We had the good fortune of connecting with Kivonte Houston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kivonte, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I believe God has allowed my platform to be storytelling. My artistic ability revolves around envisioning creative ways for people’s stories to be told. I continue to pursue this creative career because there are an abundance of stories to be told. I enjoy shedding light on the amazing things people do within their communities & cities. Through my digital media agency Breakthrough Visionaries I achieve this through interviews and short form content. As well as showcases that displays creators work live. This was done through my most recent showcase series Stars of Tomorrow. During this show 4 local designer showcased work from their brands. Moronic owned by Morris Hansbrough an upcoming designer and printer. Skoony Apparel owned by Kellen Porter an athlete & streetwear designer. 2 Faced owned by Nigel Bond & Quincy James both rising entrepreneurs within streetwear. And No Bias owned by Rose Clark a cut & sew designer that specializes in sustainable fashion. In addition to the designers we also had various business and artists. Including Madison Ivory, Kimana Spicer, Miya Monet, and Solei. All of these individuals are trailblazers in their own way. I plan on continuing this series and filming with more organizations.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art revolves around my ability to convey stories and messages in a creative way. The art that I create tells a story in a way that allows the viewer to relate with the story that’s being told. I’ve achieved this through short from content and different digital rollouts with photo & video work. I also specialize in social media content creation and management. I currently work at the University of Indianapolis as the Social Media and Marketing Coordinator for the Office of Inclusive Excellence & Retention Strategy. Here I create rollouts for various cultural events that we host here on campus. As well as advertising for some of our initiatives that serve under represented groups here on campus.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am a Chicago native specifically the South Side of Chicago. Therefore the first stop on the trip would have to be museums. The first would be the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. Next I’d take them to the field museum and Adler Planetarium. After that we would hit a couple of my favorite spots to eat. Depending on what side of town were on I would suggest Harolds if were out south. Or Jerk 48 if were on the west side. And if we happen to be downtown I really like Nando’s or Giordano’s. Lastly, every good trip has to include a photoshoot. I would do this downtown or in the Hyde Park area.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When beginning my journey I explored & worked with a variety of organizations that helped me tremendously in my journey. The first of which is TD Photography Studio owned by Indianapolis photographer Teonna Daniels. Teonna is the owner and founder of @tdphotostudios located in The Stutz Building in downtown Indianapolis. Teonna brought me on as a studio intern at the end of 2023. Since then we’ve had a lot of successes within the studio. Teonna and I have curated monthly workshops for local creatives to participate & network in. As well as creating a safe space for creators to use and explore ideas in. I also had a chance to work with Charlee Black owner of BLOT Creative Studios from 2022-2023 before the studio unfortunately closed.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/btvisionaries/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btvisionaries/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kivonte-houston-b081481b3/

Twitter: https://x.com/kivonteh

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIwl0JW7f6SSJZuzNVD9kGQ

Other: https://www.instagram.com/on1ytay/?hl=en

Image Credits
Photo with Basquiat shirt on @way.too.g

Photo playing football @uindyathletics

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutTennessee is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.