musical instrument for those kids free of charge.

And that's one thing that's necessary in the community because the arts have been underfunded in a lot of ways.

And so there are not a lot of instruments for the kids to have being in band and music program in the schools today.

- Give us some perspective on the cost of these instruments.

- Well, Jeremy, I'ma tell you, these instruments can cost from $300 upwards around $6,000.

It depends on what it is.

You talk about a small trumpet or a small snare drum or all the way up to sousaphone or tuba that could cost you $3,000, $4,000.

They're very expensive and a lot of the families just don't have the income to pay for these instruments.

And if we get those instruments and they need them and they've been in band and they've proven to be someone who really wants to work hard and love being in band, we make sure they get those instruments and that they're free of charge.

- You mentioned your scholarship and being able to further your career.

Talk about what the power of music and the arts means to these students.

When you talk about skill development, confidence, being able to have an identity and make friends.

I mean, there's a lot that goes into the power of the arts and music.

- Yes.

I tell you what, I've benefited from music myself because it improves your cognitive skills in ways that you don't really realize.

It makes our kids a lot smarter.

It's therapeutic playing music, so it relieves a lot of stress.

It catapults them into another level.

They make a lot of good friends and most of the kids that are in band and music programs are good kids and they tend to be the ones who go toward higher education.

We've been able to help quite a few kids and we have more than 10 kids at this point in college on band and music scholarships that we've donated instruments to in the past.

- Talk about your advocacy of the arts overall and tie that into then how the community can get behind Successful Inc. and support your efforts.

- Well, we're always advocating for band and music teachers to get funding for their programs.

We talk to superintendents, principals.

We've been reaching out to congressmens.

We're trying to advocate for band and music programs as well as the rest of the arts so that these programs won't lay dormant so long to where they fall apart.

If we let these programs lay dormant for a few years, then the programs go away and there goes the opportunity for an uplift of the young people that are in band and music.

You know, every time a kid does well in band and music programs, it helps the community, it helps the city, it helps everybody.

It's a win-win for everyone, especially that young person who's dealing with the stresses of being a teenager, you know, in this world.

You know, it's really hard.

Being in band around kids that are just like you make you a better person.

And I'm a product of that environment.

I'm a product of that whole entire thing.

And I think that if we get behind these kids and support 'em in that way, it's very, very positive for everyone.

And the way people can do that is they can go to our website, www.successfulinc.org.

They can make donations to our organization because we've reached over, we've given out over 200 instruments since we've been in existence, and we really wanna do much, much more.

So we're really reaching out for folks to help us do that and join us in partnering in this effort.

So to those of you out there that are really, really concerned about the community and concerned about our youth, we'd like for you to join with us and help us move forward.

- Well mention again the website and where we can go to learn more about Successful Inc. - You can go to www.successfulinc.org.

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

You can see all the young people that we're impacting on those platforms as well.

- Well, Erskin Mitchell, thank you for all you and your amazing team do to power the good.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thank you again, Jeremy.

[bright music] - The SPARK Awards annually recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the community.

The 2023 Individual Youth Award went to Terrell "TJay" Fuller.

- My name is Terrell TJay Fuller.

I'm a senior at the Soulsville Charter School, and I'm a business owner.

More than a Flame focuses on using aromatherapy as a way to, you know, better yourself.

The scents are just scents that are made to fit aromatherapy.

So scents like vanilla, lavender, strawberry shortcake, lemon drop and passionfruit and on the candle is an inspiring message.

So when people look at it, they're like, oh, I'm smelling something good, I'm reading something good.

And where the cookie part comes in as, you know, eating something good.

You know, you wanna have all the components to make someone happy.

So that's what my business focuses on.

When I was about 11 years old, my godmom brought up the idea of, man, you buy candles all the time, and I feel like you should do something like this.

But when you're a kid you're like, ah, nah, it's too much to a business.

Ah, I don't know if I can do it.

But I ended up joining the program.

It's called Light Memphis.

You know, they're trying to break the wealth gap of, you know, minorities in Memphis.

And so I was like, well, let me do this.

