Skip to main content

| 15th Anniversary  |  January 15-31, 2027 |  Exchanging Ideas  |  Inspiring Discussion  |  Igniting Change

| 15th Anniversary  |  January 15-31, 2027 |  Exchanging Ideas  |  Inspiring Discussion  |  Igniting Change

| 15th Anniversary  |  January 15-31, 2027 |  Exchanging Ideas  |  Inspiring Discussion  |  Igniting Change

| 15th Anniversary  |  January 15-31, 2027 |  Exchanging Ideas  |  Inspiring Discussion  |  Igniting Change

Category

NEWS

Jul 28
Love0

1005 Faces Project a Look at the Real San Antonio / San Antonio Express News

By NEWS

By Elaine Ayala : July 28, 2013

Katy Castillo

Katy Castillo

Sarah Lyons’ project sounded simple enough: Get an interesting cross-section of San Antonians to write down a few words on an 8 ½- by 11-inch white board and shoot a crisp black-and-white image of them holding it.

Little did Lyons know that a marker board ultimately would offer such powerful and prophetic missives, or that they’d provoke such laughter or contemplation.

Along the way, 1005 Faces, the name of the work, has bloomed into a public art project and unexpected teaching tool.

It was born out of this year’s inaugural DreamWeek San Antonio, a series of events commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

As she photographed its 30 events over 12 days, the city’s diversity took center stage. DreamWeek creator Sho Nakpodia remarked afterward that Lyons had 1,000 faces of San Antonio. That, as they say, was that.

She has reached the half-way mark and, already, you can see her images across the street from Rosario’s in Southtown, on her web site and Facebook page. Her goals include murals near Rittiman at Interstate 35 and Marbach at Loop 410, “spots that don’t get touched by public art.”

Her images tell an evocative story of a city — from Venus Prado’s self-description as “Human” and Andrés Durá’s thought-provoking “Native Immigrant,” and from the woman channeling Doris Day’s “Que Sera Sera” to David Robinson’s “Trust in the Lord” and “Go Spurs.”

Lyons, a native San Antonian and summa cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2009, was drawn to photography after a traumatic experience. A boyfriend accidentally killed himself a few days after she had taken photos of him.

The residual power of those images led her to a professional-quality camera. She signed up for a class at San Antonio College and, “Before I knew it, I’d taken all the classes.”

David Robinson

David Robinson

For 1005 Faces, she has gone to Rackspace’s Geekdom and a South Side park, to a Marie Antoinettish photo shoot and to a place where belly dancers do their thing.

The project’s messages are as wide-ranging as their writers. They caution to “Claim progress rather than perfection,” and to “Pray to God but row toward the shore.”

“If Plan A doesn’t work,” an optimist offers, “remember there are 25 other letters in the alphabet.” And while one cautions to “Start small,” Nakpodia dares us to “Dream big.”

Other notes and faces are fun or fanciful. Lyons’ daughter wrote, “Sup.” A doctor warned, “I see things in you others don’t.” Some explained a philosophy: “Dress British, Think Yiddish,” or admitted that “White boards make me look fat.”

Lyons won a $1,000 grant from the Awesome Foundation, which paid for a mural at the corner of Alamo and St. Mary’s streets. The building’s new owner is interested in underwriting a similar mural on the other side.

Lyons’ dream is to show at the Institute of Texan Cultures or the San Antonio International Airport. That would give people a different view of San Antonio, instead of “Welcome to the party,” which has become the city’s brand.

Venus Prado

Venus Prado

Lyons plans to complete the project in time for next year’s DreamWeek, when she’ll exhibit 1005 Faces.

She’s not quite done reaching out to more of San Antonio. She plans to include San Antonio’s elderly, its punk rockers and drag queens, too.

Lyons wants to include faces of refugees, wounded warriors, the medical community and well-known people, including Mayor Julián Castro, philanthropist Red McCombs, author Sandra Cisneros and perhaps the most elusive of all — actor Tommy Lee Jones.

