noseyAF: Conversations about Art, Activism, and Social Change

Bring the Avalanche: How to Turn Rejection Into Motivation — with Maurice Proffitt

Ep #96: Bring the Avalanche: How to Turn Rejection Into Motivation — with Maurice Proffitt “Trust yourself. This world will try to tell you otherwise every single day.”- Maurice Proffitt This conversation was recorded live at Lumpen Radio on Saturday November 22, 2025 Summary of the episode In this episode, we sit down with Chicago creative and producer Maurice Proffitt to talk about creative rejection, the fear of success, and what it really takes to build a career without waiting for permission. Maurice shares the moments that shaped him: the childhood spark that made him a storyteller, the brutal rejection that changed his entire trajectory, and how he learned to turn setbacks into motivation. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or right on the edge of something big—but scared to leap—this conversation will give you fuel. What we talk about * A friendly deep-dive into what it really means to grow as an artist. * Turning rejection into motivation * Overcoming the fear of success and leveling up * Growing up Black in Schaumburg and finding your “B-side” identity * Why you should stop asking for permission and create anyway * Building B-Side Productions and Dreamscape * Friendship, community, and the people who hold you up * Maurices first web series “Broke AF,” filmmaking, and learning to edit * The moment he said: “Enough is enough — I’m building my own lane.” Things We Mentioned Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection by Jia Jiang [https://bookshop.org/a/102335/9780804141383](affiliate link) “Broke AF” web series [https://youtu.be/6tdqhimMx_M?si=u7iC95BuxdEe6o6A] B-Side Studios [https://www.youtube.com/@bside.studios] Dreamscape Theatre [https://www.dreamscapetheatre.com/] Batman Begins — “Why do we fall? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP5TPbtbzRo]” reference Chapters: 00:23 - Introduction to Self-Expression 01:51 - The Fear of Success 12:24 - Navigating the Creative Landscape 19:33 - The Heartbreak of Rejection 24:33 - The Concept of B-Side Productions 31:51 - Identity and Growing Up in Schaumburg 36:15 - The Journey of Friendship and Creativity 44:11 - Transition to Filmmaking and Editing 51:01 - Resilience in the Face of Adversity 54:43 - The Journey of a Show: From Preparation to Performance All about... Maurice Proffitt You're gonna love Maurice Proffitt—he’s a filmmaker, theatre producer, community-builder, and creative force whose work centers the stories and voices usually overlooked. From theater to film to building his own production companies, Maurice is all about creating space for the hidden gems, the B-sides, and the people who don’t fit the mold. Sponsor Shoutout 💖 This episode is brought to you by Artist Admin Hour. Admin is the flex—and your practice deserves it. Join us Wednesdays, 7–9pm CT for structured co-working that helps you get things off your list and out of your head. Learn more: artistadminhour.com [http://artistadminhour.com] Connect with Maurice Proffit Instagram: @mrproffit [https://www.instagram.com/mrproffit/] Website: https://www.dreamscapetheatre.com/ [https://www.dreamscapetheatre.com/] More ways to connect: Email: stephanie@missgraham.com [stephanie@missgraham.com] Check out my work [https://missgraham.com/] Follow on Instagram [https://instagram.com/stephaniegraham] @stephaniegraham Listen to more episodes [https://missgraham.com/podcast] Support & Feedback Share noseyAF with a friend [https://www.noseyaf.com/follow/] Rate & Review on your podcast platform [https://www.noseyaf.com/rate/] Buy Pins & Prints | Shop Art [https://missgraham.com/shop] Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Artist Admin Hour instrumental by Soundroll

