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

Hi Sharifa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Denver Digerati is one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on to-date. Primarily, this stems from positive interactions with the artists in our network. I take pleasure in working with a global slate of creators who are responding to broad issues that vary in place, time, and lived experience. This allows me to curate from a wider selection of artwork that is representative of myriad viewpoints. In addition, I appreciate witnessing the level of innovation applied to creative production which is in a near-constant state of evolution. From an educational standpoint, I am excited about inventive problem solving and the ability to teach digital art students real-world skillsets that come through imaginative, play-based, art making.

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 did not come from a background that would traditionally lead to jobs in the creative sector. I came from a lower socio-economic class, and I looked at employment through the lens of getting out of the financial hardships witnessed during childhood. So, I thought of myself as “crafty” and my first foray into college-level education was not in the arts, but in computer information systems. I got a job as a systems administrator at a local car dealership, and through a meandering path, I worked in the car business for over a decade. It wasn’t until much later, and with access to further education, did I begin to think about my own passions and drive. Art school was where I found my people and I pursued tracks in studio arts and art history. I am currently a lecturer at CU Denver in the College of Arts and Media and I run Denver Digerati, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in emergent media including motion art and animation.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My particular goals revolve around creating a thriving ecosystem for media-based arts in Denver including educational programming that provides exciting opportunities for students and specifically those from underserved communities. I am also interested in community building and much of our work with Denver Digerati is focused on these aims.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I am a true introvert and as such I prefer to work behind the scenes. The most rewarding aspect of being a creative in my current role is to witness the artists at the center of our exhibitions and public engagement. I am inspired by their practices and find a great joy in being able to facilitate opportunities for their work to be seen.

Contact Info:

• Website: denverdigerati.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denverdigerati/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DenverDigerati/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/denver-digerati
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/denverdigerati