ABOUT
PARKS ~ HALL
Parks-Hall is a multi-disciplinary
arts advocacy and presenting organization dedicated to the development
of the arts and the artists of the African Diaspora. Click to
read more about our:
HISTORY
PURPOSE
FOUNDER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
CHRISTOPHER
J. TYSON
RUSSELL
RICKFORD
DERRY
WATKINS
CANDACE
JACKSON
PHILIP
L. MCKENZIE
TODD
N. TRIPLETT
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History
Parks-Hall was founded on the premise that the arts should be
accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic status and societal
station. With this in mind, the organization not only fights
to provide opportunities for independent artists of the African
Diaspora, but to offer an alternative to the monopoly of corporate-sponsored
and fundamentally commercial art in underserved communities.
Founded in 2002 by Todd N. Triplett, the Parks-Hall organization
is based in Brooklyn, NY.
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Purpose
Throughout modernity, the arts have provided people of color
around the world with a vital means of expression and survival
in often-hostile environments. The work of artists of color
has affirmed the humanity of all people while preserving the
beauty and power of marginalized cultures. During the many human
rights movements that roiled the twentieth century, the art
of the oppressed reflected and helped shape campaigns for freedom,
dignity, and self-determination. In America, black and Latino
expressions from jazz to hip hop fought social injustice, transcended
racial and ethnic boundaries, and contributed to a pluralistic
national identity.
Today, however,
the commercialized homogeneity of popular culture threatens
the vibrancy and liberationist role of the urban arts. While
black and Latino artists continue to envision a more humanistic,
egalitarian America, many of their most visible peers seem to
be veering away from socially conscious work. Indeed, the commodification
of black and brown suffering increasingly generates huge profits
for corporations and performers while compounding the exploitation
of desperate inner cities. Meanwhile, members of such communities
(particularly children) often have little access to artists
who look like them and who are clearly committed to their empowerment.
Parks-Hall
will end this imbalance. A comprehensive arts advocacy and training
institute offering advanced instruction in the visual, performance,
film, literary, and theatrical arts, Parks-Hall is committed
to empowering young, community-minded artists of color. It seeks
to develop professionals whose work ennobles human relationships,
uplifts the disadvantaged, resists the degradation of minorities,
and pursues social justice.
Although Parks-Hall is strongly anti-censorship, it seeks to
expand the dominant discourse of urban art to more truthfully
reflect the full range of expression in communities of color.
Parks-Hall is inclusive and non-partisan. Yet it privileges
art that fosters black-brown pride and dignity over art that
emptily promotes violence and consumerism.
Parks-Hall is devoted to building an army of progressive urban
artists—young creative people who are armed with the resources,
awareness and knowledge to create works that fight hatred, racism,
sexism, homophobia, violence and despair. Parks-Hall supports
a democratic vision of the arts, and is committed to offering
disadvantaged communities access to fine arts. It seeks to develop
not just urban artists, but urban audiences.
Parks-Hall seeks to transcend traditional arts training by teaching
the business of the arts and encouraging greater minority ownership
and production. It is a clearinghouse for progressive urban
art and a vibrant space for the pursuit of genius.
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Todd N. Triplett, Founder
Todd Triplett is the president and CEO of Parks-Hall Inc. Mr.
Triplett's career as an artist began as a teen on the south
side of Chicago. He discovered his talent for illustration and
painting while attending Kenwood Academy, one of the city's
few public schools with a commercial arts program. As a member
of the hip-hop generation, he was quickly seduced by the expressive
nature of the culture's emerging art forms, most notably graffiti.
His pencils and paint brushes were soon replaced with spray
cans in search of brick canvasses. Todd fancied himself an evangelist,
spreading the hip-hop gospel whenever and wherever possible.
Unfortunately, the City of Chicago did not share Mr. Triplett's
sentiment. After a few minor brushes with the authorities, his
efforts were redirected to the classroom where he excelled has
a watercolor artist, winning several art competitions and scholarships.
He went on to attend Howard University in Washington, DC, where
he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. While attending
Howard, Mr. Triplett quickly learned that the arts were in desperate
need of advocates to defend their merit and societal contributions.
During his final year of study, he found himself leading the
fight to keep the doors of the only accredited College of Fine
Arts on a historically black campus open. After leading several
student protests as Vice-president of the College's student
council, Mr. Triplett conceded the loss of the historic institution.
