Celebrating Identity and Culture during Black History Month

GSTV is dedicated to building an inclusive team and a culture that reflects the communities we serve. As part of that mission, we are spotlighting the incredible diversity in cultures and identities on our team. This February, we focused on spotlighting “African Americans in the Arts” for Black History Month. We asked our team members to share some of the art that inspires them and helps them celebrate their cultural identity. 

Geela Green, Campaign Manager Traffic

Ron Carter, jazz double bassist, 3-time Grammy Award Winner 

“My favorite musical artist has a local bent. My Mom’s family moved from Detroit to “8 Mile” (when it was a 2-lane road). They moved to Royal Oak Township (not Royal Oak), sandwiched between Oak Park and Ferndale north on 8 Mile Road. It was/is a predominately African American community. Down the street from my mom’s house were the Carters. Mom remembered Ronald as a little boy and her friend Judy was one of his sisters. Later, he went to Cass Tech High School (my alma mater). Cass Tech along with Detroit has such a rich history of music. Here’s Mr. Carter (bass) as part of the Miles Davis Quintet with Herbie Hancock (piano), Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Tony Williams (drums), and Miles Davis (trumpet)."

Kristal Walton, SVP, CPG and Retail

Flyboy Universe, Hebru Brantley 

Hebru Brantley is an internationally recognized artist based in Chicago who is known for his narrative style and afro-futuristic depictions. 

“I chose the Flyboy and Lil Mama series by Hebru Brantley because it is both nostalgic and inspirational to future generations. When I look at these two children, I see a whimsical outlook on how the future is limitless and with the support of a community the sky is the limit on where you can soar. No matter how old you may be, this duo recreates a sense of youthful zeal and excitement for the next goal that you seek to achieve. The sky is the limit!”

Source: Voice of Young Dreamers

Norman Ellis, Sr. Manager, Marketing Industry & Activations 

Living Single (1993-1998) 

“I love this show because it was one of the few shows that was highly relatable to my experience growing up in Brooklyn in the 90’s. For the first time on a mainstream TV show, I saw young, black professionals (aka buppies) navigating life. Living Single was not only impactful to me but had a wider impact on the television landscape; it paved the way for shows like Friends.”