For the ‘woke’ ones among us, the eighth month of the year is also know as “Black August,” and for the last five years the BlackStar Film Festival has been a hub for African-centered cinematic art from around the world. To conclude the first se

#19: A Black Twitter Love Story w/ Tahir Jetter

Aug 24th, 2016 25m 29s

Filmmaker Tahir Jetter talks about how Black Twitter and music artists like Drake, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar inspired him to examine the psyche of the vulnerable Black Millennial man in his debut feature film, How To Tell If You’re A Douch

#18: Gucci Saved My Life, w/ Dave Helem

Aug 16th, 2016 1h 1m

Comedian Dave Helem shares his insight on comedy as a Chicagoan, a Black man, and a disciple of both Kanye West and Gucci Mane. Behind the jokes is a real dialogue about not letting the machine chew you up and spit you out. We also talked about

#17: The Artist's Guide to Being Woke w/ Felonious Munk

Aug 9th, 2016 48m 39s

"Black people doing anything they want to do is a subversive act." A funny conversation with comedian Felonious Munk evolved into an important dialogue about love, being woke, staying in your lane, and why it is okay for some artists to keep qu

#16: Emotions vs. Vulnerablity, with Felonious Munk

Aug 3rd, 2016 22m 41s

In a review of VIEWS by artist Drake, author Neil McCormick states that “Drake’s navel-gazing is wearing thin” and called the album an “anthem for the selfie generation.” In this episode Chakka and extra special guest comedian Felonious Munk ta

#15: The Artist’s Guide to Mental Health w/ Alice Berry

Jul 26th, 2016 26m 27s

Alice Berry is an artist, independent clothing designer and clinical counselor. She specializes in talk psychotherapy as well as time and stress management techniques, including meditation training. Alice specializes in counseling for people wh

#14: (Suicide) Hotline Bling

Jul 19th, 2016 11m 4s

Chakka shares her suicide hotline story, and how she knew she had to break things off with one particular therapist.

#13: #NoShameDay with Poet Bassey Ikpi

Jul 12th, 2016 1h 9m

Poet and Mental Health Advocate Bassey Ikpi started #NoShameDay in 2012 to encourage a day of dialogue and transparency about mental health issues. In this episode Bassey share her own story about how she found help and meaning in her own menta

#12: Good Artist, B.A.A.D. Friend

Jul 7th, 2016 8m 6s

Chakka describes what she learned about people, friendships and creativity during a particularly intense week. If you've wondered why creative accomplishments are sometimes accompanied by social isolation, check this episode out and feel free t

#11: Commit To The Work: Creativity and Scholarship w/ Dr. Yaba Blay

Jun 28th, 2016 24m 21s

Dr. Yaba Blay is a professor, author, ethnographer and producer who is committed to making scholarship about global Black identities and the politics of hair and skin accessible outside of the Ivory Tower. This episode is not only a treat for f

#10: Inputs, Outputs and Mental Wellness for Creatives

Jun 22nd, 2016 11m 1s

Chakka explains why creatives should be mindful of their "inputs." Social media, traditional media, news and even how-to books can hamper the creative process.

#9: The Business of Show- Creating Hyperlocal Hollywood Alternatives with Creative Cypher's Michael Issac and Troy Pryor

Jun 14th, 2016 40m 2s

Creative Cypher is a non-profit media and creative incubator dedicated to giving Chicago-based creatives opportunities that go way beyond your average networking event. Michael Issac and Troy Pryor discuss how they formed Creative Cypher to add

#8: Mentors, Avatars and Ancestors for Creatives

Jun 7th, 2016 10m 45s

Chakka talks about asking for mentorship the right way, calling on support from the ancestors and picking avatars to guide your career and creative process.

#7: ABC - The Art, Business and Curation Masterclass with Janice Bond

May 31st, 2016 48m 46s

This episode is brought to you by #BlackGirlMagic and the letter C for COINS. Janice Bond (@gypsetproper) is an artist, arts advocate and cultural rainmaker. This conversation turned into a masterclass on how artists can make money from art and

#6:'Lauryn Hill's Perfection Paralysis'

May 24th, 2016 12m 6s

Good may be the enemy of great, but perfect is definitely the enemy of progress. Some of our favorite artists make us wait for new music, shows, and art because they are waiting for the "right" time to show up. Here are some tips on how to conq

#5: 'Real Artists Copy:' A Conversation with Artist Nick Briz

May 17th, 2016 29m 15s

New media artist and educator Nick Briz talks about copying as a key, rather than a threat to creativity. Nick shares his insights on how artists can share their work freely on the web and get over the fear of being ripped off, also known as "C

#4: 'The Right Way to Work for Free'

May 10th, 2016 9m 37s

Why working for free is better than working at a discount, and more tips for how creatives and artists can make free work work to our advantage. BONUS: Check out gethighwater.com for a copy of the Definitive Working for Free Checklist.

#3: 'The Revolution, Televised: Diversity, Web Series, and the Future of TV,' with guest Dr. Aymar Jean Christian

May 3rd, 2016 48m 24s

Are we in a TV golden age, or is there too much TV? What role does the web series have in increasing diversity in media? How does one gain an audience for their web series? Based on his research, including interviews with the creators of over 1

#2: 'Shade & Lemonade, Personal vs. Private'

Apr 26th, 2016 5m 23s

Prince is gone, Beyonce is reborn, and we can all learn from both. How can you keep your work authentic without sacrificing your privacy?Highwater Mini-Takes are shorter episodes that focus on particular creative lessons from the current week

#1: 'Elf Money', with guest Johnny Ray Gill

Apr 19th, 2016 40m 33s

How do you decide when a career move is the right one?Perhaps no artist needs to be as careful about career decisions as actors do, whose choices are not only recorded forever, but as in the case of Zoe Sandaña, become fodder for larger conver

Highwater Trailer

Apr 18th, 2016 1m 55s

A sneak peek at what to expect from Highwater, a new practical pop-culture driven advice show for artists and creatives, hosted by Chakka Reeves of Highwater Magazine. Highwater premieres April 19th.

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