Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Fatima Jones. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Fatima , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have taken a few professional risks throughout my career. One of the earlier risks was moving from a position at a PR firm headquartered in New York City to help expand the business into Europe. I had never been to Europe before, but I had a lot of heart and fearless energy. My boss at the time was tapped to expand the agency we worked for and she asked me if I would join her. She liked my work ethic and knew I wanted new experiences. It was one of the best risks I ever took. Within a span of a few months, I found a place to live and threw myself into learning how to be an “ex-pat.” I made fantastic friends that I still have to this day. One of the funniest things about living in London was realizing that though we all spoke English, there were a ton of cultural norms and terms that were foreign to me. I also learned that when your work is consistent and at a high level, you will be recognized, and that will open doors. Though this was my first time living and working overseas, I jumped right in, learned a lot, and we tripled our business within a few months. It was an amazing experience.

Following that London stint, I decided to come back to New York. I thought I would come back to the NYC office but I saw an ad for a job at Brooklyn Academy of Music. It was a dream job as a PR manager at what I considered to be one of the most forward-thinking arts centers in the city. I took another risk, applying for that job and taking almost a $15K pay cut to have my first job in the performing arts sector. I gave myself a deadline to recoup that pay cut and again, with hard work (and some side gigs) over a few years, I returned to my original salary. Albeit, these were the days of rent-stabilized apartments and a much cheaper way of life. If I had not taken that pay cut, I would likely have a far different career than I have now.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I always knew that I wanted to be in a creative field, but I didn’t always have the confidence to say so. Luckily, my father worked in the arts. I grew up in the theater, visual arts, and dance world. We had many family friends in the business, but I couldn’t see how I could make money to sustain a real livelihood. I was introduced to the world of marketing and communications for the arts through an internship with the Arts and Business Council of New York City. There I worked in the PR department of The New York Historical Society and with Central Park Summerstage. These were well-respected, exciting NYC culturals! I enjoyed writing, meeting artists, and seeing the looks on audiences’ faces. I enjoyed gathering people and the energy exchange between an audience or visitor and the works on view or the stage. I quickly realized that this was a strength of mine. Gathering people, sharing information, distilling information, making things sound exciting. I took what I learned at these internships and furthered my interest in college, majoring in Communications.

I am most proud of working successfully in spaces that were not built or typically hospitable to African American women leaders and forging a path. In every job I have ever taken, I can say that I believed in the work and the mission. The arts and culture landscape is always changing and that is very exciting to me. I live in one of the most electric cities in the world and being able to compete in this space can be tough but I have learned to work with artists, curators and administrators to identify and focus on our audience and work with and for campaigns and initiatives that invite people to be transformed by art. To step outside of themselves for a few minutes or a few hours. The storytelling and strategy work I do–from my days at BAM to my work with the Brooklyn Museum and The Apollo and now at the legendary Dance Theatre of Harlem–is a constant invitation to make an emotional connection. I feel most alive when I am dancing and I guess I am always trying to help people find their “most alive” selves.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

A few years ago I decided to give myself what I am calling a “fake MBA”. No disrepect to those who have real MBA’s but I did not want to incur debt nor did I have the time to go for a secondary degree. So I scoured the internet for books that focused on leadership and management skills. As I began to understand that leadership started with self-awareness and my own creative pursuits, I started with the following books. They helped me become more self-aware and compassionate to myself and others. There were many, but here are 10:

1. “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron
2. The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
4. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
5. You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
6. The Body is not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
7. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
8. Ask and it is Given by Esther Hicks
9. All About Love by bell hooks
10. Radical Compassion by Tara Brach

Then I moved on to communications and work culture books. There were many but here are 10:

1. Chief Joy Officer by Richard Sheridan
2. For the Culture by Marcus Collins
3. First, Break all the Rules by Marcus Buckingham
4. Leading Change by John Kotter
5. Leaders eat Last by Simon Sink
6. Brave New Work by Aaron Dignan
7. Radical Candor by Kim Scott
8. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
9. Getting Along by Amy Gallo
10. How to be Heard by Julian Treasure

I regularly listen to the following podcasts:

“Coaching Real Leaders” Muriel Wilkerson
“Women at Work” on the HBR Network
“The CMO Podcast” with Jim Stengel

And because I am an absolute music nerd and he has the best guests, “Questlove Supreme”. This podcast gives me all of the background information that I crave. I love to hear about the creative processes and to learn more about an artist’s journey. I miss liner notes!

One book that recently rocked my world was “Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audrey Lorde” by Alexis Pauline Gumbs.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My father abruptly passed away in the Fall of 2010. He had a heart attack and was with me and my 2-year-old daughter when it happened. It took me almost 5 years to recover from the shock and trauma. I was a new mom and also had to bury my hero of a father. At the same time, I was transitioning into a new position at the Brooklyn Museum, where there was also a bit of change with the decades-long Executive Director leaving and many of this leadership team retiring. There was change everywhere I looked. At that time, I learned what it was like to focus on taking one step at a time. I also learned that I have a wonderful, vibrant community that supports me, my family, and the work that I do.

It can be hard to ask for help but sometimes you must. Resilience looks like being able to say when you need a break when you need help or to get advice from a trusted friend or colleague.

On the day of my father’s funeral, I saw many people who loved and admired him—family as well as past co-workers and associates— AND I also saw MY coworkers and associates, past and present. They were all there to support this tremendous moment in my life.

I often tell coworkers that they “can’t quit me” meaning that, once we are in the trenches together, we will always be bonded! I like to stay in touch with former colleagues and grow with them past our respective positions.

I am proud to say that I am carrying on my father’s legacy of bringing arts and culture to this city. A 1999 poster of dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem that once sat in his office, now sits in mine…. at The Dance Theatre of Harlem. Just WOW! What is life???

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovejonespr/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatimajones/
• Other: https://www.dancetheatreofharlem.org

Image Credits

Alexandra Hutchinson and Kouadio Davis of DTH credit: Nir Arieli
Fatima Jones under the Apollo Marquee. Credit: Shahar Azran
Fatima Jones. Credit: Nicole Modenstin
Fatima Jones. Credit: Essence Communications