We recently connected with Amiri Richardson-Keys and have shared our conversation below.
Amiri , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
I was raised in a single-parent home with my mother. She raised my brother and me in a very urban neighborhood on the North Side of Richmond, VA. My mother ensured that my brother and I stayed occupied with activities outside the community To ensure we would not get caught up in the neighborhood trouble. I couldn’t appreciate it at the time. However, she understood the magnitude of the experiences she offered us would, later on, significantly impact us and make us well-versed in different areas instead of only putting us in sports such as basketball and football. My mother put us in boy scouts, martial Arts (Tae Kwon Do), and various creative art camps. I did not know that in my 30s, along with my wife, we would embark on a journey to open a community center offering activities I did as a youth. So those skills that I learned and my fun are now being transferred to the next generation.
Amiri , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My career as a professional artist began after I was laid off from my corporate job in 2013. In 2014, my wife and I founded The A.R.T.S. Community Center. We foster an environment that encourages everyone to discover their creative side and offer creative activities for people of all ages. All ages can take the artistic classes we provide. We offer a comprehensive preschool curriculum for children ages 2 to 5 to prepare them for kindergarten. We offer a full-time summer camp jam-packed with all your favorite summertime amusements. With my mentorship program, Young L.I.O.N.S. (Leaders In Our Noble Society), which I run through our Community Center, I can also impact our young men. This mentoring program aids young people in becoming outstanding individuals that will distinguish them from others as they serve as examples of discipline and respect. The thing that makes me most proud is that I get to live out loud my mission and passion all the time and that I get to do it with people of all ages.
Have you ever had to pivot?
We were forced to change course with our company on March 13, 2020, because of Covid-19. At the time, we had a rooster and served more than six local schools. And considering a component of our business is childcare and many of our parents still had to report to work, we were deemed essential workers and had to close only for a few days while we regrouped and decided how to proceed. We developed a virtual academy and opened a second site to give the kids a safe place with dividers to maintain consistency. We wanted to ensure our families were safe and could still obtain their needs.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Our love and care for the community we serve. We always want to treat our families and clients like family. That has helped us sustain and build a unique business and place within the community. So because every family feels like family, they are constantly referring new clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theartsrva.com
- Instagram: amiri.life
- Facebook: Amiri Richardson-Keys
- Linkedin: Amiri Richardson-Keys