If you can’t be first … be last? Animator Joshua Leonard hopes to add to that representation, and then some. She is still extremely helpful, and supportive to me til this day, and I’m so grateful for her. We think one of the most powerful ways to do that is by putting small business owners and creatives at the center of discussions designed to spark conversation within the community. Team Supreme is the brainchild of Atlanta-based freelance animator, and character designer Joshua Leonard, founder of Leonard Studios, and follows a group of six children and one adult, all of whom have super powers and special needs. I prep for an important meeting or event by saying a prayer, because I’ll probably be nervous either way, lol! Each one of my heroes has a specific need and come in all shapes, races, and sizes. My brand is very positive, and motivational. A month ago I lost my older brother who taught me how to draw to pneumonia, but I believe these tests have prepped me for what’s to come. It’s our normal to be extraordinary. I should be known as an artist who did his best to content, with stories and characters who are undervalued, by putting them in the forefront. We had the good fortune of connecting with Joshua Leonard and we’ve shared our conversation below. I am currently in the development stage of my upcoming cartoon, “Team Supreme,” which is about a group of pint-sized kids with special needs but who are also blessed with superpowers. Follow @BEModernMan and join the conversation using #BEModernMan. “I wish I could say it’s normal, but in this world, and especially in the animation world, it is a big deal for a Black man to get such an important role” at Netflix, Angelini says. Joshua’s work has already caught the eye of some major players, and I’m so proud to be able to share what he’s doing here on Revision Path! I’m most excited and proud of my upcoming cartoon series, Team Supreme, because it features kids who have a disability, but their disability is also their superpower. Website: www.leonardstudios.com. What is an important quality you look for in your relationships with others? Obviously I’m not the best artist, but I always felt like I could compete. February 3, 2020. I’m a military brat, so I’ve done a lot of moving and traveling, but as far as winding down, movies, music, or a book. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Team Supreme is in development at Netflix. playerId: '100dd0aa-2735-4584-a476-8712c44ea0ad' Joshua Leonard. Apparently, that’s a money-making strategy when it comes to the Tour de France. I’d like to say thank you for this amazing opportunity to tell my story, and thank you for listening. “I want to see different-looking characters, man,” Joshua Leonard, the show’s creator, tells me passionately over the phone. Each one of my heroes has a specific need and come in all shapes, races, and sizes. }).render('ca58008d5ef04f588549d5b8161a9b0f'); “A project like this has the power to empower generations of kids.”. Sweet Pea, Zeek’s little sister, has sickle cell disease, but also a “melting hearts” superpower that allows her to manipulate minds to make any adult or child more loving, understanding and humble. I am extremely humbled to be recognized. The goal is always appreciated more when you really have to work hard and grind for it. It was during this time that he developed an interest in special-needs kids, hearing about a coworker’s friend whose autistic son could recite the entire cast and crew of Disney movies — down to the boom mic operator — from memory after watching the credits. Copyright 2020. But Hurricane Katrina destroyed the school, delaying Leonard’s dreams. To make a difference through disruptive content — and he’s doing it in Toon Boom Storyboard Pro and Toon Boom Harmony." From the mental health struggles of BoJack Horseman to LGBTQ relationships on Steven Universe, animation is creating a more inclusive, diverse world through representation in ways live-action never could — and Team Supreme is pioneering the next frontier. What does being one of the BEMM 100 Men of Distinction mean to you? Where would you take them? The best advice I ever received is from my Pops. The Huddle imagines what the free agent megastar has to say about his next move. In a meeting between Mexican and Indian food who wins this battle royale? As a busy Modern man, I unwind by watching movies. cnx.cmd.push(function() { My extraordinary impact is me being a black animator in an industry that is less than 3% black, and really pushing the button on inclusion and diversity. Leonard, 37, is an animator and character designer for Netflix, whose journey has been all but easy. His love has always been drawing — ever since kindergarten, when his eldest brother taught him. The best advice I ever received is from my