The Interledger Community 🌱: The Black Tattoo Anthology

Black Tattoo Anthology — Grant Report #2

Imani K Brown — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:38:12 +0000

Project Update

We are so excited of how this project is shaping up and taking on a life of its own. We came in hoping to share more about Black Tattoo history and culture and have found that our community needs much more - we need to understand HOW tattoo helps heal our psychological wounds as a people and why Black tattoo culture is imperative to our thriving.

That shared, our objectives haven't changed or shifted, but they have been strengthened a lot since our first update.

Progress on objectives

Our main objective has evolved into a streamlined process and journey, designed to take people from end to end as if you would in a museum.

Originally we envisioned creating the product - a book of Black tattoo culture - for community consumption.

Now we are more interested in creating the product WITH community - including a tattoo therapy podcast and social club where the content creates the book.

We feel this will be a better approach to guarantee that the project is executed with future needs of the industry in mind.

Key activities

Our original proposed weekly activities had to be slowed so that the content is digestible and have edited to a monthly theme, tattoo-related book, book-related content from BTA and discussion:

Interviews: Our first wave of interviews is complete, with the exception of about 5 'OG' artist interviews to record.

Community Launch -

Pre-Launch: tattoo book club opens to the public, 2/2023
Soft-Launch: internal launch 'Ink & Release' invite-only 2-day event for content first looks and reaction + tattoo therapy podcast recording
Launch: Black Friday 2023 'Ink & Release' book & Black Tattoo Anthology community release to public

Communications and marketing

Our communications and marketing are currently done via email & text message marketing. As clients or individuals are interested in our work, they have a touch point to be introduced to Black Tattoo Anthology along their journey.

We also share via social media - Instagram and Facebook, mostly - to keep brand awareness alive.

What’s next?

~~1. Before running content, we have to get tech issues with Godaddy fixed and insert the coil wallet.~~
~~2. Facebook ads are slated to go live 3/15 or sooner, depending on tech issue resolution.~~
~~3. Run artist interviews as BTA Podcast~~
~~4. Create + market merchandise for a strong trademark submission - as recommended by IP lawyer~~

Map the book launch
Organize the content
Format the book layout
Launch + deliver the first iteration of BTA to public in ebook format

We are very excited to share that even with hiccups we have arrived right on time!

Our next steps are to execute our launch strategy by opening our book club, having a kick a$$ podcast recording, and compile the stories into our final product and have a Pre-Order launch for Black Friday & Cyber Week 2023.

What community support would benefit your project?

We could always use a lift with brand awareness collaborations.

Hi! I'm Imani - an introvert, tattoo artist and visionary behind the project.

The more I speak about this project, the more people are interested - even people who aren't interested in getting tattooed. And we want to break these walls.

So as you read this report, if you are interested in the psychological healing of tattoo, alternative/ peer to peer healing & wellness and think your audience could benefit from this sacred space that we are building, please reach out!

Our goal is to make more people aware of the CULTURE of Black tattoo, in all of its ancestry.

Additional comments

This journey has been amazing and I've learned more about myself, personal interests and calling in my own industry of 20 years ... in less than one year.

I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to see what other wonders innovation and thought-leadership in Black tattoo culture catapults us to.

Of course, if there are ever any tattoo-related questions I am happy to answer them as we build this worldwide resource.

Relevant links/resources

Feel free to take the journey, thus far ~
Start here.

Black Tattoo Anthology — Grant Report #1

Imani K Brown — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 02:02:27 +0000

Image (optional)

Project Update

BTA is finally moving along. The infrastructure was a challenge since it does require a great deal of tech work to start. And as the low tech girl, I truly underestimated time and availability for tech needs as the project progressed.

But we pulled through! We were able to build a site, brand the project's social community - being hosted on Mighty Networks and map a strong user experience and brand awareness campaign.

The biggest discouragement turned win was the response from artists to do interviews for the content. However, that quickly turned around the moment I was able to carve time into my schedule to contact each artist, personally. We emailed in interest of time and efficiency but we don't often respond to those things >.<

To avoid another brand Instagram being disabled I've had to slow my pace in how I contact, follow and engage with artists so that I don't look like a bot - this has already been the case with the BTA Instagram and has been disabled by the platform.

Progress on objectives

We got the best response from artists when we reframed our main objective of Black Tattoo History to specifically talk about tattoo therapy and how modern tattooing helps heal within the Black community.

That small shift has turned our non-response from artists into 13 interviews thus far, in less than 2 weeks!

In the event of not having enough qualified participating artists (our goal is 100) we have opened up space and opportunity to have participating artists interview with one of their favorite clients - for a well-rounded look at tattoo within the Black community as a peer to peer healing modality.

With the 100(+) Black artists resource and having participating artists now, we are on track with the objective of providing artists visibility.

The objective of artist monetization has shifted to using BTA as a teachable moment to artists of how tech can provide incentives for us to tell our stories. The perk for monetized compensation isn't an ideal perk for artists at this time, so I'll have to dig in to really show them the benefits as the project grows.

(Amended) IG Msg Sent to Artists

Hey hey! Imani here from Little INKPLAY Shop (@lipsbrand.online)

Our Black Tattoo Anthology team would love to extend a personal TIME SENSITIVE invitation to share your story as one of 100 inspiring Black tattoo artists you should know.

We truly love your art, lifestyle message, and the enthusiasm you share with your followers as we deep dive into ‘Tattoo Therapy’ as a holistic form of healing within the Black community. We believe your values are a great fit for this project and to be honest, we all know that Black history and economics is key and much needed in our tattoo sphere. And would be truly honored to have you as part of this sustainable reclamation project

If we can count you in, please go here www.ipukekawaii.com/YUME-create to schedule an artist interview

For more about the BTA book project please visit BlackTattooAnthology.com

Thanks for hearing me out!
~Imani K Brown

PS - if you have any q's or need any help please don't hesitate to hit me!

Key activities

Weekly activities as the project progresses are:

Artist outreach, personal invite to participate in the project; NOW
Artist outreach, follow-up for any q's or help scheduling artist interview; NOW
Artist interviews, Zoom sessions with tattoo artists conducted Mon - Wed; NOW
Content batch work - organization and scheduling; starts 3/15
Weekly community check-in/ update - via email + text marketing; starts 4/1
Weekly convo content; starts 4/1

Communications and marketing

For now we're talking on Instagram where most of the Black tattoo community lives.

What’s next?

Before running content, we have to get tech issues with Godaddy fixed and insert the coil wallet.
Facebook ads are slated to go live 3/15 or sooner, depending on tech issue resolution.
Run artist interviews as BTA Podcast
Create + market merchandise for a strong trademark submission - as recommended by IP lawyer
Map the book launch
Organize the content
Format the book layout
Launch + deliver the first iteration of BTA to public in ebook format

What community support would benefit your project?

YES! I would love help and support, please ~

Uphold application and coil wallet application support, please. I don't understand a lot of the application to get my wallet (learning curve), but would like to have this in order by the time other tech issues are resolved. Also, ideally we would like to have all digital spaces monetized to allow people to engage with the content + BTA spaces that resonates the most however unsure of how feasible this is ~
Seeking collaboration with Black therapists, psychiatrists and health care providers interested in contributing their expertise to the therapy part of the project.

Additional comments

This has been an awesome learning experience thus far, on so many levels. We are excited to launch - even if we have to launch it ugly >.<

Relevant links/resources (optional)

Feel free to take the journey, thus far ~
Start here.