“Creativity for me is a state of being. It is when we let ourselves be opened to a flow state that can take us to problem solving but also having a more enjoyable and fruitful life.”

“My Everyday Genius nominee would be my mother. She is always coming up with great ideas to help others and constantly giving to others. She is the most selfless, intelligent woman I know.”

“True leadership means to lead in an authentic way, to build on shared values and trust, and to empower others by providing clear structures and frameworks.”

“I am inspired by local artists who are in the trenches doing the community work necessary to create change on the ground level.”

“There's an element of vulnerability that is able to break down barriers, build connection, and thus is key to being able to build community.”

“As a child I considered Prince to be a genius. I loved how he played with gender and was able to express his gender separately from his sexual orientation. He can play a ridiculous number of musical instruments and is a beautiful song writer too. I recall being completely entranced anytime I heard him sing.”

“Creativity is a different way of thinking, whether it is inside or outside the box. Thinking outside the box is inherently creative, but I am also interested in what's inside. Being forced to be creative within the constraints of the box is also a great sign of creativity.”

“If we are to successfully overcome these challenges and build a better America, we must first understand the history of racism in this country and how it continues to be perpetuated in order to ultimately disrupt these racialized propaganda narratives.”

“Without creativity, no culture could advance and no progress could be made. For an individual, creativity can be a lifeline; for a society, creativity can be a way to save itself from the destruction wrought by the inability to change and adapt to new circumstances.”

“Creativity has always been a state of mind that makes me feel totally present. Art and discipline intersect in my studio; combined they harness my inner world of ideas and give me the staying power to move forward in ways that I can't always predict.”

“While many think of data visualization as a pure science, I think there is certainly some room for art and creativity mixed in as well.”

“Leadership is about taking responsibility for building, changing or advancing something, not waiting for others to do it. I believe we all can be leaders by helping others when we can.”

“I think it is too easy to confuse leadership with authority. The people I've experienced in my life that I would consider real "leaders" are not just driven or powerful but open minded and receptive to ideas they might not have come up with and capable enough to actually complete ambitious projects.”

“Creativity is the mechanism that keeps the world moving forward. It is the use of the mind to imagine new possibilities and connections. It can be found in all aspects of life from art and culture to science and technology. Creativity is ageless and timeless.”

“We have all been through a collective trauma, and we will need to grieve the many losses we have all suffered. Nevertheless, there is a camaraderie in coming together to process what we have experienced, and my hope is that creating art can help us all begin to heal as a community.”

“Right now, I’m wondering how we can make a virtual environment for learning feel as meaningful, interconnected and transformative as live classes.”

“Creativity is to make something new; it's to rebuild something old in a new way; it's to approach problems with a new perspective. Creativity does not mean productivity, we often think creativity means making art, but I believe appreciating art in your own perspective is also creativity.“

“Creativity is radical and dangerous to the status quo, because it leads to critical and independent thought. Creativity empowers and moves us to action. When people tap into their creative potential, they can become whole, able to realize themselves and express their unique vision. Breaking down barriers to the creative potential should be one of our most valued goals.”

“Art and my discipline meet when the ideas that I have on paper start to go through a process of improvisation and play. I feel like that's when the work really comes to life, sort of from the sketch to the big painting the process really is everything.”

“We’re in an ecosystem. For us to have the scale in which we need to significantly change food systems and other systems of oppression, we all need to work together.”

“Creativity is the purest form of human expression. It comes from deep within our psyche and enables us to make something totally unique in any field.”

“Listening involves moving outside of your own lived experience to learn from someone else's, which is particularly important in elevating the voices of those who do not hold power.”

“Speaking truth to power is the only way to be empowered and to have integrity. As important as that is understanding that art is a form of communication…And my art lets me communicate my sense of humor, my sense of culture, and my sense of commitment to social equity.”

“As a child, I thought a ‘genius’ was someone with an immense mastery of facts, but these days I understand the term to mean much, much more. To me, a genius is one who can effectively block out the cacophony of everyday life and live according to their own guiding impulses.”

“I love the way some storytellers are good at taking what other people see and connecting the dots, delivering a message. In my particular industry, I share stories as a marketing tool, getting people to understand why a theatrical work they've never heard of is relevant to their lives.”

“Graphic design, with its commercial appeal, is about external communication, while my painting is a meditative practice for my spirit. These two disciplines require me to use opposite parts of myself, but make me feel whole.”

“I’ve learned how to challenge systems, my own privileges, and assumptions, and I’ve learned how to advocate for myself and others. The work never ends and is ongoing – but always in community and with care.”

“I happen to be an immigrant. I’m a naturalized citizen at this point, but I was not born here and English is my second language. Regardless of your status, even if you may not be able to vote in U.S. elections, you can get involved and run and become an officer in our neighborhood organization. You can have influence, make a difference, and give back.”

“There are as many different forms of art as there are artists. Beyond the canvas and traditional means of creativity is the power to move and inspire people through compassion, empathy and understanding. It’s represented in the works of artists like Rembrandt and Alice Neel; writers like Zora Neale Hurston and Harper Lee; activists like Gandhi and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and people in my personal life…like my own mother!”