A girl can dream.

eayala@express-news.net

Twitter: @ElaineAyala

1005 Faces

Sarah Lyons Photography

DreamWeek San Antonio

The Awesome Foundation

–Source

Mar 25
Love0

1005 Faces by Sarah Brooke Lyons / The Rivard Report

By NEWS

By Rivard Report Staff : March 25, 2013

Local photographer Sarah Brooke Lyons.

Local photographer Sarah Brooke Lyons.

Sarah Brooke Lyons: 1005 Faces was created to showcase the diversity of San Antonio through the faces and thoughts of our community, and in doing so provide a clear image of what our San Antonio really looks like. I want to bring together the innovators, creatives, and any other awesome people in our city to celebrate and explore the future of San Antonio – away from the stereotypes of River Walk and margaritas. I’m looking forward to a future where San Antonio is seen as a cosmopolitan, multicultural epicenter with eclectic people looking to create an awesome place to live.

After spending 10 days photographing various multicultural events with DreamWeek San Antonio (a production of DreamVoice LLC), I was excited to continue their vision. I want to celebrate the incredible people here! 1005 Faces is a collaborative art project as it can only be created by the coming together of friends and strangers to create the full scope, and fulfill the goal of photographing 1005 distinct faces.

RR: Some of these folks are people the general public can recognize – local celebrities, some may only be recognized by friends and family. What criteria/thought process do you use when deciding who to photograph?

SBL: When all 1,005 faces have been photographed, I want to be able to show a very diverse group of faces, styles, ages, ethnicities, and ideas of the San Antonio community. I’ve begun by partnering with individuals who have similar visions for the city, and extending into their social network. Along with individuals, I have reached out to other various organizations, restaurants, coffee shops, and generally cool businesses that are making San Antonio incredible, and showcasing the faces associated with those groups.

Founding Partner and Creative Director of The MightyGroup and Dream Week President and Co-founder San Antonio Shokare Nikori Nakpodia.

Founding Partner and Creative Director of The MightyGroup and Dream Week President and Co-founder San Antonio Shokare Nikori Nakpodia.

I hope to be able to document some of the refugee population, more of the aging population, and a more niche interests groups. The best part of the project so far has been the great conversation I have had, and interesting people I have met. I have enjoyed keeping the sessions to small groups so that I can take my time getting to know people with each portrait.

[On April 6, during First Friday festivities, DreamVoice will be hosting a gathering for Sarah to capture more San Antonio faces at 1160 E. Commerce Suite 200. Check out the Facebook event page.]

RR: What’s the endgame – what message do you hope people will take away from this collection?

SBL: I would like to culminate the project with large-scale public art pieces located throughout the city giving a more tangible representation of the vision that San Antonio is innovative and interesting and fill of awesome people. I hope that through this project people will be able to look at the city through a different lens, beyond the typical cliché’s associated with San Antonio.

In our city we have so many incredible people doing interesting things, but there is very little unification to these efforts. When we think of art in San Antonio, the general association is with downtown, or Blue Star, but all over the city there are people are creating and innovating. This project is a visual reminder of the great number of people here that are instrumental in the direction our city is headed, and hopefully it will unify some of these efforts.

RR: Why black and white?

SBL: I want the photos to be very unified and consistent. Photographing in black and white takes away any distraction that color may play, and allows you to focus on the person’s face and their message. I also had a mug shot in mind for the composition, and wanted to stay with that feel. A very straight forward representation of self.

#52, Byrdie Franco. Photo by Sarah Brooke Lyons.

#52, Byrdie Franco. Photo by Sarah Brooke Lyons.

RR: What’s the significance of the accompanying words?

SBL: I give very little guidance in what to put on the sign, because I want each person’s interpretation to be unique. As a community art piece, I want everyone to have a say in contributing what they believe their sign should like. By having no guidelines, I have a true reflection of a diversity of thoughts and ideas, not just faces. I have found it fascinating the different ways that people want to be able to contribute their statement. Some people best express themselves with a drawing, others see it as on opportunity to leave a profound message, and others just want to be funny or ironic.
RR: Why 1,005? Why not 1,000?

