We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeff Perkins. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeff below.

Hi Jeff , thanks for joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

I think the most important lesson/experience I’ve had in a job that’s helped me as a creative is self-advocacy and taking care of your own needs first. I have a background as a higher education professional and as a helping field, you are trained to put others before yourself. In my case this has been mostly working with students who have a variety of needs and real challenges they need support with. I’ve enjoyed being able to help students in the past figure out their next steps on their educational journeys or advocate on their behalf to different higher education leaders and administrators. While it had been enjoyable for me, I got really burnt out and put my own needs on the back burner. I suffered mentally and creatively due to this. Learning how to take of my own well-being has helped me be a better creative and professional.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Jeff Perkins. I’m a Black and queer educator, creative and DJ from Kansas City, MO. I have grown up with a love of the creative arts since I was a child. My mom has been one of my biggest inspirations and motivators who always encouraged me to express myself creatively. She’s an artist herself and I tell people all the time I got my artistic skills from her! I grew up being surrounded by books, which inspired me to fall in love with creative writing. As a creative with many different interests, I always share that writing is and will always be my first love. I love writing fiction and poetry—I studied it in college! Some of my favorite writers include Langston Hughes, Samuel Delany, Octavia Butler, bell hooks, Toni Morrison, Daniel José Older, Nikki Giovanni, Audre Lorde, Assotto Saint, Marlon Riggs, James Baldwin—just to name a few on my long list! I believe creative writing has taught me to envision not only worlds of characters, but also the kind of life I desire for myself. Being able to know you have the ability to create and shape your own story is a superpower and tool that I think everyone can learn. So much of writing is also learning to be confident in your own story and experiences. Owning your narrative helps you become more aware of who you are. I am currently working on some original writing projects that I hope to publish in the next few years. It’s process and like many of the great writers I mentioned I also have many stories to share with the world.

If writing is my first love, then music most certainly follows that. I grew up with music always being played in my house and in my family in general. My mom loved listening to Mary J. Blige’s ‘What’s the 411?” or “Share My World”, Usher’s “My Way”, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Maxwell, Erykah Badu—so many Black artists who are truly pioneers in music. I can also remember my mom keeping 50 Cent’s ‘Get Rich or Die Trying’ and Biggie’s albums on repeat too!I fell in love with listening to Michael Jackson too so much I even performed ‘Thriller’ in my 3rd grade talent show! I choreographed the show and everything with my friends! The first CDs I ever bought for myself were Britney Spears’ ‘Hit Me Baby One More TIme.” and Destiny’s Child’s “The Writings on the Wall”. I also played the alto saxophone in high school and was in concert, jazz and marching band! I have always had an eclectic taste in music and have many special memories because of music. Now as a DJ I get to play all the music I loved growing up and all the music I love now for people. Being able to share music with others has been a true gift for me. In high school I used to burn CDs for my friends cause I had Limewire on my computer and then many years later in grad school I started curating playlists of my favorite R&B, hip-hop, pop, electronic and alternative music to share with others.

When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, I decided that I wanted to buy my first DJ controller to actually learn how to mix music. It was something I always had in the back of mind to try out and since we were all isolated in our homes away from each other I had a lot of time on my hands. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t figure out how to DJ for the longest when I first started. I was impatient and wasn’t learning the basics of what it took to be a good DJ. Writing fiction and poetry felt like it came so easy to me just like sketching and digital art did, but learning to DJ was more difficult! I had to learn how to slow down and listen. I still do! I knew I had to stick with learning how to DJ because it just felt spiritually aligned for my path as a creative. Fast forward to 2022 I played my first gig at my favorite bar in St. Louis—shoutout to Sophie’s Artist Lounge—and I’ve been out here spinning ever since. I’ve been able to play at a few major places in St. Louis where veteran DJs have been and even got the chance to spin at my alma mater’s homecoming weekend for our Black alumni. I’ve also been able to connect with other DJs locally and across the U.S.! Everybody has been so welcoming and encouraging of me on my journey. I think what makes me feel most unique as a DJ are the songs I spin. I’m always finding dope edits of my favorite R&B and hip-hop songs that make you want to dance. There’s so many talented DJs and producers everywhere who are flipping songs we all know and love. I also love making a good mashup. I recently did a mashup of Megan Thee Stallion and Isaiah Rashad songs. Isaiah’s producer heard it on Twitter and reached out to me via Instagram. He loved it! I was shocked because I didn’t think anybody from either one of their camps would hear my mashup. It was definitely a special moment for me. DJs are so important because we hear how songs can combine or transform into something completely new. Each time I get to spin and share something new for people to listen to or hear something they know and love in a new way is a blessing to me.