Pops. https://losangeles.aiga.org/event/aiga-la-presents-revision-path-live-in-la-with-maurice-cherry/. They are part of Team Supreme — an animated series about a crime-fighting group of special-needs kids whose disabilities double as superpowers, currently in development with producers Lena Waithe and Jason Weaver. I am passionate about both, which is why I wanted to create a cartoon so out of the box that it included every type of person, including my main character that is black and has autism. Zeek is an autistic young African American male with elite memory, intellect and a mind that can see everything. What is the best advice you ever received? And that’s what I did.” But once he graduated, he found it hard to find a job when rowing against institutional racism. Revision Path is brought to you by Lunch, a multidisciplinary creative studio in Atlanta, GA. Stroll to the Polls” with Weeklong Virtual Screening of “John Lewis: Good Trouble” Aimed to Increase HBCU Student Voter Turnout | Press releases, Pepsi Turns Unreleased 1997 Biggie Freestyle Into A New Ad | Music, Day 3 of the Holy Land Tour with Pastor Chris Oyakhilome – African American News Today, Ex-Teacher Accused of Sexual Misconduct with Teen Still on the Run, 16-Year-Old Returns Home, Kansas City Mayor Called N-Word, Told He “Should Swing From A Tree”, Atlanta Business League holds congress, discusses $15B opportunity, Anthony Mackie shares memory of 1st encounter with his friend Chadwick Boseman, African American Intellectual History Society. If my friend was visiting, I would take them to a sporting event, maybe eat some good food, hit a few walking trails, the mall, Stone Mountain, and more. The end goal for me is inside of books, and other learning tools, as it pertains to the legacy I hope to leave in Animation, and the inclusive, diverse characters I have created. Website: www.joshualeonardart.com The Weekender is a special collaboration between OZY Tribe members near and far to provide delicious recommendations for your valuable weekend time. I prep for an important meeting or event by saying a prayer, because I’ll probably be nervous either way, lol! The Indie Creative Network x The Grazette Initiative, STURDYSHOW Presents: The Barbershop Podcast, In Conversation: A Listening Series on Climate Justice and Collective Liberation, https://losangeles.aiga.org/event/aiga-la-presents-revision-path-live-in-la-with-maurice-cherry/. Masthead. Just 24 hours later, his eldest brother, the one who taught him how to draw, died of pneumonia. Come chat with us! I believe integrity goes a long way. ABOUT Because he's empowering a new generation. It wasn’t easy, and I don’t want it to be. Character Designer - Creator . Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshualeonardart/ I do feel like I have a hunger like no other. And thank you for listening! How do you prep for an important business meeting and/or event? This teenage hoops talent already has the skills to score in the NBA. “When I went up there, I was going up there to kill everything,” Leonard says. “That’s kinda where I got infatuated with disabilities and superpowers,” he says. It took connections from the Art Institute and his pieces going viral online for Leonard to eventually land the Netflix deal in August — but it was a bittersweet moment. I like to learn as much as I can so I can apply what I learn to my own project. Hi Joshua, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end? We want people to spend more of their money with mom-and-pops, small businesses, independent artists and creatives. I wanted to include characters who are amputees and also characters who are deaf, and blind. Black Men XCEL An important quality I look for in my relationships with others is their integrity. Li is a witty Asian American girl who, while born blind, has super smell and other enhanced senses thanks to her cross-modal neuroplasticity disorder. Registry of Corporate Directors. Team Supreme is the brainchild of Atlanta-based freelance animator, and character designer Joshua Leonard, founder of Leonard Studios, and follows a group of six children and one adult, all of whom have super powers and special needs. Profession: Animator/Creator of Team Supreme Cartoon Meet Joshua Leonard part of the BE Modern Man 2018 cohort. - Philip Mak (Toon Boom). I’d like to say thank you for this amazing opportunity to tell my story, and thank you for listening. Share a story about your best vacation. Name: Joshua Antwon Leonard Age: 34Profession: Animator/Creator of Team Supreme CartoonOne Word That Describes You: Tenacious, Social Media: Twitter: @joshua__leonard @leonardstudios and @teamsupreme_ Instagram: @joshua__leonard @leonardstudios and @teamsupremecartoon Facebook: Joshua Leonard Website: www.leonardstudios.com. With a smooth game and an unbeatable name, Mojave King, 17, is rising up the recruiting radar.