👋🏼 Hi, I’m Jacob
Detroit-based Connector, community-building, & visual artist
I love people, and authentic relationship building is at the core of everything I do.
Some ways I might describe myself:
Me speaking at a Coalition Series dinner I co-organized in February 2023
Connector - I’m helping build a healthy, inclusive tech ecosystem in SE Michigan as the Community Director for Collider (by Altimetrik), by hosting regular events, connecting people who should know each other, and growing a community of ambitious tech innovators in Detroit and beyond.
Community Organizer - I regularly host dinners, parties, workshops, and other events aimed at driving positive social change thru cross-cultural relationship building (see: Coalition Series & Project Understanding) and productively uncomfortable conversations about race and identity (see: Productive Discomfort).
Visual Artist - Via my art moniker MazySuzan, my art practice is rooted in interactive design that reminds busy adults to pause and play. My work has been shown at several galleries in Detroit, including two solo shows. Several of my illustrations were published in the book Tear Drops and Balloons by singer/songwriter Mike Posner.
Voice Amplifier - I produce and co-host a podcast called The Returning Citizen, elevating the voices of formerly incarcerated men and women.