“I never knew there were so many opportunities for The Arts. I’ve been teaching for 20 years and I’ve seen so many talented artistic kids. Many of them never pursued their talent but if this program had existed, it might have changed their lives.”
Erica Noel, Teacher
Aza Comics bridges the gap between the classroom and the real world for careers in the Arts & Entrepreneurship
Aza Comics is fast becoming a leader in the entertainment industry as a premier brand that creates female superheroes that encourage and empower women of all backgrounds and ethnicities. Utilizing her own struggles as a creative needing support for her talents as a youth, CEO Jazmin Truesdale created the Dare To Be Legendary Career Program. Its goal? To showcase the opportunities and pathways to success for careers in The Arts and Entrepreneurship.
Challenges
Many students, while talented with a passion for The Arts, didn’t think that they could pursue it as a profession. As schools lose even more funding, especially in low-income areas, Art programs are typically the first to go. Even when there are programs to encourage creativity, there are very few resources offered to encourage students to continue pursuing their talents outside of a school setting. Many art schools don’t even teach the business of The Arts which is crucial to the success of an artistic student.
The pathway to success in The Arts and even for entrepreneurship is very different from that of traditional professions such as a doctor or lawyer. For this reason, many teachers and counselors struggle with encouraging their students because they are unfamiliar with the blueprints for success in these professions.
How Our Program Helps
“Struggling Artist? A talented artist should never be struggling. There is always someone willing to buy your work. You just have to find them.”
Jazmin Truesdale, CEO of Aza Comics
The Dare To Be Legendary Program is a free open elearning resource that gives students a realistic foundation in The Arts and Entrepreneurship by illustrating real-world issues and how to navigate them for success. Through the elearning system students can choose between two learning tracks based off of the student’s interest. There is no login required to protect the identity of the student.
Through a series of lessons, students will be able to complete a business plan for the Entrepreneurship Track or a career plan of action for The Arts Track. They will know what resources are at their disposal to begin working towards a successful career right now.
The program can be introduced to students in these 3 ways:
- 1. As a supplement to an already established classroom curriculum or program
- 2. As a program sponsored by a school/After School/Youth Organization. (Example: school club, showcase or contest where students present their work)
- 3. (Most Popular) As a stand-alone resource available to students at no expense to the school - this has proven popular with schools in low-income areas and fewer resources.
Results
In a study of over 200 students who completed the program, we saw a significant change in students and parents in their views surrounding careers in The Arts.
- 80% of parents felt more comfortable with their child pursuing a career in The Arts
- 87% of students who completed the program saw The Arts or Entrepreneurship as a long-term career goal
- 91% of students had more confidence and wanted to learn new skills to further develop their talents
