Email Exchanges

From the Core Curriculum College and Career Component: "My Fictional News Article" email exchange

Davon [Mentee]

 

Hi Mike,

Its great to hear from you again. I like your expectations and it seems like you know yourself to so you can keep a balanced life. I am ok and for the Bank of America Entrepreneur competition I came in the top 20. This weekend is the robotics competition and on Saturday i have to go for an orientation. So things are going good and i am very excited.

The publication that the article about me is Digit, and the Article title is Graphix Angel.

May 12th, 1988 an angel was born and was named D. He was raised by both his mother and father. D. attended George Westinghouse High School where his career began to grow. He was able to get himself out there more by putting the word out about his company through students. By his Junior year his site was known throughout the school and he has received support from the faculty and the Principal. In his high years he entered an competition through the Coordinator of Student affairs Mr. R. The competition was Bank of America Youth Entrepreneur award. He made it into the top 20 and was put into a book that is given to students around New York City. This really boosted his career, and help to publicize his company. D. Has told us, "During my high years at George Westinghouse I have been influenced from when I walked through the door. In my elementary school they told me that I wouldn't make it and always put me down, but I showed them when I got to Westinghouse that I can make something of myself. Little did they know that while I was in St. Francis I was starting Rappin Lounge Inc." D. went on to attend Pratt Institute where he greatly improved on his web and graphics design. There he even became an computer animator and made vibrant animations for websites. By him going to college it helped him to get the job for the big companies instead of another person who was not certified. An event that brought him down was that he couldn't spend as much time with his grandmother as he wanted to, but he got to spend time with her because he took care of her when she was sick. D. told us "When my grandmother was sick I was so worried I stayed with her at that time. At the time she even got to get her kidney transplant. This brought my spirit up, and encouraged me to graduate and move so she could be there.

D.dream of becoming a top web designer, and to be just like his father. He was introduced to web and graphics design by his father. His father told us "From a young age I saw that he would be a shining star and be into computers just like I was."

D. work hard at his dream and when he seen something that threatened his goal he worked to be able to continue on. D. told us, "My original dream when I was younger to be able to run a graphics company with my father, but he went into real estate and he was happy I didn't want to stop him or tell him." D. was determined to work with his father, but still went on even though things changed. When D. was in kindergarten he designed his first graphics in Microsoft Paint. Then when his father use to design flyers for Wendy Williams from Hot 97 he picked up techniques from his father and made duplicate flyers. D. told us "What made me choose this dream was that I loved computers and would always like to be on the computer. Then when I seen that I can make stuff for people and made a profit off of it I wanted to work with graphics." The obstacles that stood in his way was equipment and this was something that was an important part of his asset to his dream. It was avoided because his parents got him his own computer in the 8th grade. Another challenge that stood in his way was not having the right programs, but saved up the money to buy these programs and learned how to utilize them. When we asked D. how did he realize his dream he told us "I realized it when I was in the 8th grade when I was looking into the type of high school I wanted to go to. I also started a company which was called and still is Rappin Lounge, but at that time it was not incorporated.

Now D. is 36 and has a beautiful wife with two children and lives in palace that he built on land in which he bought. He bought so much land that he even built a house for his parents on the land and family closest relatives. He told us "The reason I did this was because if I didn't have them backing me up I do not think I would of continued on with my life. I would have been like one of the kids that you would see hanging out on the corner selling drugs. I am glad that I didn't have to live that life, and I thank my family for that." Right now he is running an Entertainment club called Rappin Lounge where you can hear all sorts of music, and it's at a low price to get in. He does a weekend Radio show from his website that highlights underground hip hop. D. told us "What fulfils my dreams is that I can say that I came a long way, and that I finally accomplish my long term goals that was set in high school." One of his staff members says "that he likes working for Rappin lounge because the work center he has build for us makes us want to come in. Work is not boring, and when we take a brake there are recreational things we can do."

   In the future for Rappin Lounge I plan to start a baseball league for the different communities throughout Brooklyn. This gives kids something to do and stay off the streets. This would help to build more positive kids and their grades will come into play with the league. They must have a copy of their grades to submit to the league because they need to keep their grades up to play.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Davon

Mike [Mentor]

Hi Davon,

Hope the Robotic competition went well. I'm VERY excited about what you're doing for the BOA competition. Keep me updated! How is your donation thing going?