Welcome to noseyAF: Conversations about Art, Activism and Social Change

Ever wonder what a creative life really looks like beyond the highlight reel? I'm Stephanie Graham, an artist and filmmaker, and I host noseyAF conversations about art, activism, and social change. I ask the kind of honest questions that make people go, "Ooh, good one". We'll talk about when you knew you had to make a project, how you really handle rejection, and where the weirdest place inspiration struck. We have rich, fun, and honest talks with artists, activists, and everyday legends who are out here doing the work that matters. We get into the breakthroughs, the 3 AM doubts, the side hustles funding it all, and the messy, messy pivots. If you want actionable, inspiring conversations that spark ideas and curiosity, subscribe to noseyAF today. Let's get nosy and curious together

Queer History Is Everywhere: Dr. Kate Henry on Archives, Rhetoric & Lisa Ben

Ep # 95: Queer History Is Everywhere: Dr. Kate Henry on Archives, Rhetoric & Lisa Ben Summary of the episode Hey its Stephanie here! In this episode of noseyAF, we get into queer history, archives, and public scholarship with Dr. Kate Henry — writer, scholar, poet, and creator of Lisa Benography, a public scholarship project documenting Lisa Ben, the woman behind the first known lesbian magazine in the U.S. Kate and I talk about the magic and messiness of archives, what feminist historiography actually is, and how queer stories survive even when institutions try to erase them. We also get into creative writing, rhetoric, butch/femme histories, and what it means to consider your own life an archive. It’s tender, nerdy, funny, and honestly one of my favorite conversations. What we talk about * How Dr. Kate first stumbled into queer history and feminist historiography * The wild, brilliant, and deeply influential life of Lisa Ben * Why archives matter — and how everyday people create them * The difference between academic scholarship and public scholarship (and how to make knowledge accessible) * Creative writing, rhetoric, and the “moves” queer creators make under censorship * A juicy tangent on personal archives, family keepsakes, and documenting our own lives * How queer histories survive through scraps, letters, love, and community care Things We Mentioned * Lisa Benography website [https://www.lisabenography.com/] (Kate’s public scholarship project) * ONE Archives at the USC Libraries [https://one.usc.edu/] (where Lisa Ben’s papers live) * “Vice Versa” [https://www.lisabenography.com/vice-versa/] — the first known lesbian magazine in the U.S. * The book Overlooked by The New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/overlooked] (Kate is cited in the Lisa Ben entry) * Patrick Kelly biography project by Dr. Eric Darnell Pritchard [https://www.essence.com/fashion/clothes-to-make-you-smile-patrick-kelly-interview/] * Magazine of Horror / sci-fi fanzines (Lisa Ben’s “Tigrina” work) [https://www.themarysue.com/science-fiction-has-always-been-a-space-for-queer-expression/] Chapters: * 00:09 - Exploring Queer History: The Legacy of Lisa Ben * 09:06 - Public Scholarship and Queer Histories * 24:11 - The Impact of Lisa Ben and Queer Archives * 34:53 - The Legacy of Lisa Ben: Documenting Queer Histories * 47:01 - The Evolution of Personal and Public Scholarship All about Dr. Kate Henry Dr. Kate Henry is a Productivity Coach who specializes in sustainable and well-being-oriented productivity for folks working on academic writing projects. Kate holds an MFA in Creative Writing and a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition, and she researches and publishes as a public scholar. She's the author of the newsletter "Tending," the host of the podcast "Honing In," and she lives in Boston, MA, with her spouse, two cats, and a 7-pound chihuahua. Connect with Dr. Kate Henry Instagram: @thetendingyear [https://www.instagram.com/thetendingyear/] Website: https://katehenry.com/ [https://katehenry.com/] Newsletter: Tending with Dr. Kate Henry [https://katehenry.com/newsletter/] Podcast: Honing In [https://katehenry.com/shownotes/] 🚨 Also, as I mentioned in the episode, Dr. Kate is a productivity coach. If you need your life together, hit her up in December. She will open her books for new Success & Accountability Coaching Clients who want to work together in 2026. Connect with Stephanie Check out my work [https://www.notion.so/199f49e42f11802697efc5cb1f1b3e08?pvs=21] Follow me on Instagram [https://www.notion.so/5eead8745a4849249c9bd525e55c305c?pvs=21] Join the Good Stuff Only Newsletter [http://missgraham.com/newsletter] Listen to more episodes [https://noseyaf.com/] Support & Feedback Share noseyAF with friends [https://www.noseyaf.com/follow/] Rate & Review the Show [https://www.noseyaf.com/rate/] Buy Pins & Prints [https://www.noseyaf.com/store/] | Shop Art [https://www.missgraham.com/shop] Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam

Plant-Based Entrepreneur Niehla Ollie: From Beauty Industry to Homegirl’s Hummus

Ep # 94 : Plant-Based Entrepreneur Niehla Ollie: From Beauty Industry to Homegirl’s Hummus This episode was recorded live on Saturday November 8th at Lumpen Radio in Chicago. Summary of the episode This week on noseyAF, I’m talking with Niehla Ollie, the creative behind Homegirl’s Hummus. After more than 20 years in the fashion and beauty world, Niehla had a late-night hummus craving in Milwaukee that changed everything. What started as a midnight snack moment turned into a full-on business built on flavor, love, and community. Niehla opens up about loss, faith, and starting over, and we get into how food can heal and connect people. She shares what it’s really like to run a food business, the importance of taking care of yourself while chasing your dreams, and why kindness and a good dip go a long way. This conversation is full of heart, hustle, and hummus — the perfect combo. Chapters: • 00:17 - A New Beginning • 06:08 - The Origin of Homegirls Hummus • 12:40 - Transitioning to Healthy Eating Choices • 19:22 - Navigating Dietary Restrictions During the Holidays • 22:57 - The Journey of Homegirl Hummus • 32:06 - The Importance of Self-Care • 45:34 - Faith and Business: A Journey of Hope • 52:15 - Exploring the World of Hummus and Beyond • 56:11 - The Art of Entertaining What we talk about How Niehla went from beauty industry boss to hummus queen The story behind Homegirl’s Hummus and how it started with one late-night craving Why plant-based eating doesn’t have to be complicated or boring Handling grief, growth, and entrepreneurship with faith and flavor The real talk about self-care and staying grounded while building something new All about… Niehla Ollie You’re gonna love Niehla Ollie (aka Niehla O). After more than 20 years in fashion and beauty, she wanted to help people feel good from the inside out. That led her to create Homegirl’s Hummus, a plant-based brand that’s all about community, creativity, and connection. She started making hummus for friends in L.A. back in 2016, and after moving back home to Chicago — and through some major life changes — she decided to go all in. In 2021, Homegirl’s Hummus was officially born, spreading love (and hummus) one scoop at a time. Connect with Niehla Instagram: @homegirlshummus [https://www.instagram.com/homegirlshummus] Website: homegirlshummus.com [https://homegirlshummus.com/] More ways to connect: Email [stephanie@missgraham.com] Check out my work [https://missgraham.com/] Follow me on Instagram [https://instagram.com/stephaniegraham] Listen to more episodes [https://claude.ai/chat/15ab9a89-9d43-4a5d-999f-559ddd38598f#] Support & Feedback Share noseyAF with friends [https://www.noseyaf.com/follow/] Rate & Review the Show [https://www.noseyaf.com/reviews/] Buy Pins & Prints | Shop Art [https://claude.ai/chat/15ab9a89-9d43-4a5d-999f-559ddd38598f#] Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam

Stop Overthinking Your Brand: A Real Talk Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs with Bridget Baker