SBL: Because 1006 is too much, and 1000 isn’t enough.

RR: How many photos do you have so far? How long do you expect it will take to get all 1,005?

SBL: I’ve photographed around 200 so far in about a month’s time. I expect to be done by the end of the year, if not sooner – but I am putting absolutely no deadline on it. I want to be able to really enjoy the experience of meeting new people and having great conversations.

RR: Is there anyone in particular that you’d like to photograph in the future?

SBL: Mayor Julian Castro, and his brother Joaquin Castro, David Robinson, Pastor Max Lucado and his wife Denalyn, Bill Greehy, George Strait, Gordan Hartman, Jason Dady, Andrew Weisman, and a few of the Spurs. There are also a few groups I would love to have represented such as the refugees here in town and members of the military.

RR: Photography is your full time job – a position that is difficult to achieve for many young photographers. How did you develop your craft/business?

SBL: As a single parent I think sheer necessity for survival and absolute passion have given me no other option than to work as hard as I possibly can. I studied photography at San Antonio College, and finished up my associates degree there. After I had my daughter, I went back to school to become a teacher, and began photographing as a part-time job to get through school.

Homes in Burkina Faso. Photo by Sarah Brooke Lyons.

Homes in Burkina Faso. Photo by Sarah Brooke Lyons.

By the time I finished my degree I realized that teaching was not for me, and went into photography full force. I’ve worked incredibly hard since then, taking every job I could. I’ve worked for other photographers as assistants, second shooters, and photo editors. I’ve stayed up all night editing, and responding to emails. I’ve just generally been working really hard for quite a while, and don’t intend to stop working really hard until my dreams become my reality.
RR: What’s the (technically) hardest photograph you’ve ever taken?

SBL: The most difficult technical shots for me are product photography involving glass or particularly shiny surfaces. They are just really hard to light correctly. I’ve learned to pass these along to other photographers, and stick to the people shots.
RR: What’s the (emotionally) hardest photograph you’ve ever taken?

SBL: The hardest photos I’ve taken emotionally were from a trip to Burkina Faso, Africa. I wanted to effectively convey the desperation and urgency of the situation of the people there, but didn’t want to create photos that elicited pity and showcased the typical “starving orphan” image.

Boys relax in the shade in a village in Burkina Faso. Photo by Sarah Brooke Lyons.

Boys relax in the shade in a village in Burkina Faso. Photo by Sarah Brooke Lyons.

There was a joy and beauty among the people of Burkina Faso, and they held within themselves such strength and humanity, and I wanted all of that to come through in my images. It also made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough, and that left me with new-found sense of determination to shine a light into the darkness through photography. This lit a fire in me to find a way to document and effectively convey the needs of others in hope of lighting this passion in the hearts of those who can help.
RR: How can people get a hold of you? [website, email, FB, twitter etc?]

Email: smile@sarahpix.com

Website: www.sarahbrookephotography.com

The project itself is up on Facebook at 1005 Faces.

They can also find me on facebook at Sarah Brooke Lyons or Sarah Brooke Photography.

–Source

Feb 18
Love0

Creative thinker celebrates King / My SA

By NEWS

By Elaine Ayala : January 18, 2013

Shokare "Sho" Nakpodia says he'd like next year's DreamWeek to focus on celebrating people's successes. Photo by Helen L. Montoya/SA Express-News

Shokare “Sho” Nakpodia says he’d like next year’s DreamWeek to focus on celebrating people’s successes.
Photo by Helen L. Montoya/SA Express-News

For 12 days in January, Shokare Nakpodia helped drive diverse and disparate groups to join in the first-ever DreamWeek, a series of panels, workshops and mixers celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.

A San Antonian by way of London, New York and his native Lagos, Nigeria, he is known for bringing people together and articulating a message.

