February is Black History Month in the U.S., and at Avanade, we’re spending the month celebrating the rich legacy of African Americans in the Arts. In honor of this year’s theme, we asked Avanade employees Carrie Alexander, Fredrick Douglas Williams and Taelor O’Bannon to share how their artistic passions have made an impact on their lives and careers.

Rediscovering the freedom of dance in adulthood

Some of my earliest childhood memories are filled with rhythm — either through sports, musical instruments, or dance. Basketballs bouncing and sneakers squeaking. Piano notes, horns and bells filling a classroom. Ballerinas twirling and the echo of tap shoes against a wooden floor. Ever since I was a child, movement has been as natural as breathing for me.

I grew up in a gospel music-playing, MTV music videos-watching, share your gifts household. I studied piano, ballet and jazz. I always wanted to try tap dance and hip hop, and towards the end of high school I got the chance with tap. I remember me and some of my best friends signing up together and being so excited. I instantly fell in love with it. Everything we learned was commemorated with the opportunity to perform in my high school’s Spring Dance Show that year. College obligations didn’t allow me to continue dancing, but living in NYC — a world hub for art — I’ve been able to consume it in varying mediums.

In my spare time I like to watch dance videos from many of today’s top choreographers and imitate their moves. It takes me back to one of my earliest memories as a dance lover. Chris Brown’s first music video, “Run It,” had just released. I would play the video on repeat to learn the moves while adding my own bit of flare. Today, I often find myself in the same space — playing songs on repeat letting the beats move me. It’s led me to start pursuing dance again as an adult, and I look forward to learning new techniques, pushing my limits and joining a vast community of movers and rhythm makers.

—Carrie Alexander

A childhood love of music, color and culture leads to a career in UX design

I have always been passionate about music and the arts, even from the early days of my childhood when my mother would hum tunes from Patti LaBelle and Anita Baker.

I still recall how thrilled I was when I became eligible to play a musical instrument in sixth grade. However, I was assigned the trumpet, which wasn't my first choice as I wanted to play the saxophone or drums. But, as time passed, I enjoyed playing the trumpet and continued the experience throughout high school and my initial years at North Carolina A&T State University. I was lucky enough to be a university marching band member, and I used to love watching the color guard and the formation of the intricate shows. Walking around the campus in uniform and being admired for being part of such a dynamic band was an incredible experience.

Music continues to be a source of inspiration for me, and I still deeply love the music of Lauryn Hill, Faith Evans and Mary J. Blige to this day. These artists are my go-to because I enjoy the storytelling aspect of their music, and it always relates to my current life situations. I am always amazed by the incredible performances of African American artists, which we can all enjoy.

Aside from music, other experiences inspired me to explore my creativity and express myself freely: watching music videos and shows like Yo! MTV Raps and BET, drawing Marvel characters and X-Men, collecting comic books, having colorful birds and fish as pets, and experimenting with chemistry sets. Although I once feared creating the wrong concoctions in my room, I survived and learned valuable lessons in creativity that I can now look back on and laugh about.

Music and my creative pursuits have helped me in numerous ways and kept me focused on achieving my goals. Thanks to my teachers, mentors, and community, I am now a UX Designer and can continue exploring my passion for art and creativity. I enjoy creating enjoyable experiences, whether it be through writing, storytelling or using colors to frame the world. I consider myself a very colorful person and art and culture bring me great happiness. I cannot imagine life without them, as they have been a foundational part of shaping who I am today and will continue to be so for those in the future.

From a household full of music to a passion for abstract art

Throughout the history of this country, Black Americans have used artistic expression to build community and share our stories, gifts and struggles. Growing up, my parents expressed themselves artistically and built connections through music — this is why music is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of artistic expressions. The rhythm, the melody, the tones. How when I hear a bass guitar, I can feel each cord radiate throughout my body. Honestly, I would expect nothing less since I grew up in a musical household—my father is a musician, and my mother sang all the time around the house and at the church we went to. Even to this day, I can still hear her voice when I listen to a few of my favorite gospel mixes.

Unfortunately for me, the music touch skipped a generation. But don’t worry or feel sad for me. I have found my own way to celebrate artistic expression —abstract art to be exact. My passion is seeing the unseen that abstract art has to offer. My appreciation for abstract art started with a greyscale canvas painting we had hanging in my childhood home, which is still hanging today. I remember I used to just stare at it over and over again, and every time I would see something new. Something about the possibilities of what I could see each time excited me. I felt like I was seeing something no one could and that was an amazing feeling. In my own home today, I have an abstract piece and my favorite thing to do when a guest is over is to ask, “What do you see?” The responses have varied wildly. I think that is the beauty of art and using art as vehicle of expression and communication, as many Black Americans have done throughout the history of this country. Art can be a shared experience that evokes emotion and passion, but remains unique to the individual experiencing or sharing the art.