Kansas City creative leader and Grammy-nominated producer Jo Macklin shares how a “glimmer of hope” opened doors—from Ariana Grande sessions to building The District, a multimedia hub training 200+ youth a year.
Description: In this CreativeMornings Kansas City talk, Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, and vocal arranger Joseph “Jo” Macklin traces his journey from Wyandotte County to the world’s biggest stages—and back home again. Anchored by January’s global theme, KOOR-SOO (Farsi for “a glimmer of hope”), Jo shares the pivotal moments when someone else’s belief in him changed everything, from an unexpected call that brought him to Los Angeles to his early work with Ariana Grande that helped launch a career spanning Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Justin Bieber, and more. But the heart of this story is what came next: the decision to return to Kansas City and turn success into infrastructure. Jo introduces The District—Kansas City’s multimedia co-working hub and creative community space—built to cultivate local talent and give young creators a real path into audio engineering, music production, content creation, and industry certification. Through The District IS Foundation, his team partners with schools and supporters to remove barriers, provide equipment, and create a consistent, safe place for students to learn, collaborate, and see themselves as professionals. This is a conversation about hope as a practical force: opening doors, staying consistent, and building community systems that make opportunity repeatable—not rare. If you’ve ever needed a small sign to keep going, this one is for you.
About the speaker
Joseph “Jo Blaq” Macklin is a Kansas City native, multi-platinum, Grammy Award–nominated music producer, songwriter, engineer, and vocal arranger, and the founder of the DistrKCt IS Foundation and DISTRKCT Multimedia. With a career spanning more than a decade at the highest levels of the music industry, Macklin has earned Grammy nominations for his vocal production work on Ariana Grande’s My Everything, Tim Bowman’s Listen, and Jill Scott’s Woman. His credits span genres and generations, including collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Anita Baker, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, and many others.
After 14 years working in Los Angeles with top-tier artists and labels, Macklin returned to Kansas City in 2015 with a clear mission: to create pathways for local youth and creatives to gain real-world access, skills, and opportunity in music and digital media—resources he and his peers did not have growing up. A graduate of Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas, he founded DISTRKCT as Kansas City’s first multimedia co-working hub: a 7,000-square-foot, creator-first space featuring recording studios, podcast rooms, photography and video studios, a computer lab, classrooms, and live event space.
Through partnerships with the Full Employment Council and the University of Central Missouri, Macklin and DISTRKCT provide accredited training for under-served youth in audio engineering, music production, performance, broadcasting, videography, sound design, coding, and digital media. As a speaker, Macklin brings a rare blend of industry excellence, entrepreneurial leadership, and community impact—sharing practical insight on creative careers, workforce development, and building sustainable ecosystems where talent can thrive.
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DistrKCt
1328 Agnes Ave
Kansas City, MO United States 64127
Date
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DistrKCt
Messenger Coffee
Mr. D's Donuts
Andrew Bash with Element Sothebys International Realty