Friends say if “Sho” builds it, they will come. In the end, more than 60 events made up DreamWeek.

“All in all, it was an incredible success,” said Nakpodia, who with wife Tracy owns The Mighty Group, a multimedia design, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Sunset Station.

The Mighty Group built DreamWeek’s vision and website. Already, he’s dreaming of 2014, when he’d like San Antonians to take the occasion to share their dreams and acknowledge reaching part or all of them.

“It’s one of the things we don’t do enough — celebrate our successes,” he said.

In just under a decade, Sho and Tracy Nakpodia built a clientele that has included various City of San Antonio departments and the Zachry Corp.

Friends and clients use words such as creative, innovative, even genius to describe him.

“He understands a client’s needs and delivers above expectations,” said Terri Toennies, general manager of the LA Auto Show, who hired him to rebrand Sunset Station and design its new website.

“He has the ability to look beyond what people see right away,” she said. “Then he tells you, ‘This is what you should be talking about.’”

Nakpodia, a permanent legal resident on his way to citizenship, declined to give his age. He and his Illinois-born wife have two children, Amaya, 10, and Edafe, 7.

He has come a long way from his village in Nigeria, where his father, the late Laggy Nakpodia, was a chief. Before anyone begins to conjure images of African royalty, Nakpodia explains that a chief is like a city councilman. His father, who had 12 children, was also an oil company executive.

His parents were first-generation college graduates at a time when that nation elevated such students to national leadership. But he speaks of his grandmother as having great wisdom.

From an early age, he loved language.

He read all of Shakespeare, and the works of African thinkers — but he came to see African American intellectuals as the most gifted on earth for their ability to overcome so much adversity. They became “the glue” between the West and Africa, he said.

“It was odd … they were looking at Africans,” yet they were the real Africans in the global sense, Nakpodia said.

He earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Leeds, mostly at his father’s urging — but it wasn’t his bliss.

His life changed when his father was killed by a gunman in the late 1980s for “political reasons,” Nakpodia said. Even today he can’t bear to talk about it, though he’ll speak of his father’s joy, his parenting by parable and his love of debate.

When Nakpodia got to New York, he did odd jobs and drove a cab, hoping to become a writer — but people seemed more interested in “the doodles” alongside his stories. He went to the School of Visual Arts and did several illustrations for the New York Times, he said.

It paved the way to his current work.

He came to San Antonio with his wife in 2001. He worked for his brother-in-law and taught himself web design and programming and in 2002 made “a mighty leap of faith” to start up his creative agency.

The dread he left in New York and Nigeria still surfaces from time to time — the idea that, “I haven’t created anything on this planet.”

DreamWeek helped. He’s proud it gathered so many kinds of people. He doesn’t like using labels such as black, white and Latino, because they don’t really help define people, he said.

Nakpodia also has served on boards and commissions, including Goodwill Industries and the Downtown Alliance of San Antonio, and has been involved in numerous East Side events.

His “adopted” sister Adaku Okoro said she’s glad he’s “no longer hidden,” and has a wider audience for his talents.

Aaronetta Pierce, a longtime arts patron, has adopted Nakpodia, too. “I often think of Sho and Tracy as a dynamic duo because, together, they represent much of what is good about a community business,” she said.

Nakpodia seems shy about those accolades. But he is his father’s son. Like the chief, he’d like to seek public office. He isn’t sure what, but he intends to run.

eayala@express-news.net

Twitter: @ElaineAyala

–Source

Jan 11
Love0

DreamWeek Sets A Goal To Share San Antonio’s Voice / San Antonio Business Journal

By NEWS

By Andi Rodriguez : January 11, 2013

On Jan. 21, San Antonio will host the nation’s largest Martin Luther King Jr. march and day of service, designed to strengthen communities and bridge barriers, moving us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.

However for Shokare (Sho) Nakpodia, one day wasn’t enough. Nakpodia, founding partner of San Antonio agency The MightyGroup, has kicked off ‘DreamWeek,’ celebrating Dr. King’s spirit for 12 days with a citywide summit.

