If you've ever made a place cool and then watched someone else profit from it, this one's for you.

That was the thread running through our March event at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, where our speakers, Yamileth Jaramillo and Jarvis Broughton of COLOR Co., came ready to have the real conversation.

"Creativity is the foundation of everything. We're literally living in somebody else's dream," Yami passionately says. "So what do you dream, and why do you not think that it's possible?"

It landed.

Because here's the thing about Atlanta. We have no shortage of creative talent, vision, or culture. What's been in short supply is infrastructure that actually belongs to us.

"One of the biggest problems we've seen growing up in Atlanta, we make a lot of places cool. We make a lot of places high profile, and then they kick us out," Jarvis adds. 

So for these two founders, "Local" is more than an idea. It's a strategy.

Jarvis and Yami have spent seven years building what they call a hybrid hospitality social hub — physical space, a digital layer, and programming that connects creatives, technologists, and developers under one roof.

But the fourth pillar is the one that sets them apart: ownership.

Every membership contribution feeds a treasury. Every real estate asset COLOR Co. acquires, the community owns a piece of. And according to Jarvis, it had to be built here first. "Atlanta is a beta testing city. If it goes in Atlanta, it goes everywhere."

One of the most memorable moments of the morning came when Yami's life-sized passion grew over a chair. Someone designed it. Someone built it. Yet, no one thinks about it once they sit down.

That's exactly the gap COLOR Co. is trying to close by ensuring that creatives have a stake in what their work makes possible. Ten years from now, Jarvis sees multiple COLOR Co. locations — not just across America, but bridging Atlanta and Africa, tapping into what he described as the youngest continent in the world on the edge of massive connectivity. Yami sees sustainable development zones throughout the city. "The same way Miami has Wynwood, we deserve one of those for creators here," she advocates.

At CreativeMornings ATL, we talk a lot about community, but this conversation reminded us that community without ownership is just a good time that someone else can eventually monetize.

So, Local has to mean more than zip code. It has to mean having a stake and building something that can't be easily moved — because the people, the relationships, and yes, the structure , are all in place.

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CreativeMornings ATL gathers monthly to connect Atlanta's creative community around a shared theme. Our next event is April 24 in Decatur — theme: Ember. We'll see you there.

Kismet. We feel like it was meant to be. One year ago, we had a chance encounter at one of Amena's creative workshops. The call of CreativeMornings speaks to both of us, and we have been serving as volunteers for a couple of years combined.

When Amena announced her plans to step down as chapter host, independently we each thought of partnering with the other to build on Amena’s success to help lead the Atlanta Chapter. We’re dedicated to sustaining the strong, community-focused foundation Amena and her predecessor Blake established and we are super excited to start this journey with you in the coming months.

Our north star: In a world that often divides, we believe creativity and connection are more vital than ever.

When in doubt, we'll recite our mantra: WWAD? What Would Amena Do?

Every story, and every journey, has a beginning, a middle, and an end. This month marks the beginning of our CAMINO.

Our February event will take place on Friday, Feb 27, at Plywood Place. Fittingly, this venue is right on the Beltline—a path that perfectly mirrors this month’s global theme: CAMINO.

Chosen by the Oviedo chapter in Spain, CAMINO (pronounced Kah-Mee-Noh) means “path” or “way.” It’s about movement, choosing a direction even when you don't know exactly what lies ahead, and trusting what you’ll learn along the way. Whether you are building a project or seeking meaning, you are on a CAMINO. You can watch a beautiful introduction to the theme here:

CreativeMornings: CAMINO

To help us navigate this theme, we are thrilled to welcome back B. T. Harman. A storyteller and co-founder of the Harman Agency, B.T.’s first CreativeMornings talk actually inspired his memoir and podcast, Blue Babies Pink. He is a true pilgrim of the Camino de Santiago, having walked the 500-mile Camino Francés and five other paths since. He’ll be sharing his passion for the journey and what it means to be a "pilgrim" in life and work.

Return to our Roots and The Road Ahead
This year, we'll return to our morning roots while also charting a course that connects our past to our future. We have 10 monthly morning events planned for 2026, and we look forward to exploring a great number of Atlanta venues as our story unfolds. On a side note: Gabe is a cold brew enthusiast, so he’s especially hyped to shout out our year-long sponsor, Dancing Goats by Kaldi’s. They’ll be onsite all year with hot coffee and their signature smooth cold brew!

We can’t wait to welcome you to the path.
Gabe & Shaté

Join Us for a Night of Speed Mentoring and Meaningful Connections

This month’s Creative AfterHours event is a night of connection, encouragement, and actionable advice. You’re invited to a speed MENTORING event at Be Nice House on Thursday, July 31 from 6:30- 8:30 pm. 

No one is born knowing exactly how to navigate life. That’s why we go to school, ask questions, and lean on others for guidance. But learning shouldn’t end at graduation. If we want to grow—personally, professionally, emotionally—we need to keep learning. And that starts with finding new teachers. That’s where mentors come in.

A mentor doesn’t have to be the most accomplished person in the room. They just need to have experience, perspective, and a willingness to share what they’ve learned. Mentors can be the difference between staying stuck and moving forward. They offer encouragement, real-world advice, and sometimes even open doors when you’re not there to knock.

But here’s the thing: mentoring isn’t a one-way street. While mentees gain knowledge and confidence, mentors often find themselves reinvigorated by fresh ideas and new perspectives. It’s a true exchange—of stories, strategies, and support.

