Buffalo, NY – On Wednesday, August 31, local artist Aitina Fareed-Cooke, owner of Get Fokus’d Productions (GFP), will host a public art exhibition, community celebration, and premier of her newest production, Tales From the Porch, at 225 Glenwood Avenue, starting at 5:30 pm. 

Fareed-Cooke was awarded funding by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) through Arts Services Inc.’s fiscal sponsorship in support of the second iteration of Tales From the Porch, a groundbreaking exhibition that amplifies stories told by minority-owned businesses and organizations that are impacting the Buffalo community. Through the combination of media arts, dance and movement, music, and poetry, these stories will be displayed in a public art exhibition in conjunction with a community school supply giveaway.

GFP amplifies the stories of Black leaders and organizations that are doing good work even in the face of the pandemic and the Buffalo tragedy of May 14. GFP will provide high-quality production to capture community leaders who are diligently doing the work necessary to help overcome evil with good. This work, when displayed to the public, will ignite thought, expand perspectives, and encourage the community to persevere. 

"We all have our porches. Our platforms from which we share our stories. Our lives. From these porches we learn perspectives. We learn of the varying commonalities and complexities that exist, human to human,” said Fareed-Cooke. “As we exchange these tales, we share our hopes, fears, and dreams. Together we discover the beautiful weight of reality, which is that we are all human. Different, yet the same." 

Creative Partners

The Get Fokus’d Productions team has partnered with multiple organizations that support youth development through the arts and Black entrepreneurs within media, music, dance, and more. GFP’s creative partners are: 

• Alex Felix, EarthBound Films NY, Videographer
• Carolinah Blu, BangerHouse Music Group, Audio Engineer and Music Producer
• Stephen Davis, 40KDesigns, Graphic Designer
• Luqman Muhammad, 22Reform!, Videographer
• Schondra Aytch, SneakVibing, Social Media
• Jillian Hanesworth, Poet/Spoken Word Artist
• MeKisha Rivers, Dancer
• Lindsey Niccs, Singer
• The Crusader Marching Unit of Buffalo NY 
• The Foundry, Mayor Summer Youth student carpenters
• Greg Garrett, MUDD Renovation LLC, Owner 
• CEPA Gallery, Photography Works student photographers
• Wakanda Alliance, Student Photographers

Participant Storytellers

• Anthony Pierce—Wakanda Alliance, Founder
• Kelly Diane Galloway—Project Mona’s House, Founder
• Jamil Crews—Crews Control Media, CEO
• JoAnna Rozier-Johnson—Community Action Organization, VP of Youth Services & The Crusaders Marching Unit of Buffalo NY, Founder
• Stephen Forman Sr.—Christ Crusaders Assembly, Pastor and Thyme & Honey, CEO
• Gail Wells—Buffalo Freedom Gardens, Founder
• Alexander Wright—African Heritage Food Co-op, Founder

About Get Fokus’d Productions

Get Fokus’d Productions is an award-winning creative media arts company specializing in capturing “human-first” stories through photography and film, teaching emerging artists and entrepreneurs how to capture and share their own stories, and giving back to the next generation of creatives.

Get Fokus’d Productions Team

• Aitina Fareed-Cooke, Creative Media Director, CEO
• Alanda Gethers, Communications & Logistics Liaison
• Shannon Mays, Communications Liaison
• Joshua Cooke, Operations Lead
• Isaac Fareed, MyKiss Washington, Hannah McAndrew, Young and Fokus’d Apprentices

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