TASHA BLEU + ON RUNNING

INTRO BY LULA N./KEN E.

MEET TASHA BLEU

Tasha Bleu is a Photographer, Producer, and Drone Operator. She is the Founder of TREU BLEU MEDIA®.

She is passionate about diversity and disability through the power of the community. Tasha Bleu contributes to several modern online destinations including HYPEBAE and HYPEBEAST in China.

THE WARM-UP (THE INTRO)

We’re glad to announce our new partnership with ON RUNNING to offer innovative possibilities to create a real and measurable impact for a better future. Although in this quarantine-era we are bombarded with bad news, good things always knock on our doors. This era inspired our Founder Tasha Bleu to reinvent herself and to create new alliances with a truly inspiring brand such as ON RUNNING. Tasha Bleu is Liberian-American, so it is impossible not to be inspired by ON RUNNING’s effort to propel African refugee teams:

We strongly believe that we're going to be great partners with ON RUNNING as our values align in giving back to the community, and we’re both deeply rooted in the power of community. In the following interview, Tasha Bleu opened her heart to the world about her work. Tasha Bleu spoke with ON RUNNING about long-term steps that we are currently taking to elevate humanity, and she shared the source of her creative inspiration! Shout out to HYPEBAE for joining the conversation:

THE INTERVIEW

ON: What does your creative process look like?

TB: First and foremost, thank you for including me!

The unexpected and particular experience of living in the era of COVID-19 produced many changes in my lifestyle. My creative process surely was not an exception as it has been driven to take an interesting reconfiguration. It looks completely different! And I'm pleased and compelled to create more meaningful content. Probably your life and your plans have taken an unexpected turn due to COVID-19, and you decide if these radical changes will paralyze you or will be an opportunity to re-create your reality, your work, your environment, and your life. Abrupt change is an opportunity to change, and that is exactly what I did with the way I work: My creative process currently looks like a lot of reading, writing, and logging. In these hard times, storytelling and structure began to mean a lot to me, so I decided to use storyboard and story clock workbooks to help me play out ideas in my head and then I work backward to execute the ideas that are brought to my mind.

TIP: To simplify my creative process recently has been turned into:

Always using a Storyboard Workbook
Always using a Story Clock Workbook
Always using a Production Handbook

Even for the smallest projects!

ON: Where do you source your creative inspiration?

TB: One of the most important things in this industry is always to have good sources of inspiration.

When I first started my company, TREU BLEU MEDIA® in 2010, I used to source my inspiration from traveling abroad. I was always booked for shoots in Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Paris, London, and Canada - It was amazing! There are many experiences that I have never shared with my audience on social media and I think this is a great time to do so. Since COVID-19 reached our world, I have been able to still make a positive impact on others while working from home. I have been teaching virtual classes to girls with an interest in Photography and Drones. I’m also SUPER excited to donate sneakers to young girls affected by the pandemic this holiday season.

ON: How do you push boundaries with your work?

TB: I think that it is extremely important to push boundaries with the work we make. I love challenging my clients to elevate humanity.

I use the best instrument I have: my voice, in order to encourage my clients to focus on the real issues that matter such as Equity, Disability, Diversity, Inclusion, Justice, Mental Health, Sustainability, Propelling women as a major force and inspiring Youth Culture.

My media team and I always advocate for diversity and inclusion on a global scale.

ON: What feeling or message do you hope people take from what you create?

TB: After contributing to the footwear industry for a decade, I realized that it was time to start looking at new and better ways to make a bigger impact on the world I live in through my work. For that reason, I decided to start researching the 3D printed prosthetics industry which led me to my desire to work with disfigured and seated body types. As global megatrends are rapidly shifting, differently-abled influencers cannot be left behind! That’s why I decided to keep the momentum as I invite you to check out my company website in case you’d like to join me in this adventure of elevating humanity!

ON: What feeling or message do you hope people take from what you create?

TB: Many people may feel that this year has been overwhelming, but I think 2020 has presented us’ a moment, to be honest with ourselves, to stop our crazy fast-paced lives, and re-evaluate our hearts and minds seeing how we can elevate humanity as we keep moving forward.

I encourage ALL of you to become the change you want to see whether you are running a marathon, running a pageant, or even running a political campaign! It is time to step up for a change. If you don’t do it, who will do it for you?