Welcome to the Truth in His Art, your source for conversations at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Thank you for joining me. Today, I am excited to be in conversation with my next guests. They are the producers behind the Baltimore Met Gala, an innovative and luxurious event that brings together the best in art, philanthropy, culinary experiences, and fashion within the region.
Rob Lee:Please welcome LaRian Finney and Derek Chase. Welcome to the podcast.
Derrick Chase:Thank you. Hey. Thanks for having us.
Rob Lee:Thank you for coming on. Thank you for making the time. And I mean, I I think in doing the research and preparing for for this interview, what the work that you guys are doing with this and just the work overall is definitely aligned with what I do, you know, as far as Baltimore highlighting all of the different folks and, you know, some of the artists and some of the folks in the culinary scene that I've seen, I was like, oh, I got interviews with them, got interviews with them. So it's I'm glad we're able to do this.
Derrick Chase:Mister, yeah, I'm just hearing,
LaRian Finney:for Chase and I is, how could we bring just the best and brightest? Although they based in Baltimore, these are really national international talents from the fashion, culinary, and arts scene. So we were just blessed to be in a unique position to integrate those 3 categories and verticals to make sure that we have representation of what's really best about our city, but that could really transition and be recognized across the country and globally.
Rob Lee:That's a good start. It's a good start there. I love that, and and thank you for that. So as we go in sort of the the introduction, I always like to start off with, you know, giving folks opportunity to to introduce themselves. I think of I think oftentimes, we get those online bios, and something's left out.
Rob Lee:You know, there's always a detail that's left out. Like, I remember interviewing a guy. He was a cinematographer. He's like, yeah. You know, the first part of my career, I did music for 10 years.
Rob Lee:I was like, that's nowhere in your bio, bro. Let's talk about it. So we could start with, with you, Derrick. We can go left to left to right from my left to your right.
Derrick Chase:Okay. Yeah. Yeah, man. My story is, simply complicated. Baltimore, drawn and read.
Derrick Chase:Grew up in the Park Heights community. Like to say, I was born on the avenue, raised in Park Heights, been all over the world, but never been out of Baltimore longer than 3 weeks. So I have a, interesting and unique relationship with with Baltimore as a city because our relationships, not only do they run wide, but they also run deep. Yeah. So son of Baltimore.
Derrick Chase:Baltimore, went to high school here, went to college here, raised a family here, bought a home here, opened a business here, and impacted the community. But, I guess there's some significant highlights of my life. I'm an artist, so I was I was born a poet, and I spent, a numerous amount of time as a professional poet, like, who actually does that. But I fell in love with words young, And I understood the words of LeBron Finn. He says this often.
Derrick Chase:You know, words matter. And what you say, it it it matters. And what you say to yourself matters. So I was one of those kids that, you know, talked himself into, deciding to make up make make Baltimore a place for global transformation. Right?
Derrick Chase:Yeah. Not only through, through art, but also, where art and activism connect. And then extending that, into cultural development and then economic development. So most of my life, you know, I've been in a few of those spaces. Of course, you know, known for beginning the career of Ryan De Vahgn.
Derrick Chase:I'm also a author. I put the book out When Change Comes, the story of the Millionaire March. Produces executive produced CDs, but I'm also an artist on a CD. You know, that's a, a little a literally a known fact. I I feel like, what's my man from Drink Chance?
Derrick Chase:Just make up a word. Right? But, you know, I'm an artist. So, you know, I've created Urban Ave 31, the group. And then I released Urban Blues.
Derrick Chase:And Urban Blues is really the soundtrack, to what we're doing now, which is transforming the hearts and minds of people, letting people in Baltimore know that this is their home. And every aspect of Baltimore belongs to them, whether it's pristine, universities, pristine, institutions such as, the Preakness. We believe that this whole entire place is ours, and we believe in inspiring people to carry along.
Rob Lee:That's great. Thank you.