That’s why we’re inviting you to our upcoming Speed Mentoring Night—an evening dedicated to sharing wisdom, building relationships, and accelerating growth.

Connect with mentors across a variety of areas including:

• Career – Navigating your path, switching industries, or asking for that raise
• Relationships & Dating – Real talk on love, connection, and communication
• Finances – Budgeting, investing, and making smarter money moves
• Creativity & Storytelling – Finding your voice, starting your next big project, and more

Whether you’re looking for guidance or ready to share your own hard-earned wisdom (or both!), this is your chance to connect in meaningful, energizing conversations. Come with questions, leave with inspiration. Don’t miss out, register today. 

Join us for Crafts and Cocktails at Atlanta Contemporary, facilitated by visual artist Makiko Frogger. This month we explore the theme TRUST on Thursday, July 25 at 6:30 pm at Atlanta Contemporary with an arts workshop featuring painting and trusting your own creative intuition.

Makiko is passionate about creating art and how art can connect people as well as flourish sense of belonging.  She believes the best part about connection through art is sharing the joy through discovery and listening to stories behind an artwork.

She has been connected with the art-making process ever since she can remember.  It became essential place for calm and happiness when she moved to United States from Japan where she experienced language and cultural barrier. Through that experience she became dedicated in sharing the art-making process with the community where it can be used to express, heal, have fun and make connections.

For TRUST, we will also be providing a tasting of our CreativeMornings ATL + Jake’s Ice Cream collaboration flavors! Get your tickets before they sell out!

Meet up and connect with fellow creatives and get insights to help better shape your relationships, work and habits. Join us on Friday, June 28 at Plywood Place from 8-10am for our next Creative Mornings event.

The theme for our June event is PATTERN and we are delighted to welcome Jon Goode as our guest speaker.

Jon Goode is an Emmy nominated writer raised in Richmond, VA and currently residing in Atlanta, GA. Jon’s work has been featured in CNN’s Black in America, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, BET’s Lyric Café and TVOne’s Verses and Flow. He has also written radio commercials for McDonalds, print ads for Nike, and written and appeared in commercials, vignettes, and interstitials for MTV, Comedy Central, VH-1 and TVLand/ Nick@Nite. Jon’s work earned him the 2006 Promax Gold for the best copyright in North America. In 2022 he won a gold American Advertising Award for Branded Content and Entertainment Non-Broadcast, a Silver Telly Award, and was again nominated for a Promax. Jon’s collection of poems and short stories, Conduit, was #1 on Amazon for sixteen weeks. His debut novel, Mydas, was a #1 new title on Amazon for five weeks. Jon is a Fellow of AIR Serenbe and the current host of The Moth, Atlanta.

Learn how to best recognize, form and break patterns to boost your creativity. Join us on June 28. Admission is free. The registration link is coming soon, so be on the lookout.

It’s time for our evening event! Come hang out with us on Thursday, March 28th at the Be Nice House where you will get a chance to socialize and hang out with other creatives.

This month’s theme is PERSPECTIVE. It’s safe to say, no matter what your artistic medium is, the beauty in creativity is the thousands of interpretations that come with it. Which is why we are super excited to welcome David Perdue! 

David Perdue is an Atlanta comedian who has appeared on Comedy Central,FuseTV, EPIX, & Kevin Hart’s LOL Network. You can also catch David as an on screen actor appearing in “Love Is…” on OWN and “Bobcat Goldthwait"s Misfits and Monsters” on truTV.  David also co-hosts a sports/comedy podcast called “Forth and Ten” as well as the political/comedy podcast “The Confused Caucus”. 

You don’t want to miss a chance to attend this comedy writing workshop! Doors open at 6:30pm. Event starts at 7pm. Admission is free so register today!

See you there!

Don’t miss our first Creative Mornings event of 2024. Join us on Friday, February 23 at Plywood People from 8-10am and celebrate the tradition of native people everywhere while connecting and networking with fellow creatives. 

The theme for our February event is NATIVE and we are pleased to welcome Floyd Hall as our guest speaker. Hailing from Atlanta, Hall is a media strategist, engineer, cultural producer, writer, and documentarian. He is the executive director of Atlanta Contemporary and in 2023, curated “Justice,” the first exhibit fully produced by Science Gallery Atlanta. 

In addition to his recent endeavors, he has claimed curated  large-scale exhibits that merged art, science, design and technology with an emphasis on engaging with youth and has produced and hosted podcasts for WABE and the nonprofit Central Atlanta Progress and the city of Atlanta.

We hope to see you on February 23. Admission is free, so reserve your space now. 

We are BACK! CreativeMorningsATL is so excited to be back with you here on our blog and at our morning & evening events in 2023. SAVE THE DATE for our first CreativeMornings ATL event of the year on Friday, 2/23 at 8am. Stay tuned here and on social media when we announce our speaker, location, and ticket release date. More information soon!

AIE Founders: Tory Edwards, Bem Joiner and Ian Ford
The founders of Atlanta Influences Everything will be our speakers this month. AIE a brand and a creative consultancy, focused on combining civic, corporate and cultural understanding to harness the influence of Atlanta culture, to do good and connect communities. AIE is doing amazing work in our city and we look forward to hearing their thoughts on this month’s “Critical” theme.

“Responsibility to yourself means seeking out criticism, recognizing that the most affirming thing anyone can do for your is demand that you push yourself further.”
Adrienne Rich

Join us again at MODA for a Critical morning, where our speakers will be the co-founders of Atlanta Influences Everything, Bem Joiner, Ian Ford and Tory Edwards on August 26 at 9 a.m.