The EQ. Magazine — Issue 6: Creative Employment
This issue focuses on our creative employment priority highlighting artists, educators and alumni whose stories show how arts education connects to real-world work through mentorship, business knowledge, and paid opportunities.
Featuring articles that highlight former WBL Academy students Jamilla Okubo and KAMAUU reflect on their journeys from early creative development to successful, independent careers. The cover story features producer and MC Substantial discuss sustaining a 25-plus-year independent career through ownership, touring and direct fan connection. Donney Rose explores how WBL’s business courses equip youth with practical skills in entrepreneurship, ownership and career planning. The issue also documents paid workforce experiences connected to DMV Made ’25, with a photo essay of students working as creatives and event staff. Together, these stories show how Words Beats & Life transforms creativity into opportunity.
Contributors: Donney Rose, Mazi Mutafa, Antwan “Awon” Wiggins, Stan “Substantial” Robinson, Dominic Painter, Mazi Mutafa, Adrienne Bedsole, Erica Keith, Richard Soben.
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Read the full issue of The EQ. magazine directly on this page. Flip through the magazine below to explore free programs, creative careers and opportunities available through Words Beats & Life Inc.
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About This Issue: Creative Employment
Creativity is more than self-expression at Words Beats & Life — it is a pathway to paid work, entrepreneurship and leadership in the arts. For more than 23 years, WBL has provided young people and emerging artists with free, accessible opportunities to build skills, gain experience and pursue creative careers. This issue of The EQ. magazine breaks down the programs available at Words Beats & Life and what they can help young people accomplish.
Dedicated to WBL’s priority of creative employment, this edition highlights artists, educators and alumni whose journeys show how creative work can become sustainable work. While WBL’s Academy anchors the organization’s arts education priority, the stories in this issue focus on how education connects to employment through mentorship, business knowledge, paid opportunities and real-world experience.
Former WBL Academy students Jamilla Okubo and KAMAUU share their paths from early creative development to professional success. Okubo is now an internationally recognized visual artist and designer whose work explores culture and identity. KAMAUU has grown into a globally touring recording artist whose career reflects long-term artistic independence.
The cover story features Substantial, a veteran producer and MC whose 25-plus-year career offers a blueprint for longevity in independent hip-hop. In conversation with Awon, Substantial reflects on building a global audience, navigating industry change and sustaining a career through ownership, touring and direct connection with fans.
The issue also includes Donney Rose’s exploration of how WBL’s business courses prepare youth for the creative economy, teaching practical skills in entrepreneurship, ownership and career planning that help young artists move beyond passion to profession.
The issue documents paid workforce experiences connected to DMV Made ’25, WBL’s annual summer festival. A photo essay captures students working as podcasters, performers, filmmakers and event organizers — hands-on roles that cannot be learned in a classroom alone.
Together, these stories show how Words Beats & Life turns creativity into opportunity, supporting artists and youth as they learn, earn and lead within the creative industries.
Interested in the programs and opportunities featured in this issue?
What’s Inside This Issue
Creative employment as a core Words Beats & Life priority
Cover story with Substantial on building a long-term, independent music career
Former WBL Academy students Jamilla Okubo and KAMAUU on professional growth and creative independence
Business of music and arts education as a bridge from learning to employment
Student workforce experience at the annual DMV Made Festival
Issue Details
Publisher: Words Beats & Life Inc.
Publication: The EQ. magazine
Issue: Winter 2025, Issue 6
Theme: Creative Employment
Page Count: 50 pages
Format: Print and digital magazine
Focus Areas: Arts education, creative employment, music, visual art, hip-hop culture, entrepreneurship
Writers: Donney Rose, Mazi Mutafa
Interviewers: Awon, Stan Robinson
Featured Artists: Substantial (Bop Alloy), Jamila Okubo, KAMAUU
Programs and Experiences Highlighted:
Creative employment initiatives and paid workforce experiences
Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program partnership
School Year Internship Program
Annual DMV Made Festival
Creative Economy Career Fair
Audience: Youth ages 8–22, emerging artists, parents and caregivers, educators, arts supporters
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