Yo Munir!

Rick Lowe, Joseph Beuys & Project Row Houses: Andrea Greer on Social Sculpture (Pt 2) | Yo Munir! Ep 36

Andrea Greer is Senior Advisor for Strategy & Research at Project Row Houses in Houston — the Third Ward institution behind the recent restoration of the Eldorado Ballroom. In Part 2 of our conversation, Andrea walks us through the founding story of Project Row Houses — seven Black artists in Houston in the late '80s, a bus tour where city leaders called Third Ward's shotgun shacks "the most dangerous block" and proposed razing them, and Rick Lowe's now-famous response: "this is the bones of our culture and our community." We get the influences behind PRH (artist John Biggers, Joseph Beuys's concept of social sculpture), the wild coalition of funders who made it happen (the Menil Collection, Chevron, the NEA), and what 33 years of social practice in one neighborhood has actually produced — a grocery distribution that started in the pandemic, the Eldorado Ballroom rehab, and a generation of Black artists (Theaster Gates, Mark Bradford, Amanda Williams) whose work traces back to PRH. Andrea also gives us three things to remember about creativity, an honest moment of self-reflection, and her karaoke fantasy playlist — which kicks off a freewheeling mixtape segment that links Curtis Mayfield, Joe Strummer's "Johnny Appleseed," Beuys's 7,000 oaks at Kassel, and a Jason Moran instrumental medley. If you haven't heard Part 1, don't worry, Part 2 stands alone. But you'll like this even more if you do. Chapters 00:00 — Social sculpture, defined 01:30 — Fundraising as sales ("I sold abortion rights to men") 05:00 — The seven founding artists of Project Row Houses 09:00 — "The bones of our culture": how PRH began 16:00 — "You gotta eat, man": pandemic pivot 19:00 — The Eldorado Ballroom: held in trust for the community 24:00 — Three things to remember about creativity 26:30 — Mixtape: Andrea, Rob, and Munir's picks Mentioned Project Row Houses, Eldorado Ballroom, Rick Lowe, John Biggers, Joseph Beuys (and 7000 Oaks at Kassel), Amanda Williams, Theaster Gates, Mark Bradford, the Menil Collection, Texas Southern University, Emancipation Park (Houston), the Lulu Foundation, the Ford Foundation On the mixtape Freda Payne · Scarface · Jason Moran · Robert Glasper · Jackson Browne · Jimmy Cliff (The Harder They Come) · Erykah Badu · Living Colour · Natalie Merchant · Curtis Mayfield · Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros · Rodriguez (Searching for Sugar Man) · The Avener Yo Munir! is a weekly podcast about practice and creativity, hosted by Munir Haddad (Kiosk) and Rob Haddad. 🔗 Andrea Greer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreacgreer/ · Project Row Houses — https://projectrowhouses.org/ · The Eldorado Ballroom (PRH restoration) — https://projectrowhouses.org/our-work/neighborhood-development/eldorado-ballroom/ · Munir / Kiosk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/munirhaddad/ · Rob Haddad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-haddad-88670/ · Yo Munir! Ep 36 playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2LQyCmk5cCPiXr6yRzTBUX?si=yTsUp-CcR9ukgo7LeswXOA

Andrea Greer — Part 1: Crew, Coxswains & Kinetic Communication

Andrea Greer's career has been shaped, start to finish, by artists, activists, and the places they build. A lifelong Houstonian, she started out interning for Houston's Art Car Parade and is now Senior Advisor for Strategy & Research at Project Row Houses, the Third Ward institution behind the recent restoration of the Eldorado Ballroom. In Part 1, Andrea takes us back to the beginning: the kid who picked her own boarding school out of a library brochure, the Dartmouth coxswain who coined the term "kinetic communication," the art-history major who spent decades convinced she wasn't creative, and the law student who once nearly ditched it all to join a traveling circus with an artist named Chicken John. Part 2 goes deep on Project Row Houses, Rick Lowe, and the Joseph Beuys lineage that shaped it. Yo Munir! is a weekly podcast about practice and creativity, hosted by Munir Haddad (Kiosk) and Rob Haddad. In this episode: boarding-school survival, the coxswain's seat, kinetic communication, hidden creativity (needlework, karaoke, morning pages), almost joining the circus, and going back to law school during a pandemic — on purpose. 🔗 Andrea Greer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreacgreer/ · Project Row Houses: https://projectrowhouses.org/ · Munir / Kiosk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/munirhaddad/ · Rob Haddad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-haddad-88670/

"If it's in the game, it's in the game" but game means more than just the two and a half hours you play. | YM Ep 34