Nakpodia explains this inaugural event is intended to promote an exchange of ideas on universal issues facing our multi-cultural community.

Nakpodia, who emigrated to the U.S. from a village in Africa, is today a successful agency owner and regarded community leader.

However, it was at the suggestion of Mayor Julián Castro, that he reached further, beyond his commercial success, to make a difference.

“The mayor challenged us to find ways to tell San Antonio’s story to a national audience … and what renders us unique,” Nakpodia says. He spoke to numerous leaders across the city and it was Tom Frost senior who led him to his DreamWeek idea.

“Tom shared that within his travels and experience, he discovered that San Antonio was highly regarded for the civilized way in which we resolved conflicts, and that led me back to Dr. King,” Nakpodia continues.

Nakpodia articulates that the singular goal of DreamWeek is to advance the voice and engage those who seek to understand their communities’ key issues by providing a forum for diverse partners and activities.

Starting Jan. 11 through Tuesday, Jan. 22, DreamWeek’s 12 days will focus on the following themes: City, Sports, Cuisine, Health, Energy, Technology, Education, Arts, Youth, Spirit, Justice and Business — with corresponding events all within or near San Antonio’s downtown area.

–Source

Jan 07
Love0

First DreamWeek to begin with SAGE briefing / San Antonio Express News

By NEWS

By Mark D. Wilson : January 7, 2013

San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE) will hold its quarterly Eastside Business Briefing Friday at 7:30 a.m. to coincide with the beginning of the first 12-day multicultural summit DreamWeek. The briefing will be held at The Spire, 230 Center St.

Sho Nakpodia, president of DreamWeek, said the idea behind the event is to get as many people as possible to modernize Martin Luther King Jr.’s message by providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and meaningful discussions about universal issues facing in the city’s diverse communities.

“We want to create this dynamic celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision,” Nakpodia said.

A part of that vision, according to DreamWeek’s website, is “to lay the foundation of tolerance, by creating dialog across cultures and communities.”

DreamWeek activities run from Friday through Jan. 22, and revolve around the themes of the city, sports, cuisine, health, energy, technology, education, arts, youth, spirit, justice and business. Events include morning workshops, luncheons and evening mixers in an around the downtown area.

The 12-day gathering wraps up with one of the largest MLK Day march in the United States, an event which was begun 26 years ago.

Jackie Gorman, SAGE executive director, said the SAGE briefing on Friday will feature a panel discussion led by community activist Aaronetta Pierce, a nationally known speaker on African American art; Katie Luber, director of the San Antonio Museum of Art; and others.

The briefing will focus on “the business of culture,” Gorman said.

Gorman said part of King’s vision was a shared culture, where all cultures are recognized and valued.

More information on the first annual DreamWeek is available at www.dreamweek.org.

mdwilson@primetimenewspapers.com

 

Dec 17
Love0

S.A. summit to discuss multi-cultural issues / My SA

By NEWS

December 17, 2012

DreamWeek 2013 is a city-wide summit and annual conference promoting an exchange of ideas on universal issues facing San Antnio’s communities.

The inaugural 12-day global exchange and celebration will kick off Jan. 11, and will run through Jan. 22. Anchored on San Antonio’s East Side, DreamWeek events will be concentrated in the downtown area; from Blue Star, the Guadalupe Theater to the Carver, Biga on the Banks to Tong’s Thai.

The goal of DreamWeek is to “Advance the Voice” by providing San Antonio — a city that hosts the largest MLK March in the country—with an annual conference that will add excitement, community vitality and economic activity to its calendar of events leading up to the 2013 March.

Each of the twelve days of DreamWeek is dedicated to one of the following themes: city, sports, cuisine, health, energy, technology, education, arts, youth, spirit, justice and business, with corresponding events all within or near San Antonio’s downtown area.

For more information on how to become a sponsor or partner with DreamWeek, call 444-2315, visit www.dreamweek.org or email mail@dreamweek.org.

–Source