As the College of Fine Arts was consumed by the Liberal Arts
College as a result of budget cuts, the loss of one of the few
institutions fostering the development of African-American artists
was also lost. This loss fueled Mr. Triplett's commitment to
become an advocate of the arts and promote diversity and multiculturalism
across all artistic disciplines. The idea for Parks-Hall was
born.
Mr. Triplett financed his college career by maintaining a full-time
dual creative position at Burrell Communications Group, one
of the nation's largest African-American focused advertising
agencies. Shortly after graduation, he joined the Atlanta office
of the agency. While at Burrell, Mr. Triplett created campaigns
for major bands including Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Procter
& Gamble. In 1997 Todd received industry-wide accolades
for his participation in the development of the "Voltron"
campaign for the Sprite brand. This campaign was lauded for
the seamless melding of cultural and iconographic imagery and
positive social messaging. It resulted in pushing the Sprite
brand to the No. 3 share position amongst carbonated soft drinks,
the highest in the brand's history. The success of the socially
focused campaign was the first in a series of events that formulated
Mr. Triplett philosophy that the arts, if used responsibly,
can be a strong catalyst for positive ideological change within
our society and the world.
Upon leaving Burrell in 1998, Mr. Triplett co-founded Nomenudum,
an Atlanta based advertising agency focused on creating cause-marketing
campaigns geared toward the developing Generation "Y"
and multi-cultural segments. Serving as the agency's Chief Marketing
Officer, the agency acquired $1.5 million in client billings
in less than two years. To date, the agency has created advertising
for Coca-Cola, Nokia, McDonald's, Lugz Boots & Apparel,
and Lauryn Hill's Refugee Project. Mr. Triplett sold his interest
in Nomenudum in 2001, moving to New York to concentrate solely
on the development of Parks-Hall.
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Board of Directors
Christopher
J. Tyson
This academic tri-athlete has been awarded a Bachelor of Architecture
from Howard University, Master of Public Policy from Harvard
University, and is currently a candidate for a Juris Doctorate
at Georgetown University Law Center. He has professional experience
in policy and co-founded Zapzoom, Inc., a strategy and marketing
consultancy. Christopher has volunteered in the Boston prison
system, and looks forward to continuing the tradition of giving
back through Parks-Hall.
Russell
Rickford
Russell Rickford received his Bachelor's degree in journalism
from Howard University, and a master's in African-American Studies
at Columbia University where he is currently a PhD candidate.
Russell is the author of Betty Shabazz: A Life of Malcolm X
(Sourcebooks, 2003). Along with his father, Stanford linguist,
John Rickford, he is the coauthor of Spoken Soul: The Story
of Black English (John Wiley & Sons, 2000), a recipient
of the 2000 American Book Award. Russell remains devoted to
progressive politics as a lecturer on the Black experience,
a supporter of independent black institutions, and a board member
of Parks-Hall.
Derry
Watkins
Entrepreneur, Derry Watkins has owned a successful game development
and marketing firm, Anomaly Games, LLC, since 1998. Prior to
his entrepreneurial venture, he held a coveted Jr. Art Director
position at Burrell Communications. A graduate of Howard University's
Advertising program, Derry lives in Los Angeles and continues
to give back as a volunteer with Compassion in Action, the Harlem
Youth Court program, and as pro bono web and graphic design
consultant to charitable organizations.
Candace Jackson
Masterfully guiding between the business and art worlds, Candace
Jackson is a professional philanthropist. Graduating from Howard
University Theater Arts Administration program and earning a
MFA from the Yale School of Drama Theater Management program,
she has gained a technical arts education and learned to thoroughly
manage the business of the arts. Candace is currently the Director
of Operations for the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. and has
held positions with the Upper Manhattam Empowement Zone (UMEZ),
The Yale Repertory Theater, and the New Haven International
Festival of Arts & Ideas. She serves on the Theater Panel
of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the Harlem
Arts Alliance (HAA) Strategic Committee, and now Parks-Hall.
Philip L. McKenzie
A graduate of Howard University and Duke University's Fuqua
School of Business, Philip McKenzie contributes a wealth of
knowledge, particularly in the area of finance. With a rich
professional experience, he has matriculated as an employee
of Natwest/Fleet Bank, Prudential Securities, as well as powerhouse,
Goldman Sachs. Philip continues to excel in his field, while
contributing to his community as a supporting partner of the
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and board member of Parks-Hall.
Todd N. Triplett (see FOUNDER'S
BIO )
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