Creatives in Color gives 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.
This year, Creatives on Creatives is an interview style format in which the speakers will present their personal experiences navigating their career path. We were inspired by Variety Magazine's Actors on Actors series, and thought it would be inspiring to hear how each speaker navigates adversity they may have faced and how they overcame it in the creative industry. We want the audience to be inspired but also informed. The speakers will engage in a natural conversation as we sit back and listen to the many stories they share with one another. Come check out how creativity meets inclusivity and invokes change for the better.
Why Creatives in Color?
From our perspective, the Indy creative community lacks BIPOC representation. We want to provide a safe space for all creatives to gather and share their unique experiences. 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 people 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.
Speakers:
Jingo de la Rosa
Jingo M. de la Rosa is a commercial illustrator, art educator, community artist, and urban sketcher. He has created art for renowned organizations such as the NBA, the NCAA, ‘47 Brand Apparel, The Houston Symphony, and Sakura of America. Jingo has helped lead initiatives such as CreativeMornings and Urban Sketchers, where he seeks to cultivate his city’s creative community. He has also taught drawing and illustration for both Herron School of Art & Design and Butler University. Jingo is a native of Manila, Philippines; but now calls Indianapolis his home.
Duncan Alney
Duncan Alney is a seasoned marketing strategist with over 30 years of experience, including nearly 20 years in social media marketing, with the last 10 years fully focused on social. He is the founder of Firebelly Marketing, a highly respected and trusted agency that works exclusively with food and beverage brands. Firebelly is where meaningful storytelling meets strategic execution—and where good brands get the thoughtful, consistent support they need to grow.
He’s also the host of The Firebelly Social Show, now in its fifth season with over 175 episodes. The show features honest, founder-forward conversations with food and beverage entrepreneurs, sharing their challenges, wins, and what it really takes to build something special in a noisy world.
In addition to leading his agency and podcast, Duncan is the founder of Brown Warrior, a fledgling tea startup inspired by his roots and a love for meaningful rituals. He also runs the Agency Leadership Council, a mastermind group for agency owners, run by agency owners, fostering generosity, accountability, and collaboration among small agency leaders.
But Duncan’s story didn’t start in the boardroom—it started with a $50 bill, a dream of being a cowboy, and a one-way ticket to America. He funded his college education through scholarships and relentless hard work, even completing a self-designed research project exploring life and trends in small-town America across 34 states.
Since then, he’s traveled to all 50 U.S. states, become a professional photographer, and completed five marathons and multiple sprint triathlons. When he’s not building brands or mentoring founders, you’ll likely find him cooking with heart, spinning vinyl on his Technics 1200s, or discovering the next song to fall in love with.
