Derrick Taylor, a second-year public relations student from Stone Mountain, Ga., is both the founder and creative director of The CMNTY, a multimedia brand accompanied by a street luxury clothing line.
Taylor established The CMNTY in December 2020 with a vision of highlighting young Black trendsetters in an innovative fashion through digital media and graphic design.
CMNTY’s goal is to elevate upcoming and already established Black creatives and to empower those in doubt that they too can turn their passion into a lifestyle.
Taylor built his brand on the simple but rich motto “cuz we can.” He wanted the phrase to be a reminder to young Black people that they bleed creativity.
He realizes that sometimes all it takes is for an individual to see someone who looks like them pursuing their passion in order to motivate them to take the first step toward investing in their own dreams.
Taylor’s love for visual art and well-honed appreciation for musical talent is what inspired him to bring his brand to fruition.
“I have always loved the imagery and creating moments,” Taylor said. “I am also heavily influenced by music, so I instantly visualize the feeling I get from hearing certain sounds and vocals.”
The CMNTY was an idea that Taylor knew he couldn’t just let sit.
“Too often I see my peers allowing their passions to take a backseat during their college journeys,” Taylor said.
He understood that there was no time like the present for him or anyone else in their early twenties to lose sight of the things that they love and make them who they are.
Like any entrepreneur, Taylor has faced his fair share of trials, but he has continued to trust his creativity and personal development throughout his career.
“Starting this brand has been a huge challenge for me, but I feel like I am growing so much during each project; it’s exciting to see my ideas pan out and come to life,” Taylor said.
Since December of 2020, The CMNTY has produced graphic campaigns, mini-films, developed and dropped a brand t-shirt and has just recently published the debut issue of the magazine Cuz We Can. It features model James Cela.
Cela, a third-year student and recent model for Taylor’s brand, describes Taylor as a limitless creator, with a unique imagination.
“As a creative director, Derrick is versatile,” Cela said. “There’s no specific lane that he draws from, he always had his own vision of how he wanted his projects to be showcased.”
The world can expect to see The CMNTY produce many other innovative projects and concepts in the near future.
“We are a generation of serial entrepreneurs and go-getters,” Taylor said. “What better way is there to encourage our generation to keep going than to keep creating platforms where they can shine their light as bright as possible.”