The art of creativity and the dedication for it shines through students at Cabrini. Calvin Rolland, a junior content creator, and Tariq Mines, a senior music artist, are two examples of creators on campus who have a voice and are enthusiastic about their work.
Every Feb. is Black History Month and it is celebrated at Cabrini and famous, public figures are celebrated as well as those in the Cabrini community. Rolland and Mines both take pride in their work and are eager to grow and expand their experience as creators as well as gaining more exposure and credit from those around them.
Whether that’s managing and putting out impactful messages on social media or making and producing music, Rolland and Mines describe their role as creators and provide an inside look on what they do.
“I’ve been working with the Qader Group for nearly a year. Our team manages social media for Philadelphia-area community leaders and organizations. I’ve had the opportunity to work on some really cool projects with some really cool people,” Rolland said.
The Qader Group is in charge of supporting businesses with digital communication as well as personal branding and social media management. Rolland is involved with this group and has had the chance to interview some well-known people/organizations.
“We are currently collaborating with Danielle DiLeo Kim to plan the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence in Philadelphia. Through Philadelphia250, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate on content with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including Philabundance. During winter break, I had the opportunity to film Loree D Jones and learn about the impact Philabundance has on our community,” Rolland said.
With this experience under his belt and the collaborations he has endured in, Rolland is eager to continue to work with the Qader Group and wants more people to get involved.
“Philadelphia 250 is asking the public to help make Philadelphia a more equitable, just and resilient city by 2026 and beyond. If you have any bold ideas or projects that have the potential to make a lasting impact in Philadelphia, please contact Philadelphia 250,” Rolland said.
Rolland believes that more emphasis should be dedicated to making an influence in Philadelphia, and he seeks the community’s assistance in doing so.
Besides wanting more people to get involved in the community, Rolland describes the value of giving Black creators a voice and a platform.
“REC Philly handles the majority of our film production and recognizes the importance of creators in our community. They recognize that racial biases may make it difficult for black creators to find work. The REC has partnered with businesses to provide opportunities to underrepresented creators in our city, as well as free memberships,” Rolland said.
Rolland expresses his feelings towards the black creators who are overlooked and depreciated and feels that they need more light shed on them despite the efforts made by the REC to get more of them to land a job and work.
Similar to Rolland, Mines believes black creators having a voice is important. “We have been limited for so long; Music has been a platform for us as a culture to come together. So, it’s very important for us as black creators to be storytellers and to create our own narrative,” Mines said.
Mines identifies the importance of a voice for black creators and how special it is to encapsulate the culture and narrative everyone has when it comes to storytelling and music. Speaking of music, Mines has had his fair share in creating music and has started and grown so much since high school with it.
“I Made Many Singles & 2 Solid Ep Projects. I started off with poetry when I was in high school making poems. I was winning competitions and almost was performing at every school function. However, when I got to college is when I started making music. All because a person by the name of Tahira Gant who I consider a sister; told me I should start making music. So, with the beginning of that, I had my first single called ‘Ever Met Somebody’ ft. Kxng Charisma and her. Following, later an EP called ‘Like a horizon’ the project was mainly poetry,” Mines said.
The passion for making music Mines has acquired, has evolved from his poetry writing and his influences along the way, which has led him to some great opportunities to collaborate and create his own singles. When it comes to getting his name out there, Mines is still finding ways to market himself.
“The question and the answer are something I’m trying to figure out for myself. I try my best to execute every time I’m doing something from making a song, marketing, content or anything related. I’m trying to build a fanbase but it’s hard and I know I just got to have faith and keep pushing. I try to pass out flyers around school to promote my music and some people listened. However, I guess the way to support is to go on Spotify, listen to my songs and share it. That is a way to gain attraction and bring awareness about what I do,” Mines said.
When it comes to growing a fanbase and gaining followers, Mines is finding what works best for him in terms of that and highlights the idea that it’s a work in progress. He also brings up the idea to get as many people on campus to listen to his music and promote his work, but it’s often that people have listened or have not listened.
Both Rolland and Mines are creators who are producing content and music that are meant for people and they continue to brand themselves in ways to be seen and heard, which is the key factor in giving them a platform that will be shared and related to others in order to create change and maintain happiness.
“Creativity is the real exposure of imagination, where dreams come true,” Mines said.
