Jona Monet

I would say my mother. She is a Leo, and I'm a Capricorn, just for context, but where I would be timid, she would always be strong, and she would always encourage me to get out of my comfort zone. I remember going to a music event, a low-key music event, and I was so afraid to go. I had to drive about 45 minutes to go, and I was going by myself, and I always wished I had a friend to go with me, but I didn't. I ended up just going - I remember almost crying from kind of like a panic attack about being in the city, and this is before I moved here, and navigating, but once I got there, I actually met these two girls who play the violin and play on Kendrick Lamar's song 'B, Don't Kill My Vibe,' and I also met Ari Lennox, who is a DMV native and now she's a very famous singer, but back then they were just doing smaller events. I wasn't gonna go, but my mom encouraged me to go, and she always encouraged me to go talk to people and just be bold. What inspired me to get into my field was growing up in Germany where I had a delay in speaking because I had a problem with my ear which I grew out of, so I used the computer. I always tell people I learned how to type before I could talk, so I was always connected to the computer. But then also being born in 1990 and in Germany, I was big on Spice Girls. Germany has a big fashion culture and party culture, so it's kind of interesting how now I'm getting into the parties thing, but it's like it's always been there. Also, growing up watching Pokemon and lots of little animes and cartoons, I've always had a love for TV and storytelling. So I would say one of my biggest inspirations was just media pop culture.

I would say, listen to your gut. Listen to your intuition, and then do things that make you happy. Yesterday, I was at an event and I met a young lady who is from my hometown, and she's attending Towson under the same degree I got. She did graphic design in high school and now she's in college doing it, and she's kind of feeling like she knows the stuff already. She was debating if she should pick up a marketing minor or perhaps make graphic design a minor and do more with marketing. She's been thinking about it for days and has to pick classes soon, and I told her, you know, just do it. While you're young, you can always change. You can always stop, but if you don't listen to that part that's keeping you up at night, you're gonna regret it later, so you might as well just try now. College is the place to try.

In both my professional and personal life, I value creativity, cultural authenticity, and meaningful connection. As a creative, I am deeply committed to producing work that not only resonates visually but also honors the stories and communities it represents. Outside of my professional practice, I co-founded a community-centered event series called “If You Know, You Know” (IYKYK) with my neighbor, Ruby Therese, which began as an intimate house party experience rooted in warmth, familiarity, and genuine human connection. As we expand into venue spaces, we remain intentional about preserving that sense of comfort while creating environments where people feel free to express themselves and engage fully—bringing back the joy of dancing and shared experience. I also channel my values through my brand, 40 Foot Tall, where I design and curate handcrafted and sourced jewelry inspired by my Geechee Gullah heritage and broader Indigenous traditions. Through this work, I aim to celebrate cultural identity, craftsmanship, and global influences, ensuring that everything I create is grounded in purpose, respect, and storytelling.