Damian Hoskins is the Executive Director of Elementz, the premier Hip Hop Cultural Art Center in, Cincinnati. Elementz is committed to fostering talent, igniting potential and inspiring possibilities, particularly for underrepresented youth in the Greater Cincinnati region. Previously, Damian was the Vice President of Arts Impact at ArtsWave, the leading fundraiser and promoter of the arts in Cincinnati. Damian is also a thirteen year teaching veteran and teaches a course on Hip Hop Studies at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Damian is also an oil painter, graphic designer and furniture maker. As an educator and artist, Damian firmly believes that his purpose in life is to inform and inspire the next generation of creative problem solvers.

In 30 seconds or less, tell us who YOU are. This is not your professional bio, but rather, your response should reflect how you are uniquely you.
I am a creative, a father, a husband, a very cool brother, and a pretty good son.

What is something that most people do not know about you?
That I am an artist.

What are your personal core values?
At my core, I value integrity, honesty, family, creativity and protecting, fighting for and empowering those who are in need of such things.

What is the primary motivation of your leadership?
I’m motivated by the old adage that to be a leader one must be like a thermostat, and not like a thermometer. A thermostat sets the conditions, while a thermometer merely reacts to the conditions.

What has been the cornerstone of your life journey that influenced your personal mission and purpose?
Creative problem solving has been the cornerstone of my life’s journey. My world view is guided by creativity and the beauty and functionality that it provides.

Who has had an immense impact on you as a leader? How did this person (or people) impact your life?
Mildred Dennis, my maternal grandmother, has likely had the most impact on me as a leader because of her self sacrifice. The year I was born, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and given a short time to live. Upon hearing the diagnosis she began to get dressed. When the doctor asked what she was doing, she replied “I have to go back to work.” At that time she had seven adult children and 6 grandchildren that she was committed to taking care of.

She outlived every doctor who diagnosed her in 1973, and died in 2007 at the age of 80.

What piece of advice have you received along the way in your career or life journey that has stuck with you?
Time is your most precious commodity. You could lose all of your money, and through hard work and keen strategy, you can earn it back.

However, if you waste an hour of your time, no matter how hard you try, you cannot get that back.

Use your time wisely.

What one thing makes you most proud?
My children. (Technically that’s more than one).

What’s one thing you do every day (or with consistency) to be a better person?
Meditate.

I also curse a lot in private. It keeps me from cursing out loud, or at people. (You’re welcome, Cincinnati drivers).

What are a few resources or behaviors you would recommend to someone looking to grow into a better leader?
Books.

Every archetype of effective leadership has archived his or her own journey into leadership,
and those details are in a book somewhere.

Some of my favorite books on leadership, or the attributes that make up effective leadership are:
• The Obstacle is the Way, Ryan Holiday
• The 50th Law, Robert Greene & Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
• Meditations, Marcus Aerelius
• The Bible
• Grit, Angela Duckworth
• Atomic Habits, James Clear
• Start with Why, Simon Sinek

How do you define success?
Good health, freedom to create, self reliance and love.

Why do you choose to make the Cincinnati region home?
Because my dad lives here. He is my hero. I’ve lived in Atlanta and Baltimore. Both eclectic and vibrant cities, but my father lives in North College Hill, so I came back home.

In what ways are you involved in the Cincinnati community outside of your professional endeavors?
I volunteer and serve on several boards including the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Black Art Speaks and TABLE. All of these organizations work diligently and strategically to make the city a better place for its citizens.

What do you imagine for the future of the Cincinnati region?
A “New Cincinnati” that has successfully removed the invisible lines of demarcation that try to separate us based on race, religion, class, political affiliation or where one went to high school, or any other arbitrary distinction.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
My purpose is to inform and inspire the next generation of creative problem solvers. I hope to leave behind a legacy of young people who will work collaboratively and creatively to solve the region’s major issues with the hope that they were inspired by something that I was fortunate enough to share with them.