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

Trey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Working on meaningful projects is essential to many people’s success, including my own. As a person who’s driven by purpose, cultivating meaning in my projects keeps me going on the days when quitting would be easier.

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is being developed right now. The current title of this project is “These Words Are Everything” and is centered around language and communication in relation to at-risk youth.

When addressing the topic of at-risk youth, it can be easy to generalize these kids as just “bad eggs” but in reality, the issue is much more nuanced. From my observations, these run-ins with trouble can be attributed to a culmination of several deeper issues, the first being the education system within inner-city communities. According to a 2015 study provided by The Council of State Governments, at least one in three incarcerated youth are identified as needing or already receiving special education services, additionally, more than half of incarcerated youth have reading skills significantly below their grade level. Coupled with an increased susceptibility to traumatic events, familial struggles, gang violence, and police encounters can lead to a tremendous emotional weight being carried around in the background of their lives. Internalizing these intense feelings until a tipping point is reached mentally and action is taken, fulfilling a seemingly endless cycle of self detrimental behavior.

I’ve been sitting down with some of these at-risk teens to listen to their stories, hardships, dreams, and ambitions. These meetings are recorded and the audio waveforms generated act as a canvas for each of their portraits. After each meeting, the kids would be given writing prompts that would function similarly through the use of redactive poetry. This project aims to promote creative outlets as a means to process intense emotions and to provide these teens with a platform to illustrate who they truly are.

I chose to do this project because I see myself in many of these teens. Growing up I was a very shy kid and struggled with many core subjects in school due to my dyslexia. Because of this, I learned to navigate through elementary, middle, and high school without reading most of the time. I was a quiet kid. Watchful. Inward. I spent much of the day listening to music and taking photographs. Music made me feel less alone and photography allowed me to speak without using words. I don’t know where I would be today without these two things in my life. Although the environment I grew up in was more positive than others. There were many things I experienced and witnessed that I didn’t feel safe talking about. This project is for the many teens who felt how I did growing up.

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?

My name is Trey Broomfield and I’m a multidisciplinary artist from El Paso Texas. Growing up, the two most consistent things in my life have been Music and photography. These two mediums opened my world up in many ways, but most importantly they allowed me to express myself in ways I couldn’t always verbalize for myself. Many of my fondest memories from my childhood involved making stop-motion Lego videos and listening to Outkast on the radio; Speakerboxx / The Love Below was my favorite at the time. Looking back I was planting seeds for my future life as an artist even though I didn’t realize it at the time. I’m 26 now, and young Trey would have never imagined I would be where he would be now. There is still so much growing for me to do, but I’m grateful for how far I’ve come through the pursuit of my passions.

Much of my photography has been inspired and informed by the work of Hank Willis Thomas Jr. and Bayete Ross Smith. These two had a big impact on how I use photography as a tool for spreading a message with purpose. Musically, Lupe Fiasco and Outkast have had profound impacts on my life and how I see and navigate the world around me.

Art has always been a therapeutic and meditative practice for me. When I’m locked in, time and space disappear and I’m completely present in the making process. This is where I believe I’m truly connecting with myself. Through the cultivation of this connection with myself, I’ve been able to connect with others on a deeper level. The ultimate goal of my artwork is to let them know that they are alone, even when it seems that way. That’s what art did for me, and that’s what I want to give to others.

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Artist Bio:
Trey Broomfield Is a New Mexico State University alum with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts. Trey uses photography, video, and spoken word to create compelling imagery about his personal development as an African-American male as he navigates the complex world around him.

Trey’s work often comments on our relationship with mass media concerning personal and cultural identity. Trey aims to inform and provoke the viewer to reflect upon themselves and become more conscious of a world that’s sometimes unseen.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is knowing that I can create what I want in life whether its art related or not. Having an artistic practice is powerful because you’re constantly pulling the intangible into reality. This is something that can be translated into all areas of life. You have the power to create the life you want to live. It’s not always easy, but it’s possible.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My advice for anyone starting to build a social media presence would be to learn the value of visual storytelling. We live in a visual-based culture so being able to captivate an audience with compelling imagery is key. Additionally, storytelling is probably the oldest art form, we connect with each other through stories, and creating an emotional connection with someone is how you develop a loyal fanbase and community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.treylbroomfield.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treyzis/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trey-broomfield-12a0591a5/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Treyzis
• Photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treylbroomfield/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3AuGWjo9ZiBoNQIK4jfa4A
• Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/treyzis/1526560381

Image Credits
Trey L. Broomfield