189 | How Art Can Inspire Change and Positive Action in the World with Danielle Coke, Oh Happy Dani
Hey friends! I am so excited for today’s interview with Danielle Coke of Oh Happy Dani. If you lived through the year of 2020 and are active on social media, I’m willing to bet that you’ve seen Dani’s beautiful and impactful art making waves across the internet.
Dani is an illustrator, social justice advocate and entrepreneur. Her illustrations aim to make complex issues more digestible and provide practical ways to help others make a difference in their spheres of influence. Dani also is the founder of a social media agency, So Happy Social where she helps positive mission-based brands use social media for good.
In this episode, Dani and I chat about what 2020 was like for her as her illustrations began to go viral online. She gets into how she stays inspired to create, her process for creating new illustrations and how she holds boundaries with her audience. Her episode is a strong reminder that art is powerful and can inspire change and positive action in the world.
ON TODAY’S EPISODE:
How Dani got started as an illustrator
Her experience with starting her social media agency
How her post went viral during the rebirth of the Black Lives Matter movement
Dani’s advice for people who want to inspire their own audiences
The biggest concerns she had after going viral
How she remains creative while processing and centering herself
The feelings she has about sharing messages on racial injustice, being an ally, systemic racism, etc.
Why you have to do what you want, even if “nobody else is doing it”
What Dani is more hopeful for in 2021
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KEY TAKE AWAYS
“What an opportunity for me to take this into a different medium and use art to speak to these complex issues.” - Danielle Coke
“It's interesting to me to watch the way that art can take a complex issue and just make it more digestible.” - Danielle Coke
“I believe at the intersection of your passion, your skill set, and a perceived need that you see in the world is where purpose is.” - Danielle Coke
“By me slowing down, I hope that it creates that space for other people to say, ‘Well, maybe if I'm not thinking about how I can post about this, maybe I can think about what I can do about this.’” - Danielle Coke
“Through your art, you're doing a lot to not only educate but inspire and push people to action.” - Katie Hunt
“The topic at hand is just so important to handle with delicacy and accuracy that I cannot afford to not do my due diligence in the prep process.” - Danielle Coke
RESOURCES
MEET DANIELLE:
Danielle is an illustrator, social justice advocate, and entrepreneur who makes art designed to encourage faith, inspire justice, and guide others through loving their neighbors well. Her illustrations aim to make complex issues more digestible and provide practical ways to help others make a difference in their spheres of influence.
She also runs a social media agency called So Happy Social where she helps positive, mission-based brands use social media for good. When she's not drawing, you can find her watching a Disney movie, making music, or laughing as hard as she can.
CONNECT WITH DANIELLE
Website: ohhappydani.com | Facebook: @ohhappydani | Instagram: @ohhappydani
Twitter: @ohhappydani | Pinterest: @ohhappydani
Connect with Katie Hunt
Katie Hunt is a business strategist, podcaster, mentor and mama to four. She helps product based businesses build profitable, sustainable companies through her conferences, courses and coaching programs.
Website: prooftoproduct.com | Instagram: @prooftoproduct
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