BOLD

LOUD

INTENTIONAL        

I AM LEON WILLIS, PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AND ART EDUCATOR.  IT IS MY MISSION TO PROVIDE ACCESS AND EQUITY IN THE ARTS TO AT RISK YOUTH.

GROWING UP AS A MIXED-RACE CHILD HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.  AS THE SON OF A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP, I WAS ANGRY, RESENTFUL AND FULL OF RAGE.  I SUFFERED FROM IDENTITY CRISIS AND I HAD LITTLE TO NO CONTACT WITH MY FATHER, NO RELATIONSHIP WITH MY AFRICAN ANCESTRY AND I FELT LONELY AND MISUNDERSTOOD.

I STRUGGLED WITH MY IDENTITY AS A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA.  BEING A CHILD OF A MIXED RELATIONSHIP, RAISED BY A WHITE WOMAN, IN A COLORLESS WORLD WITH LITTLE TO NO CONNECTION TO MY ROOTS.

I LEARNED TO SAFELY EXPRESS MYSELF THROUGH THE HIP HOP CULTURE.  BECOMING A GRAFFITI WRITER LED ME TO INCARCERATION.   NOW WITH AN EXPUNGED RECORD, I AM USING MY MISTAKES TO INTRODUCE, EDUCATE AND UPLIFT OTHERS THROUGH THE HIP HOP CULTURE.

MY BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION IN SELF AWARENESS HAS TRANSFORMED ME INTO A LEADER, ENTREPRENUR, AND WAY-SHOWER IN THE COMMUNITY.  WITH A FELONY RECORD, I BECAME A BUSINESS OWNER TO CREATE AND CONTROL MY OWN DESTINY.