I had always had the idea to become a business owner.

I did the program and I was able to go there and learn and share my own thoughts on what I felt like it was to be a business owner.

And they helped me feel comfortable and they gave me ideas and I just kind of bounced off those ideas and I grew from there.

I ended up winning first place, you know, thankfully.

And at school, I'm kind of like the cookie guy.

I bring cookies every day.

So I'm talking about people I don't even know, they're following me.

"Hey, I heard you got cookies.

Can I get some cookies?"

I'm like, "Man, I'm trying to get to class."

And, you know, it's a lot on me.

And other than that, I'm just pretty close with everybody.

You know, the students and the teachers, they feel like I'm a good component to the school.

You know, I'm always volunteering.

Sometimes we do community service, you know, outside of school.

And I just joined student council, so I'm trying to work on having more school spirit, you know.

So people always say, oh, the school is so dry.

We don't really do anything But student council, we're trying to focus on doing better as a community for the Soulsville Charter School.

I wanna be that person that be like, "Oh yeah, he did that.

I wanna be just like him."

I've always wanted that feeling 'cause I do that to people that I don't even know, you know?

So shout out to them, shout out to those people.

I really do look up to them, you know.

I will say follow your dreams, take every opportunity, you know.

The world is yours, you know, so take that and use it to your greatest advantage.

I did that and I was able to kind of grow from that.

You know, I did things like Light, look where I am now.

You know, I'm able to look back at that and be like, if I didn't take the opportunity, I don't know what I would've been doing.

[light piano music] - They're a granting organization, growing the foundation of art for our city.

We're here with the President and CEO of ARTSmemphis, Elizabeth Rouse.

And let's start out, give us some history on ARTSmemphis.

- Yes, Jeremy, thank you so much for having me today.

ARTSmemphis celebrated our 60th anniversary a year ago, and so we are in year 61, and we were founded for the purpose of supporting the arts assets across Memphis.

And that is still our priority and really supporting arts organizations and artists so that we can ultimately strengthen our city.

So we are a grantee partner to many organizations in Shelby County and some others in West Tennessee, and also artists.

But in addition to being a grantee partner, we are really an advocate and a promoter and a connector and help arts organizations and artists in many other ways.

We try to be that hub.

And so over the last 61 years, we have granted out $97 million.

And so if all goes as planned and with the help of our contributors, this year we will surpass $100 million invested in the arts community.

- Hopefully everyone understands and appreciates the power of art as a catalyst, but talk about it from that perspective in terms of being able to use art to transform our communities.

- Memphis is known for being an art city and a music city and a dance city across the world.

And we have many tourists who come to Memphis for the arts, but the arts are really an economic driver.

The nonprofit arts sector alone in Shelby County helps generate almost 4,000 jobs.

But more than that, the arts are a tool for youth development and for bridging differences and a tool for healing and connection and so many other benefits.

And so at ARTSmemphis, we're really proud to support organizations that are prioritizing arts in neighborhoods and using the arts as a vehicle to achieve many other things.

So it's not just about creating art or performing art just to do it for people's enjoyment.

It is truly about how the arts can be a vehicle to bring people together and to heal and to connect and obviously to provide opportunities for our youth.

- Let's start with the organizations.

Talk about the grants and working with the different organizations.

- So we provide funding to about 60 different organizations.

In fact, more information about all of our grant programs can be found on artsmemphis.org.

And we hope that people will check that out and engage with us.

We have a grant program for nonprofits, regardless of whether or not they're an arts organization.

So if any nonprofit has an arts program, we have some opportunities for them.

And so we provide really critical unrestricted funds so that arts organizations can pay their staff and keep their lights on and do all those necessary things to enable them to be sustainable and available to our community.

So we have a number of different grant programs, but we've just recently announced the largest of our grant programs, which is unrestricted support.

That's reaching about 47 arts organizations.

And those groups are, some have been around for just three or four years, and some have been around for more than 100 years.

Some have budgets of $50,000 and the largest probably is The Orpheum.

