What is Community Goods?On the surface, we’re a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides after-school programs focusing on arts education in underserved communities. At our core, we believe it’s our mission to tell anyone who will listen that those with less often have the most to say.
We call it a mission because we don’t have the luxury of time.
When arts education is underfunded and overlooked, it directly impacts the community. When the community is negatively impacted, everyone loses. So like we said earlier, we don’t have a lot of time.
We call it a mission because we believe in it.
We know firsthand that early exposure to arts education directly impacts academic achievement, increases emotional and social development, and raises civic engagement.
We call it a mission because we’re not doing it alone.
Community Goods believes art is a connector and greatly influences how we view ourselves, our communities, and our value in the world. Our mission is to work daily to make the world we want to live in reality.
MISSION
In collaboration with non-profit partners, local schools, and creative arts industry leaders, Community Goods’ goal is to assist in closing the arts education gap for youth in areas such as the Austin community in Chicago, once and for all. CG aims to provide the youth in these communities with direct experiences and mentorship that will allow them opportunities to stimulate artistic prowess, increase social-emotional intelligence, and foster positive community engagement.
VISION
Community Goods is an educational organization that inspires and engages youth in collaborative partnerships with the arts community. We create opportunities for youth to build skills in leadership, teamwork, and citizenship through creative expression. Community Goods’ mission is to work daily to develop more conscious citizens who can contribute positively to their schools, communities, and the world.
MEET THE BOARD
Joseph Robinson
Founder/President
Joe Freshgoods is a designer and creative director from the West Side of Chicago. A co-owner of Chicago creative hub Fat Tiger Works, Freshgoods’ unique approach has led to collaborations with brands as varied as McDonald’s, the Chicago Bears, and New Balance and his collections have featured in magazines like Vogue, GQ, and Complex.
An avid proponent of arts education, his real mission is to tell stories through his collections, using a unique blend of brand narrative, historical, and cultural references, which have allowed him to build authentic connections with streetwear lovers all over the world, while doing it in the same community that raised him.
Aaliyah Gaston
Board Member
Born and raised on the West Side of Chicago, Aaliyah Gaston’s been focused on bringing the world authentic stories that reflect the creative and resourceful energy of the city that birthed her.
With years of experience producing and managing events, both in college and in the real world, Aaliyah is a dynamic self-starter who has spearheaded long-term strategic initiatives, including implementation of major marketing campaigns with Fortune 100 Brands like McDonalds and New Balance and the launch of new product lines that have shifted culture and redefined how we look at the idea of fashion-based narrative storytelling across the world over the last decade.
Miata Ramos
Board Member
Miata Ramos is a Chicago based creative producer that specializes in curating experiences through brand partnerships, media content, and digital cinema. As a Whitney Young alumna, she continued her education by receiving her bachelor’s degree from DePaul university majoring in advertising and film. She is most notable for her work with New Balance, Converse, Vans and Automotive Brands.
Her nonprofit involvement stemmed from her work in theater, as a co-founder of Neuro Kitchen Arts collective. She continues to pour into her hometown by pushing the mission of making arts education accessible for CPS students, through planning and programming at Community Goods.
Mia LaFlore
Secretary Treasurer
Fashion and creativity for Mia, has always been about expressing who she is without using words. Which ties into her career in a way, because she works "behind the scenes" to help those that use their expression to create culture. She works with attorneys that handle the intellectual property portfolios for several creative brands, meaning that Mia helps to secure the ownership of and protects the ideas of creatives all over the globe.
A leader in all things, Mia is always at the forefront of safeguarding the concepts related to the newest trends and evidence of that can be seen in her accomplishments as an intellectual property marketing executive and as an avid volunteer who teaches children how to play musical instruments every Saturday via zoom.