Lianna Newman – Engineer. Creator. DEI Practitioner. 

Lianna Newman (no pronouns, just Lianna) is Black, nonbinary and an enthusiastic hobbyist.

Whether building with LEGO® bricks or making realistic-looking dollhouse miniature scenes, Lianna enjoys creating inclusive scenes which honor Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging culture, which Lianna values.

Lianna is a proud volunteer with Out In Tech and enjoys spending time with family, friends, Lianna’s girlfriend, and 8-pound dog.

How did your passion for building with LEGO bricks begin?

I always wanted to be an inventor since I was a kid, and in adulthood I really got into miniatures. So naturally, LEGO building has been a part of my life since childhood and continues to be so today.

How does building with LEGO bricks help you express your creativity?

I love being able to see myself in toys and recreate parts of my life along with building different scenes.

How do you express inclusivity through your builds?

I include people from all walks of life in the majority of my builds, specifically focusing on historically excluded groups including Black, Indigenous and other People of Color, members of the disability community, LGBTQ+ community.

What advice would you give to Black children who are just discovering their creativity?

Imagine a world that celebrates you for you, build it, and encourage others to do the same. Creativity allows us to tell our own stories, for us, by us. Black is beautiful, and so is your brilliant mind.

Syreeta Gates – Archivist. Creative. 1/2 of Most Incredible Studio.

Creative, art collector and archivist. Syreeta Gates is the founder of The Gates Preserve, a multimedia experience company committed to archiving and preserving hip-hop culture such that it lasts forever. She produces ‘Yo Stay Hungry’ – a live culinary competition that bridges hip-hop with food and beverage, and is co-owner of Most Incredible Studio, which celebrates and commemorates the artists and moments that continue to elevate and define hip-hop culture – through LEGO® bricks.

What sparked your passion for creativity?

Game Changing ideas. I’m working on a documentary project and what sparked my passion was ‘putting on’ the writers. For me, writers and journalists are the foundation of hip-hop culture.

Why do you think creativity is important for building a better world for future generations?

Self-expression is the most important thing, and it’s unique to everyone. I’m committed to giving people flowers while they can smell them. That’s what we did for Mary J. Blige’s 50th birthday with ToMaryWithLove.com. It was a creative process: I had collaborators, created a team, made requests from a bunch of people etc. It was a world that I thought was important that other people could experience. So people who come after us know and understand how important Mary J. Blige’s legacy is to the world.

Where does your inspiration come from and how does that create hope for the future?

A lot of my inspiration comes from the past. Knowing where we have been supports us in where we are going. Archiving and preserving those histories supports creating new worlds and new visions for the next generations. And I’m inspired by hip-hop culture, duh. Which is why Randall Wilson and I created Most Incredible Studio. We hope that Black and Brown people feel reflective in the work that we create. #RepresentationMatters

What advice would you give to Black children who are just discovering their creativity?

They are born creative and all they need to do is ‘tap in’, that’s what I would tell my nieces and nephews.