Q&A with Akil Alvin
Q: What brought you to Mosaic?
A: I was brought to Mosaic because of my passion for theater. I loved to tell amazing stories and captivate audiences alike. Mosaic was the best at cultivating young artists and giving them a platform to share their gifts.
Q: What’s the most impactful thing you learned/gained from participating in Mosaic?
A: I’ve learned the power of the arts. We would do a perform-a-thon every year, and we would conclude the day at the juvenile detention center. I was as nervous as my mainstage costars. The looks we were getting added to the nerves until we performed. The arts were the great equalizer, and we saw smiles where once frowns lived.
Q: What are you up to now? Is there anything about your Mosaic experience you carry with you in your work? In life?
A: Today, I own an ad agency, Digital Detroit Media (DDM), and we have clients worldwide, from The Walt Disney Company and Coca-Cola, to right here with the City of Detroit government. Mosaic taught me the power of great storytelling and how important captivating an audience is.
Q: What, if any, difference/impact has Mosaic made in Detroit? In the world?
A: Mosaic has shown black and brown kids from Detroit the world of arts and the careers driven within. We, as artists, have since taken the wheel and have impacted the world. Tony Awards? We got that. Forbes Magazine? We’ve been in that. The world? We’ve changed that!
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
A: Thank you, Mosaic, DeLa, Rick, and all of the staff, board, and alum – you all have created a world worth living in. Because I know you, I know the future is in great hands!
Q: Please finish the phrase “Mosaic is…”
A: …life-changing.
