We recently connected with Deon Egenti and have shared our conversation below.
Deon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I always had a feeling that I was going to be in the creative field at some point when I was young, but I didn’t do it professionally until after college. I had joined Browned 2 Perfection Agency, a Black woman owned marketing agency founded by Junae Brown, in 2019 as a Content Creator. Being a part of the agency really helped me become a better writer as well as other skills. It taught me how to handle social media platforms in a professional manner, how to create social media/marketing campaigns, and how to develop relationships with other creatives. Although the journey is never easy, it gave me hope that it’s possible to do this professionally.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a Nigerian creative, born and raised in Houston, I’ve always wanted to be in the creative field when I was young. But it wasn’t really an easy journey to get into where I’m at now. You know, growing up with Nigerian parents, they really wanted you to become like a doctor or engineer or a lawyer, but it just never felt like that was what I was going to be. I was always interested in music as a kid. I was always interested in theater and band and just being an overall creative. I just never saw where that could take me as a career. After I graduated from college, with a with a marketing degree, I joined Browned 2 Perfection and became a content created there. And then during the pandemic is where I really felt like I was really going in full force as a creative, whether that’s content creation, whether that’s social media management, or just creating projects that I’m really passionate about. And during that timeframe of the pandemic, I ended up joining the Houston Hip Hop Museum. Houston Hip Hop platform was a non-profit organization created by Shelby Stewart and Ashton Pleasant, and from there I’ve been able to do a lot of amazing stuff with them along with Rasheeda James and Efe Omafuaire. We’ve had a couple of exhibits throughout the year, social media campaigns, marketing campaigns, we’ve collaborated with some of the biggest names in the city of Houston. So I’m really proud to be a part of a team that not only loves Houston hip hop, but just loves Houston culture in general. And then also during that time, I ended up joining The A Show, which is a black wrestling podcast platform created by Justin Davis, and Jameel Raeburn. They wanted me to become a social media manager there and I’ve been handling their social media accounts for almost three years now at this point, and it’s been a journey just really get into really connect with black people who look like me that love wrestling. I’ve been loving wrestling since I was a little kid. So it was it’s been really like a amazing journey just to like see how much that platform has grown. I’m very proud of it and what I’ve accomplished with these two platforms. So then from there, I wanted to have something of my own. I created this platform called Come Get Your Flowers, which is about giving people their flowers while they’re still here, no matter where they are in life, and no matter what point they are in their careers. I wanted to give them to people that I love, respect, and just see from afar. So then the platform grew into a podcast, and now I have a weekly podcast every Wednesday where I interview some of the people that I feel like deserve all the recognition, all the acknowledgement, all the love, and all the respect. So throughout that journey, man, like, it hasn’t been easy. But I’m really proud. So it just goes to show when you do the things you love to do and you keep striving for what you want, no matter what it is, you’re going to see the fruits of your labor. You’re going to reap the benefits. So I’m just really grateful to really be a part of this creative space especially in the city of Houston. I feel like in the last couple of years, there’s been a lot of development when it comes to the Houston creatives in the city. There’s so many events going on, hosted by Houston creatives, a lot of underground parties, and networking events for Black people who want to get in their creative bag. We are building and developing relationships. And I’m really proud to see stuff like that, and it makes me want to keep going. I always wanted to build people up to so I’m just glad that the city of Houston is really building like a creative hub, a creative community where people can just really express themselves no matter what. I’m just really proud of that.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Just talking to them and telling them how much you love their work! The reason why I’ve been able to build relationships that I have is because I’ve never been afraid to show support. If it’s dope to me, then it’s dope to me. It’s okay to be a fan of someone’s work. You may not think it means much, but for any creative that is trying to build something, it means the world to them. It gives them a reason to keep going. More importantly, pay the artists and creatives. A lot of Black creatives put a lot of time, energy, and money into the project or experiences that they create. So if they’re selling something that you believe looks cool, then support them financially if you can.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The goal in my creative journey is all about building a community. I honestly don’t believe I would be here without the relationships that I’ve built over the years. I just want to show love and appreciation for anyone out there who is doing something they love. Which is why the podcast, Come Get Your Flowers, is so important. I want to make people feel seen and heard.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/deonegenti
- Instagram: @deonegenti
- Twitter: @deonegenti
- Other: Come Get Your Flowers Podcast: https://instagram.com/comegetyourflowers?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==