We want to give diverse creative professionals in higher and more visible positions a platform to share their experiences – in hopes of motivating and inspiring other BIPOC creatives in our community.
Each speaker will present their personal experience navigating their career path as a Creative in Color. They will share any adversity they may have faced and how they overcame it. We want the audience to be inspired but also informed. This series is where creativity will meet inclusivity and invoke change for the better.
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Jeremy Sallee is the Head of Design, Footwear and Apparel at PUMA, and founder of his own clothing brand Freeman Platt.
Sallee has been with PUMA since 2019. He has worked his way up the ranks, holding various design roles, including Senior Designer and Creative Director, before assuming his current position. Sallee has played a key role in shaping PUMA's design direction and has been credited with creating some of the brand's most iconic products, such as RS-Dreamer, MB .02, and Stewie 1.
Before joining PUMA, Sallee worked for several other footwear and fashion companies, including Reebok and Ralph Lauren. He attended University of Akron and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in fashion design, graphic design, and business.
Originally from Indiana, Sallee grew up in Ohio and has traveled extensively. He moved back to Indianapolis during the pandemic and made his home here with his wife and young son.
Event Timeline:
6:30pm - 6:50pm - Network
6:50pm - 7:00pm - Introduction
7:00pm - 7:45pm - Speaker Talk
7:45pm - 8:00pm - Q&A
Why Creatives in Color?
From our perspective, the Indy creative community lacks BIPOC representation. However, we know diverse creatives are out there, and we want to provide a safe space for all creatives to gather and share their experiences (similar or different). By curating a space where people can come together and spark healthy dialogue, we hope to make the Indy community more diverse and inclusive.
We hope that having underrepresented creatives speak about their career experiences will allow other BIPOC creatives to feel supported and more connected with our community. We worry that people of color might think they don’t have the opportunity to succeed in our creative industry. By spotlighting designers of color who are successful and pushing norms in our community, we hope young BIPOC designers will feel they have a place in our community and a support system here.