Wow!!! That's the only word coming out of my mind when I read your article.

It's so vivid, and for a second I wanted to check if this is 2024 already.

=) If you keep it up, your success will come with time. I'm glad you can visualize your success so well. Is there a second round competition for people in the BOA top 20? Let me know if I could help looking over your business plan or financials.

Now, iMentor wanted me to write an article about you as well. So here it

is:

Loft Magazine, March 2025

"Beautiful art, beautiful heart"

By Patrick Rendon

On the edge of the park in Brooklyn Heights, D.'s graphic designing company occupies an inconspicious all white building facing the East River.

For the first time, D., the businessman artist and community-builder has opened the door of his dream factory "Rappin Lounge" for an interview with Loft.

When we walked through the small but chic reception hall, an abundance of post modern Chinese arts impressed me the most. Being quite illiterate in that genre, I was surprised to see some of the most coveted titles from the late Chinese American artist Yang Yunfei.

The moment we step into the elevator door, three of us are put in awe by the stunning panaromic view of the East River and Manhattan skyline. The elevator itself is large but old. I thought the slow elevator was actually more than a bless given the awesome view. When the door opens again, we are greeted by D. himself.

Walking through the open space of workstations and 3D projected arts, D. led us to his desk.

PR: D., thanks for doing the interview. I'm still amazed by the view in your elevator.

DP: Glad you are here. Yeah, the elevator actually uses one of our most recent 3D projection technology. Of course, we're facing the East River, but the view you saw was enhanced and blown up from just one window in our building. We are trying to use this technology to afford everyone an airy and spectacular view in this crowded world.

PR: As one of the leaders in Computer graphics, how did you get into the field and where do you think the industry is going?

DP: I've always been interested in computer graphics back in the days. I used Microsoft Paints when I was in Kindergarten. When my father made posters for Hot 97, I helped doing duplications. I guess I started "Rappin Lounge" very early, the idea existed back at St Francis, but I got it off the ground running at George Westinghous high school.

For the future? I think 3D is definitely the future, that's why we have the world's most talended 3D artists here to work on projection graphics.

PR: So you've been having this business for about 20 years now?

DP: Yep, a little bit over 20 years. I love every minute of it, not just the success. I enjoy coming here everyday with my co-workers. We try to have fun as well as creating asskicking graphics.

PR: I never knew you were interested in traditional canvas art. I saw all those pieces by Yang. Is this your personal collection?

DP: The collection was donated to Rappin Lounge by a long time friend and mentor, M. M. introduced me to Chinese post modern art.

The form and color as well as the intese intermix of east&west technics have been great sources of inspiration for our graphic designs.

PR: M.? The one time tennis legend? I thought he has devoted most of his time in Christianity by now.

DP: oh... not the tennis player. M. is the head of one of the largest

Chinese asset managers. He worked in New York and he was my mentor during

my years at high school. He provided me a lot of advices and resources all these years. We kept in touch when he returned to China and we see each other several times a year in New York or else where in the world. He has a passion for computer technology and the arts, and has given me many ideas.

PR: Obviously, M. has helped in your career, but who do you want to give the most credits of your success to?

DP: It has to be my parents and my family. Without them, I would never have been here. My parents gave me the constant support when I was growing up, and made sure I had become an upstanding person instead of some drug dealer.

They have made sure I have a beautiful heart. My wife and two kids are just the sweetest and they keep me on track everyday.

PR: With beautiful heart comes beautiful arts?

DP: Maybe. LOL. I always wanted to keep focused on my work, but I also want to be close to where my heart is. That's why I want to spend as much time as I can with my family. That's why I'm sponsoring the Brooklyn K12 Baseball League and building the community. That's also why I had created special grants for young entrepreneurs in Brooklyn.

PR: Thanks for your time.

DP: You're welcome. By the way, you are all invited to the opening game of BKBL in late April.

Hope you have fun reading this.

Best,

M.