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 By Tenesha Hill Images by Eric Morales “When you are not afraid to be yourself, you’re comfortable…when you’re comfortable with yourself, you don’t have that much hate in your heart, you’re not that quick to judge, and when you’re not that quick to judge, you’re open to new things, when you are open to new things it means you’re not ignorant, and when you are not ignorant, racism doesn’t exist.” Tyler, The Creator After uprooting himself at the young age of 19 from the comfort of his Northern Virginia suburban home to New York city where Dimetri Hogan, commonly known as The Radiant Child began his eclectic career shrouded with artistic expression, ambition and blackness. Gaining inspiration from the late-great Basquiat, he set on a journey in hopes to create a path for black people to shatter racial ceilings within the creative industry and show the diversified contributions of African American culture. Hogan observes hesitance of other African Americans who dream of making a name for themselves but due to lack of representation within various creative industries, they are hindered by hesitancy and inherent naysayers. He decided early on to use his successes as a conduit for other black and brown artists to follow. Knowing all too well the insecurities that haunt black males from inception, Hogan wishes to use his platform as an artist to highlight the plague that America has put on black culture and showcase the beauty of diversity through his photography and others. His experiential agency, Radiant Room, for two years curated an annual photography exhibition showcasing the works of Colombian fashion photographer Gabriel Perez Silva where all proceeds were devoted to the Scoliosis Foundation of Ghana. Hogan intends to continue his philanthropic work for the betterment of the black community. In a time where racial tensions are heightened and the Black Lives Matters movement is of utmost importance, creatives have invaluable jobs to do right now. Creativity transcends racial barriers, cultural differences, and has the ability to unite individuals of different backgrounds and ultimately unite people, it is no surprise why creatives like Hogan are so important. Hogan shares "The removal of external factors have paved the way for a key time to reshape and reformat the systemic blueprint. Black lives being valued is emblematic of a new movement. I'd personally love to see more diversity in the creative world come about and for artists of color to finally become comfortable in their own skin. I challenge all creatives and individuals out there to use their voice to help make way for this new way of thinking and look into ways that you can make an impact even from the safety of your own homes, such as looking into sites like https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co.” Stay informed and strive to be the change you wish to see in the world.