So, you know, we are so fortunate in Memphis to have so many different kinds of arts organizations that are doing really important work.

And ARTSmemphis is proud to support all of 'em, regardless of their artistic discipline or what life cycle they might be in.

- Carry that over then into the individual artists, because I think this is a really special piece of the equation as well.

- So, yes, and we have just announced our new recipients of our first Arts Assist grant.

Arts Assist is, again, an unrestricted program, artists, too, need unrestricted funding to enable them to spend time in their studio and to buy necessary equipment or to prepare their marketing materials for, you know, band concert or whatever it might be.

And so artists apply to ARTSmemphis.

And then we have actually a pool of very talented jurors from all over the country who review the applications and help us make our funding decisions.

And what we found out in this first cycle is we've gotta find a way to raise more money so that we have more to give out because there is such talent and such demand for these grants.

But this Arts Assist program actually came out of some emergency funding that we did during the pandemic as artists of all different disciplines immediately lost work overnight.

And so we provided almost a million dollars to hundreds of artists across our city during the pandemic.

And that process really helped us speed up launching this ongoing program we're calling Arts Assist.

And, again, any artist who might be tuning in can find more information about this grant program, which will be an annual cycle, on our website.

- So how can the community help ARTSmemphis?

- There are hundreds of events and classes and youth programs and free things listed on our website on artsmemphis.org.

So I encourage you to go to artsmemphis.org.

You can sort by date or by genre or by venue, kids events and find something new and try it because these arts organizations and artists in our community need our support.

And you are supporting when you buy a ticket or go see some work or purchase a piece of art.

You are really becoming part of that arts ecosystem.

And so there are very easy ways to engage and there's so much variety out there.

So do that and then consider how you might be a contributor in the arts, whether that's a donor to ARTSmemphis or a supporter of one of the organizations, or maybe you decide to go to a festival this fall and purchase a piece of artwork.

And all of those are ways that you can be part of supporting the arts in the Memphis community.

- Well, you never can say it enough in the world of media.

So, mention website, social media.

Where do we go to learn more and get involved with ARTSmemphis?

- Sure.

Find us on artsmemphis.org.

You can find us on ARTSmemphis on LinkedIn and Facebook and Instagram and X.

And I hope too that you might visit artsmemphis.org and sign up for our weekly emails.

Every Thursday morning, we send out an email about what's happening in the arts that weekend, and we don't pick what's happening.

We actually have community members who check out our calendar and decide what they're excited about.

So that's a great way to keep up with all the many opportunities happening.

- Well, Elizabeth, thank you for all you and your amazing team at ARTSmemphis do to power the good.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thank you for having me.

[bright music] - As we saw in this month's episode, art has the power to transform lives and communities.

Art is a catalyst for entrepreneurship and jobs, for skill development and confidence building, for college scholarships and economic mobility, for city beautification and inspiration, and addressing critical social issues, like human trafficking, poverty, homelessness, and education.

Nonprofits like Joffa are using art as a catalyst by connecting socially conscious shoppers to communities in need, through an E-commerce platform offering a curated selection of high quality, ethically made goods so that our purchases have transformational power.

Successful Inc. is working with band directors to identify and help students in need by sourcing donations and purchasing musical instruments so students have opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive through the arts.

And ARTSmemphis is investing millions into local organizations and individual artists that provide arts experiences across Shelby County.

Their grants are making art more accessible, equitable, impactful, and sustainable.

And they're strengthening our community by using art as a catalyst.

It's a reminder that when we support the arts, we're supporting our community.

So where can you help power the good and become a spark?

To learn more about each of the guests, to watch past episodes, and to share your stories of others leading by example, visit wkno.org and click on the link for The SPARK.

We look forward to seeing you next month.

We hope that you'll continue joining with us to create a spark for the Mid-South.

- From Higginbotham's founding in 1948, our insurance agency has been built on the values of customer service, leading with integrity, and supporting our community.

We believe in promoting the positives, encouraging engagement, and leading by example to power the good.

Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services is honored to be the presenting sponsor of The SPARK.

[bright music] [acoustic guitar chords]