I think the most important lesson and reminder I’ve been able to witness during my journey as a creative and DJ is never doubt the power of community. Community takes care of us and pours into us as human beings trying to make sense of the world around us. Creativity has continuously healed me and been an outlet for me to cope with the challenges I’ve faced in my life. Not only am I creative, but I’m also a young caregiver to my mother who lives with a disability. That has been a huge challenge for me in my life and being able to be creative and share with other and find my community has been extremely helpful for me. I try to see my life as a canvas and I’m the artist who’s creating the image at all times—but as life brings unexpected changes—some times the picture we imagine for ourselves may change and I’m learning to be okay with that. Because again, community is important. My community is a part of that image I’m crafting. Lifting me up, teaching me and showing me new ways of doing things. I believe if you have any type of creative bone in your body it’s your destiny to make something of it. But you also have to find your community to help you along your way.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being able to share who you are with others in unique ways. To be able to express who you are is freedom. Being a creative to me isn’t all about having a huge social media following or getting the most likes. However, knowing how to promote yourself on social media is important but but if you’re not expressing your most genuine creative self then what are you doing it for? Being genuine, human-centered and having diverse taste is my brand. I share all the time that I am a human being just trying to make sense of my life and the world around me. As a creative I get to do that through my writing, my art and music. What’s even more rewarding as a creative as you share who you are is feeling connected to others through the process. I have been able foster a deep sense of connectedness as a creative. Whether it’s meeting someone in a writer’s group who share the same love for dystopian literature as me or spinning a record that makes somebody remember a special moment in their lives—we are more connected than we think. Being a creative feels like I am a ever-growing tree with branches reaching out to those around me who just want to feel connected too. People who want permission to be free to express themselves too.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think society can keep investing in creative opportunities for young people. Being immersed in the creative arts, especially writing, drawing and music has been so foundational for me. Creative arts programs that are community centered and focused are especially important to support. We need more funding available for creative arts programs for especially for LGBTQ youth of color! As a Black queer person so much of how I understand myself and how I navigate the world I’ve learned to do through my creative work. You also never stop being a student in your creative journey. The more opportunities and resources creatives can have to learn and grow in their craft is important. Investing in the creative arts teaches us how to do many things. As a creative, it’s made me a better professional in the higher education/corporate fields. I’ve learned how to look at things from many angles and with intention. I understand how nuanced problem solving can be. I know how to use my storytelling skills to connect my colleagues to the reason why we are doing our work. I’ve also learn from being a creative that there are many paths to a destination. As an artist you have to learn how to adapt and create new pathways.

Sometimes I think that society doesn’t always see the important of having artists and creatives doing the work we’re here to do. There are still many people in the world who don’t see the value in art! But there is no society without creatives. There’s no world without us. I think we also need to do a better job in society about protecting the creative rights of artists and creatives. While we need to invest more in creative arts programs, we need to also teach young artists about how to protect what we create. There’s a real need for that. How can I make my creative life a thriving one in all ways, especially financially? I’m learning this myself and I’m 32 years old. I wish I would have begun learning about it earlier as I put more content out, plan to publish my writings and make more art for people to buy. We need people who also are willing to teach us these things to also believe in our work.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/peanutbutterandjeffy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmrperkins/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZEJBKBmi7SOcOkpq2hu_aw

Image Credits
Studio Photos by Jessica Page