Meet the Ambassadors: BOOM Concepts
About BOOM Concepts
BOOM is a space for field building, knowledge sharing, mentorship, and storytelling. BOOM Concepts is dedicated to the development of artists and creative entrepreneurs representing marginalized voices. BOOM Concepts operates with a campus model occupying locations across Pittsburgh offering artist studios in auxiliary locations across Pittsburgh’s unique neighborhoods, spaces, and resources catered to each artist’s creative and professional goals.
D.S. KINSEL is an award-winning creative entrepreneur and cultural agitator. He expresses his creativity through the mediums of painting, window display, installation, curating, Action-Painting, Non-Traditional , and #HASHTAGS. Kinsel’s Work Puts Focus On Themes Of Space Keeping, Urban Tradition, Hip-hop, Informalism and Cultural Re-Appropriation.
THOMAS AGNEW is a designer and cultural entrepreneur based in Pittsburgh, PA. Agnew is Co-Founder of BOOM Concepts Gallery, a co-working and community arts space in Pittsburgh, and EIC of JENESIS Magazine, a media outlet focusing on youth culture lifestyle and young creative entrepreneurs.Through JENESIS Magazine and BOOM Concepts’ national networks, Agnew has produced numerous arts and culture events, in collaboration with high level partner.
DeVaughn Rodgers is a mentor, educator, and artist, here in Pittsburgh. He is the Unblurred Coordinator and lead installer for Boom Concepts as well as the Education Program Coordinator for BikePGH.
Why did BOOM Concepts apply to become a Healthy Ride Community Ambassador this year?
As part of our goal to serve artists and provide resources that promote independence, we at boom see cycling as a valuable mode of transportation. We believe that cycling should be accessible to all people and especially those who are generally underserved and have access to limited resources including transportation. We see the Healthy ride Bike share as a valuable resource that is accessible to all peoples. We want to help spread the word and share this resource with those who may not have even considered it as an option.
What are you (and your team) most excited about for this year’s Ambassador program?
We are excited to blend in cycling and the mission of the Ambassador Program with the overall mission and practice of BOOM Concepts. We plan to blend our events with different projects we are leading and or collaborating within the coming months.
Where is your favorite place to bike to in or around Garfield?
“Personally I love riding down the steep hills of Garfield. I grew up here so it was not an unusual thing to see kids bombing down Columbo St. on bikes and improvised go-karts ” -DeVaughn Rodgers
Complete the following sentence. I love Healthy Ride’s bike share program, because…
It not only provides a valuable resource to the city that’s accessible for all people but a healthy alternative for commuting here in the city.
Any improvements you’d like to see in order to make Pittsburgh or Garfield a better place for people to bike?