Glenn Chin takes Rob and Munir from EA's customer support desk in 1992 to the VP suite, revealing how entry-level hustle and authentic cultural connections built some of the most iconic campaigns in sports and gaming. As a fifth-generation San Franciscan who grew up navigating diverse communities on the Peninsula, Glenn discovered his superpower: being curious about people. This insight became his competitive advantage, whether creating Madden Bowl, building basketball teams at EA SPORTS, crafting legendary LeBron James campaigns at Nike Basketball, or launching Niantic NBA All World. Glenn shares the secret to aggregating interesting creative people who actually get things done, and why brand authenticity starts with relationships, not transactions. From sponsoring a high school All American game to defining gaming culture globally, Glenn proves that creativity thrives when diverse communities connect through shared passions. Rob and Munir share how Glenn has inspired the way that they look at modern brand building, and Glenn offers three gifts for marketers ready to unlock their creative potential. This week's mixtape celebrates the journey from "We Are the Champions" to Sandstorm's unlikely path from Finnish trance to sports arena anthem. If you believe that culture is your competitive advantage and that the best opportunities come from building bridges where others see walls, this one's for you. Stay in Touch: 📺 Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9yFb_jTqo4sXoTxJ1-YpTw 📱 Yo Munir on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yo.munir/ 👔 Find Munir on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/munirhaddad/ 👔 Find Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-haddad-88670/ 👔 Find Glenn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geechin/ 🛍️ Support us — Yo Munir Merch: https://www.yomunir.com/yo-store 🎵 Yo Munir on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@yomunir

Mrs. Meyer's founder Monica Nassif keeps betting it all on herself | Yo Munir Ep 33

She took one look at me and said, 'No, absolutely not. You don't have the training, you don't have a business degree. We don't allow people to jump silos.' Monica Nassif saw who the stars were in retail and wanted to move into a role that would have her on track to succeed. When she was denied by HR, she knew that was the last day she was going to work in corporate America.That courage to bet on herself despite rejection led to founding Caldrea and Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, scaling to 20,000+ stores before selling to SC Johnson. Growing up as the oldest of nine taught Monica that competition and resourcefulness are survival skills and the genesis of her creative problem-solving tools. Her journey of going from nursing, to English degree, to writing at Dayton Hudson Stores (Target), to running her own agency, along with a couple of decisions that didn't pan out, including an 'absolute business failure,' became her greatest teacher.In life, being told 'no' can be the spark that ignites your biggest breakthrough.In business, sometimes you have to be willing to start over as a beginner, even at 28, to build something that feels handmade in a mass-produced world.In community, brands that connect us to our roots and the wisdom of previous generations create lasting value.Check out Monica's new book, "I Bottled My Mother: Grit, Grime & Growing a Business. The Mrs. Meyer's Story." Stay in Touch:📱 Yo Munir on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yo.munir/👔 Find Munir on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/munirhaddad/👔 Find Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-haddad-88670/👔 Find Monica on IdeaPress: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/I-Bottled-My-Mother/Monica-Nassif/9781646872336🛍️ Support us — Yo Munir Merch: https://www.yomunir.com/yo-store

Creative environments don't just nurture talent—they transform lives | YM Ep 32

What if your basement could be your first stage? Heather Brown takes Rob and Munir from her childhood Staten Island basement—where she performed solo concerts to Elton John, Billy Joel, and Rod Stewart—through the legendary halls of LaGuardia High School, where she studied drama alongside future Emmy winner Sarah Paulson. Her journey winds through the University of Michigan theater program, an adventurous year living abroad in London's theater scene, acting in Los Angeles, and ultimately back home to Staten Island Technical High School where she now directs productions like The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and serves as wellness coordinator. Heather reveals why she chose teaching over traditional performance, finding profound joy in working with students who aren't necessarily pursuing theater careers but discover themselves through creative expression. She shares the magic of LaGuardia's diverse creative ecosystem, her friendship with Sarah Paulson and their different artistic paths, and why she's changed her opinion about creative expression. Rob and Munir explore how competitive academic environments can still nurture creativity, and Munir opens up about his own late-blooming journey into acting. The conversation celebrates educators who build creative communities and the profound impact of performing alone before you perform for others. If you believe that every basement can be a rehearsal room and every classroom can be a creative ecosystem, this one's for you. Stay in Touch: 📺 Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9yFb_jTqo4sXoTxJ1-YpTw 📱 Yo Munir on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yo.munir/ 👔 Find Munir on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/munirhaddad/ 👔 Find Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-haddad-88670/ 🛍️ Support us — Yo Munir Merch: https://www.yomunir.com/yo-store