Ep 93: Stop Overthinking Your Brand: A Real Talk Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs Summary of the episode In this episode of noseyAF, I sit down with brand designer and website strategist Bridget Baker to demystify the overwhelming world of branding for artists and creative entrepreneurs. Bridget shares her journey from professional dancer and choreographer to helping people build authentic brands that actually reflect who they are—not who they think they should be. We dig into why branding feels so intimidating, how to give yourself permission to be yourself online, and why perfection is the enemy of connection. Bridget breaks down the difference between personal and business brands, explains when (and if) you should worry about brand consistency, and shares practical advice for creative people who contain multitudes. If you've ever felt paralyzed by the pressure to have perfectly polished brand photos, matching color palettes, or a "professional" online presence, this conversation is for you. Topics discussed: * Why branding feels overwhelming and how to give yourself permission to be authentic * The difference between personal and business brands (and what to do when you ARE the business) * How minimalism and organization principles apply to brand strategy * When to update your brand colors, photos, and messaging (spoiler: it's more flexible than you think) * Building community through co-working spaces like Write Shit Mondays * The problem with AI-generated brand content and homogenized aesthetics * Practical first steps for clarifying your brand based on what you actually want your life to look like Chapters: • 00:14 - Introduction to Bridget Baker • 06:57 - The Intersection of Personal and Business Branding • 12:25 - Evolving Brand Stories • 17:41 - The Role of Minimalism in Branding • 26:28 - The Journey to Website Branding • 37:06 - Exploring Community and Connections • 38:43 - The Evolution of Write Shit Mondays • 46:20 - Understanding Branding Flexibility All About Bridget Bridget Baker specializes in working with coaches, consultants, therapists, organizers, and overall, people who help people. Her superpower is giving you the permission you need to brand your BIZ the way YOU want to. She's been a minimalist since before it was trendy, and organized her friends' closets for fun as a kid (true story!) Simplifying spaces and creating more room to play are her jam. That, coupled with a background in dance and choreography led her to want to find a way to use both her creative and organizational passions. Sprinkle in some writing and consulting, and over the past 15 years, she's built a business that has given her the flexibility and freedom to work from anywhere. Building brands and websites is the place where she combines all those skills and helps people let go of the cluttered ideas about their brands, and create the space for something they love. Resources mentioned in this episode * Write Shit Mondays [https://www.bridgetbakerbranding.com/cowriting]- Bridget's free weekly co-working writing community (every Monday) * Bridget's Website [https://www.bridgetbakerbranding.com/] - Connect with Bridget for branding and website services Noteworthy quotes from this episode "Branding is your behavior. It's your personality. What has you go buy that color of Stanley mug? It's not just Instagram telling you—it's like, pink is my thing." "This thing that's scary for you to share is probably the thing you should share because that's the thing that's going to make you the most vulnerable. That's going to have people connect with you and go, 'Oh my gosh, you're a real person.'" "Get clear about what you really want in your life. And then you build the brand from there. You don't just go, 'What marketable skills do I have?' Because then you just get into hustle culture." "You contain multitudes. You have these different arenas that you share with the world—your art, your work, your podcast. That's what makes it interesting." "I'm a website therapist because I do like to dig in and really figure out the juicy underbelly of people's brands." Connect with Bridget Baker * Instagram: @bridgetbakerbranding [https://www.instagram.com/bridgetbakerbranding/] * Website: bridgetbakerbranding.com [http://bridgetbakerbranding.com] Connect & Stay Updated * Visit my website [https://www.missgraham.com/] (Art, Projects & More) * Follow on Instagram [https://instagram.com/stephaniegraham] (@stephaniegraham) * Join my Studio Newsletter [https://www.missgraham.com/newsletter] * Listen to more episodes [https://noseyaf.com/] Support & Feedback * Share noseyAF with friends [https://www.noseyaf.com/follow/] * Rate & Review the Show [https://www.noseyaf.com/rate/] * Buy Pins & Prints [https://www.noseyaf.com/store/] | Shop Art [https://www.missgraham.com/shop] * Join the noseyAF Dispatch [https://noseynewsletter.substack.com/] * Send Feedback or Message [https://castfeedback.com/noseyaf] Episode Credits: Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam