In this Instagram Live conversation with First Year Project from April 2021, Ivellisse Morales talks about taking the big leap in starting her own business, how she continues to maintain her agency, what cafe con leché means to her, and what she's doing to tap into some joy this season.
In this talk from June 2021 for Possibility Project, Ivellisse Morales, Founder & CEO at bombilla, joins Tania Anaissie, Founder and CEO at Beytna Design, to discuss our collective responsibility as creators to pass the mic and co-create the stories we are telling in ways that are equitable, authentic, and not replicating harm.
In the sector, we use stories and images to capture the interest (and care) of community members and potential donors.
How often are those stories and images used in extractive ways, that reproduce the dynamics of giver/receiver, service provider/recipient?
How do the stories we tell and the images we choose, replicate harm and perpetuate false narratives?
Who is collecting, shaping, and telling stories, and for whose benefit?
How can story be rooted in powerful and authentic co-creation, and be shaped by the voices and leadership of those at the center of the work?
bombilla's™ little bright branding book is a playful poetry book for small businesses who care about heart-centered branding. The book launched in February 2022, in celebration of bombilla's 4th birthday.
You can get a copy of bombilla's™ little bright branding bookhere!
About the Book
Gorgeous matte hardcover, full-color book at 6×9 inches and 36 pages. Born December 29, 2021.
Poems are personally written by me (Ivellisse!), designed by Kimberly Cho, edited by Jesi Hanley Vega. Includes poems like The Branding ABC’s, Chief Everything Officer and Stories: as well as exercise pages for you to reflect and play.
5% of net sales will be earmarked for bombilla’s small business fund, a scholarship for Black, Brown & Queer emerging entrepreneurs (>2 years old) who seek our branding & design services.
My hope is that you'll walk away feeling #litonpurpose. And that you feel inspired and empowered to build your own heart-centered brand.
Ivellisse Morales
Get your own copy of bombilla's™ little bright branding bookhere!
In this talk from March 2021 for Boston University's College of Communication, alum Ivellisse Morales speaks alongside a panel of communication entrepreneurs to discuss their professional journeys and the added obstacles faced by women and communities of color.
About the Panelists
Ivellisse Morales (COM’12), Founder and CEO of bombilla Ivellisse Morales (COM'12) brings a decade of experience in using marketing as a force for good—for brands of all sizes from inside major creative agencies like Ogilvy, Cone Communications and IDEO and nonprofits like Year Up. Since 2018, Ivellisse has served as the visionary behind bombilla, a branding & design agency for social change. Bombilla (lightbulb in Spanish) is fueled by a national network of diverse creatives who conspire with systems-changing organizations to make the world brighter. Learn more at www.bombilla.com.
Manpreet Kaur Kalra (COM’11), Founder of Art of Citizenry Manpreet Kaur Kalra (she/her) (COM’11) is a social impact advisor, anti-racism educator, speaker, and activist working to decolonize storytelling. She navigates the intersection of impact communication and sustainable global development. Having worked in venture capital and startups, Manpreet founded Art of Citizenry to support impact-driven brands prioritizing people and the planet. She collaborates with businesses to address inclusion in all aspects, from business development to marketing strategy. Furthering her vision to address equity across the fashion and lifestyle ecosystem, she co-created and launched Reclaim Collaborative, a community of brands and content creators dedicated to dismantling systems of oppression. Her activism focuses on the interconnectivity of economic, social, and climate justice. She educates using a variety of mediums, including the Art of Citizenry Podcast, where she shares her nuanced and unfiltered insights on building a more just and equitable future. Her work unpacks history and addresses systemic power structures. She serves on the board of the NYC Fair Trade Coalition and co-established the Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Fair Trade Federation.
MODERATOR: Anya Cherrice Gonzales (COM’15), Founder of Navigating Culture and podcast host of The Homesickness Cure Anya Cherrice Gonzales (she/her) (COM’15) is the founder of Navigating Culture and host of the podcast, The Homesickness Cure. Born and raised in Trinidad, she started her American journey by attending Boston University. While taking journalism and advertising classes, her love for storytelling deepened. Reflecting on her own experiences, Anya decided to create a community for immigrants and first-generation immigrants who struggle to navigate the intersectionalities of living in between two cultures. Essentially, her company’s mission is to encourage these folks to learn how to self-validate, remove self-doubt and redefine archaic ideas of success. Shortly after her 2015 graduation from COM, Anya moved to San Francisco to work in Silicon Valley. She creates marketing programs for Miro, one of the world's fastest-growing start-ups.
In this talk from March 2022 for Boston University's College of Communication, alum Ivellisse Morales moderates a panel on the importance of self care in both personal and professional spaces, and disrupting the "hustle" mindset.
Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.
Audre Lorde
How many have heard the phrase “hustle hard”? Society told us that the hustle makes people more successful and get ahead. Yet, studies have shown that hustle culture takes a toll on people’s emotional, mental, and physical health. For people in marginalized communities, the damage to their overall health is worse.
During the pandemic and racial reckoning, various campaigns filled our social media timelines with resources for consumers to address their mental health and wellness. Self-care became popular. As communication professionals promoting these campaigns, what are we doing to change our mindset to practice self-care and wellness in our lives? How can organizations implement best practices to ensure that we have that work-life balance to keep our overall health in check?
Join our panelists as they provide:
Insights and data on hustle life
Signs to look out for to avoid extreme burnout
Tips to add self-care practices in your personal and professional life
Ways to welcome and encourage companies and colleagues to practice wellness at work
About Our Panelists
Yi-Hsian Godfrey (COM’97), CEO & co-founder of Apiari Yi-Hsian (pronounced "E-Schwan") Godfrey is CEO & co-founder of Apiari a curated childcare platform helping families find, book and manage vetted and experienced night nannies, babysitters and enrichment leaders in minutes. A former corporate executive turned entrepreneur, Yi-Hsian is also a mom to school-aged children, daughter to elderly parents, wife, sister and friend, she understands the challenges parents face in pursuing the proverbial "work-life balance."
Alice Hu (COM’10), Founder of Woo Woo Company Alice Hu is the founder of Woo Woo Company, a guide for all things woo, spiritual, and holistic wellness. Going through your Saturn Return or have questions about your career? Alice will use all the tools and modalities that helped her discover her calling and purpose to guide you in your journey. Alice also just released season two of her podcast Into the Woo and an ambient music album titled Dreaming Abundance. She is currently working on creating a career-focused astrology app. You can sign up via www.yoursaturn.com.
Charmain F. Jackman, PhD, Psychologist, Speaker, Writer, Consultant, & Founder/CEO, InnoPsych, Inc. Dr. Jackman is a Harvard-trained licensed Psychologist with 23+ years in the mental health field. She is the founder and CEO of InnoPsych, Inc., an organization on a mission to disrupt racial inequities in mental health. She also consults with organizations on topics including mental health, and racial trauma, employee wellbeing. She has won several awards for her impactful work including the 2021 American Psychological Association’s (APA) Citizen Psychologist Award and City of Boston’s 2021 Innovator of The Year award. Dr. Jackman has been featured on national media outlets such as the New York Times, NPR, PBS, and the Boston Globe.
MODERATOR: Ivellisse Morales (COM’12), Founder of bombilla Ivellisse Morales brings a decade of experience in using marketing as a force for good—for brands of all sizes from inside major creative agencies like Ogilvy, Cone Communications and IDEO and nonprofits like Year Up. Since 2018, Ivellisse has served as the visionary behind bombilla, a branding & design agency for social change. Bombilla (lightbulb in Spanish) is fueled by a national network of diverse creatives who conspire with systems-changing organizations to make the world brighter
We are a proudly AfroBoricua-led small business, shining bright from sunny Oakland, CA. We are based in xučyun (Huchiun), on unceded territory of the Lisjan Ohlone people.
We are a proudly AfroBoricua-led small business, shining bright from sunny Oakland, CA. We are based in xučyun (Huchiun), on unceded territory of the Lisjan Ohlone people.
We are a proudly AfroBoricua-led small business, shining bright from sunny Oakland, CA. We are based in xučyun (Huchiun), on unceded territory of the Lisjan Ohlone people.
We are a proudly AfroBoricua-led small business, shining bright from sunny Oakland, CA. We are based in xučyun (Huchiun), on unceded territory of the Lisjan Ohlone people.