Derrick Chase:So, yeah, we're doing city
LaRian Finney:of ports. Grew up in Cherry Hill, went to Poly, and played basketball at Mount Saint Mary's College. From where I started, a degree in chemistry, to marketing, branding, in the NBA, to working on the Olympics with Eastman Kodak, to doing sales with Johnson and Johnson. Started the FEN Group in 2001. And we're just very fortunate that we've been able to anchor, some iconic events in the city from the African American Heritage Festival, the Jazz and Summer Nights, the new iteration of Afro Creek, the Baltimore Met Gala, chasing out for TBT, which was a $2,000,000 basketball tournament to Baltimore.
LaRian Finney:So that's it on the events side. Nationally, we've done Super Bowl, NBA All Star, NAACP Convention, National Urban League Convention. But we have in international and national events, and we bring that experience to execute here locally, and then we've just been very blessed, to be part of the new reimagination of the Monterey Jazz Festival, with Darren Atwater. So where I sit now, it's really about culturally relevant, culturally sensitive community economic impact, whether that's through marketing, consulting with corporations, or doing development within neighborhoods that impact folks that look like us. The difference between Chase and Malorie bring particular strengths to the table.
LaRian Finney:And I think when you're equally yoked, you're not good at the same thing.
Rob Lee:Sure.
LaRian Finney:So he carries one half of the ship. I carry the other half, and that keeps us balanced. And we've been able to push forward in a very sustainable but more importantly, in a way that is reflective of what Baltimore should be, how we should expect things to be executed, and then how we should collaborate most importantly, for everyone to reach its full potential.
Rob Lee:I love that. Thank you. And, also, I I'd be remiss if I don't mention, yeah, city forever. And I heard that Polly thing right there a second ago. I gotta gotta take a shot at you a little bit there.
LaRian Finney:Yeah. Yeah. You know you know, I have I have one of my business partners, doctor Hathaway. He's a city grad, and I never hold it against him.
Rob Lee:Okay. We are here. Good one. So and and I'm and I'm hearing pieces of it, but and I definitely wanna just open up to sort of, you know, the origin story of Baltimore Met Gala. You know, ultimately, how did the idea come about?
Rob Lee:And I wanna go backwards a little bit in a moment, but at least when I talk about sort of those initial rumblings of we need to do we need to do this. We need to bring these different communities together, these different folks together. And where did that that germinate from?
LaRian Finney:Well, as with many 9.9% of the stuff that Chase and I do, it was a phone call probably 2 o'clock in the morning. I got an idea, and then he and I and Lonnie Walker met at my home, in Baltimore. He had seen, a very small party down at the tendry, but everyone was dressed very, very over the top. Matt Galloway. And, we said we need to come up with an event, a concept that one could support and impact, philanthropic organizations, specifically those impacting our community.
LaRian Finney:So we came up very quickly with the Baltimore Met Gala, and we have been doing some collaboration. And that's a theme all throughout, Rob, how we can only build what we're doing through collaborations. We have been doing some things with the, Baltimore Museum of Art, and we said, could we showcase and, do the initial event at the BMA? Yeah. Because we saw the steps, and we knew that we had to come out year 1 to make an impression.
LaRian Finney:And those steps, the historic steps at the BMA, remind you of the gala in New York. And then because we were tight on budget, we said the museum and all of the 1,000,000 of dollars of art will be part of the showcase of the event. And then once we settled on the location, Chase and I decided that we were gonna differentiate the event from what's happening in New York because we were focused on local designers who are based in Baltimore, but who have international appeal. We wanted to feature local artists and local culinary, and then recognize individuals within the community who have impact and who are doing very, noteworthy, executions and activations and support. So that's really the framework of the McDowell.
LaRian Finney:It's fashion, it's art, it's culinary, but the philanthropic, bent towards to make sure we're giving back.
Rob Lee:That's great. I love that. And, again, you know, it's it aligns with a lot of what I do in the in hearing, like, collaboration, a lot of these things, you know. I don't have folks to talk about if folks don't wanna come on. You know what I mean?
Rob Lee:And, you know, being able to elevate and show all of the great things we have to offer locally from, you know, arts, fashion, food, and so on, it's it's really important, and, you know, reading, because I'm a numbers guy. I was out of doing this podcast, and I'm a data analyst, so when I started looking at numbers and teasing through numbers, I'm like, okay. These are these are great things. I'm seeing, you know, over 1200 folks, guests, you know, that have shown up for last year's, Met Gala, 10 designers, 6 artists, 10 black owned restaurants, and, you know, 5,000,000 in media exposure. Could you speak to sort of the visibility and how that impacts, you know, Baltimore particularly in elevating arts, culture, fashion, and the food scenes?
Rob Lee:You know, this podcast is very much born out of this idea of showing and highlighting all of these different parts of our Baltimore. So I wanna, you know, lobby that question to you. If either of you wanna you wanna chime in on that.
Derrick Chase:Yeah. Yeah, Rob. First and foremost, Baltimore, I historically have been known for the place that you drive through when you're driving past Washington DC to New York or Boston. Right? Yeah.
Derrick Chase:And, so we've historically been overlooked. Right? We're the underdog. And then when we did get our opportunities, to to appear again in the national news, well, not even in national news, but, appear in front of the world, the window that they that that the world began to, or the filter that the world began to see us through was through the corner and then the wire. So the assumption was that if you're from Baltimore, alright, that is your only reality.
Derrick Chase:That is that is the selling point of Baltimore. But for those who've gone to Pali or city, or in my case, Merville. Mergenthal, Mergenthal. Right? Around the corner from the city.
Derrick Chase:Alright? Yeah. We know that there's just Baltimore is a plethora of amazing people, amazing places, both that are constructed and just the general landscape of where Baltimore is. Most people who talk or hear about Baltimore don't realize that we're the deepest inland people. Yeah.
Derrick Chase:That a significant amount of products that reach the entire Americas, alright, comes directly through Baltimore. So it's all of these little things about Baltimore that people don't know. People don't realize that Baltimore is considered the city of first.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Derrick Chase:That's it's considered a city of first. First public works system. And I can I can I can go through it? So with all that being said, you know, those of us who live here, we know what's here. Yeah.
Derrick Chase:And when we get the opportunity to, when not even when we get the opportunity, those who we know have a responsibility to tell. Right? So our unique, relationship with Baltimore is that we are Baltimore sons. Not only are we Baltimore sons, we are Baltimore stars. We are people who've gone on in our individual lives to do things that some people would consider significant or impactful.
Derrick Chase:Alright? So the question becomes, it's it not even a question. The statement that I like to live by is is not the discovery of your gift, but the discovery of who your gifts will serve. Alright? So when you, when you have the opportunity of somebody gives you a flashlight, alright, do you shine it on yourself?
Derrick Chase:Do you say, look at me, look at me, look at me? Or do you use the flashlight to illuminate all the great things that have created you, crafted you, that are continuing to shape your reality and the things that you enjoy? And that's our relationship with each other. Alright? The the the reality of, of my life is, you know, I I see Fiddy as a gift to Baltimore and to the world.
Derrick Chase:Alright? So if I have something, in my mind, who else am I gonna tell with except to a person that I believe have a unique set of skills where he can take and craft a a a genius. He can take number 1, he can see genius. He's not so big himself that he can't see genius in other people.
Rob Lee:Did you have anything you wanted to add there, Leron, before we move into this next question?
LaRian Finney:No. I I think just from the media aspect, I think we and I wanna give Ritza, and her team an amazing shout out. But I think if you continue to tell good stories, and you challenge media, that we cannot be all bad. So as much effort as you spend on highlighting what may be negative within our city that really is challenges that we have across America, let's also spend as much energy highlighting the good stuff and the good people and the good activations that really are willing to show peace and really delight for our city. Reach out to media, we're telling stories and we're telling stories that talk about how many jobs we create, how many black vendors we use, what the economic impact is, what the cultural impact is, what is the optimism impact when folks see us putting events on or activations like this, it inspires other people.
LaRian Finney:So when you tell that story, it will behoove print and television and radio and podcast to say, hey. Let's take a look at this and and show and shine some light on it. So that's how we've been very successful in a very short time, with the Met Gala and other activations that we have.
Rob Lee:It's wonderful. And, you know, it's it's a really good point where, you know, when I first became aware of it, I think it was, like, last year, I maybe saw something from, like, Earl Bannister or something along those lines, and I was, like, how can I be involved? What can I do? And just the timing didn't really line up for what I was working on at the time, but, you know, it definitely gave me and what I aspire in doing this, the sense of pride of, like, these are local guys that are making this happen, and I love that these are folks that I know and I've seen as far as the folks that are involved. You know, it's like, this is actually of the community.
Rob Lee:This is a real thing, not something that this is for you. We know it's for you. It's just like, this is what it can be, and we already have this talent, so let's build this up. So I love it.
LaRian Finney:And and Rob, I I think a critical point, man, typically, when you're able to swim in deep waters, We tend to feel like we have to go to other people to execute. And I wanna highlight the designers, the media company. Yeah. The artists, the models, Chase and myself, we're all Baltimore individuals who are producing this amazing event that's getting worldwide recognition. So we're not going outsourcing the production and the execution to a 3rd party vendor.
LaRian Finney:We're in the mud. Right? And we're putting the work in. And we have an amazing team with Ritza and Lorna Bray and Earl and Jody Davis, Shawan Finney, Ernest Ainsley I mean, Ernest Shaw, Ainsley Burrows. I mean, it's superstars across the top line.
LaRian Finney:And I just wanna really emphasize and hope that goes into some folks' spirit that you want to go outside your city to do things that are very, very high.
Derrick Chase:And Rob, I'll add. You don't need to you don't necessarily need to leave your city. Right? So, you know, oftentimes, you know, you hear the story about, the the the child that, you know, feels so inspiring that they cultivate themselves but to, in essence, to achieve whatever level of greatness that they experience, they have to go they have to recognize outside of that hometown. So I also think that the genius of what it is that we have done is to force those who, and sometimes intentionally don't wanna look at Baltimore's greatness.
Derrick Chase:Right? You know, sometimes the other part of Baltimore, you know, this is business. It sells. Right? So to force them to even take another look at themselves because they are Baltimore Awesome.
Rob Lee:That's that's that's a good point. That's a really good point. And especially in the coming up on 800 interviews I've done for for this, just sort of that awareness of, you don't have to leave. You could you could do it here. You can make it happen here.
Rob Lee:Your your people are here. So I'm gonna move into this next since we've talked a little bit about foundational, a little bit about 2023. Let's talk about 2024, and, you know, for, you know, I I can't help but notice in the background this this lovely imagery of, you know, the theme for this year, Adam and Eve, entered a garden. So do you could you talk a bit about sort of 20 20 four's, gala, what we're looking for, and sort of where the theme connects?
LaRian Finney:So, again, everything we do is collaboration. We put, it out to our team members and, you know, to have them solicit, come back with some theme suggestions. We landed on Adam and Eve into the garden. But what we're most proud of this year, in being able to transition very quickly from the M and T Exchange building where we maxed out to go to live casino and hotel, which has amazing production, has amazing facilities, has the hotel connected to it, has parking. So now we're in a home that we can expand and have, some foundational roots.
LaRian Finney:Yeah. What we're proud of is that it's a 150 models, 11 designers, 20 artists, 10 restaurants, and then we have 2, specific VIP, catered with Chef Dash and Susan Smallwood, who's bringing her La Grande caviar, to the event. So what we're building and what folks will walk into is a true experience, man. You're gonna be engulfed as soon as you hit the green carpet of the garden, and the the visuals, and the sounds, and the smells, and it's us. And it's us at a very high level.
LaRian Finney:And what I would say, I've been all over the world. I have not seen people dress the way they've dressed here. Not at New York at the Met Gala. It was probably comparable. But what we're gonna see on 14th is just, an exercise and an exhibition of be comfortable with who you are, embrace the theme, and enjoy the evening.
LaRian Finney:So that's really how we came to it. It's just we get themes from our group, and then we build creative off of that. We build, visuals off of that, and then we build execution points. We we may buy local pop. Right?
LaRian Finney:So we
Derrick Chase:we when, individual wakes in the morning, they make 2 very powerful decisions. Right? No. Right? They don't get a chance, for the most part, to decide if they're going to wake up.
Derrick Chase:Right?
Rob Lee:Right.
Derrick Chase:That is coming from a higher source. But when they wake up, you get an opportunity to decide what are they gonna eat. Right? They get that opportunity.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Derrick Chase:And then the next question that they get is what are they going to wear? Alright? So these are two powerful decisions that individuals make every day that often we overlook. And when we deal with the economic development aspect of this, because we both are community leaders. We don't just see ourselves as producers.
Derrick Chase:We are community leaders. Alright? We are industry curators. Alright? We are developing new ways for us to survive in this time of globalization where the average person is shopping in China.
Derrick Chase:Alright? To wear something in Baltimore. So what we were what we've been able to do is to make buying from local designers sexy. Alright? Sexy.
Derrick Chase:Crafting an event where people just they understand what the assignment is. They don't wanna look like, excuse me, Lee's boutique in wherever it is, right, where everybody's gonna look and act and be the same. They wanna go to a specific person and ask something, ask them, number 1, to have a conversation about themselves. And then they then ask the individual who have the designing talent to cultivate an outfit around their own self image. And guess what?
Derrick Chase:And then they're gonna pay for it.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Derrick Chase:Okay? So if you're talking about shifting paradigms, what we are most proud of is that we're shifting the paradigms of where you shop. Where do you spend your money? All right? Well, we highlight these these businesses, these, Black owned restaurants.
Derrick Chase:All right? It's not because they they just have good food, all right? Because they do have great food, but it's also giving them an opportunity to be visible to people who may not see them, who are not in their communities. So although the Met Gala, all right, the core production, group, is pretty much us, is black. Right?
Derrick Chase:Its impact is universal. So what we are most proud of doing is creating a universal product that regardless of race, culture, pre, past experience, sexuality, whatever your ism or schism is, this is something that you can enjoy. This is something that you can invest in, and we are very intentional about that.
Rob Lee:That's great. That's that's a really, really, really good point. And, I wanna I wanna move into this this next question because I got a couple a couple left. I'm definitely curious about, the culinary side of things, you know. I did this month of interviews with different chefs, and, you know, I saw a few of those listed as well that, was like, okay, you know, I gotta make sure I get a plate, you know, make sure I try a few things.
Rob Lee:And I find, like, Baltimore is kinda one of those those gems, like, people don't know until you're there, and it's like, oh, you guys got really good food here. And I was like, duh. You know? And I think our food scene, like, matches very well with all of these other cities that might have that reputation of being quote unquote a food city or a chef city or what have you. So talk a little bit about the way that maybe food plays a role in sort of the city's, like, landscape or what have you.
Rob Lee:Like, you know, I understand we we have these artists here. We have sort of this underdog thing that's floating here, but I think food generally unites. So could you speak a bit about that and that how that plays a role into the Met Gala Baltimore Met Gala?
LaRian Finney:So I I would I would start with, really, the foundation which, Chase and I, we're firmly we're not gonna let the enemy keep score in the games that we're playing in. So that's number 1. 2, and most importantly, we are both foodies. Right? So, we've been customers at all of the establishments.
LaRian Finney:We've had them cater events for us. So the the vision and now the reality is that just like we focus time on the fashion and designers, the culinary folks are artists too. The visual artists are artists too. So they all are creating masterpieces. So then, now how do you weave those together for what was now the Baltimore Met Gala?
LaRian Finney:So again, we give them an opportunity. Richard has done an amazing job to have all of, the restaurants featured on our media partner. So again, this is promotion and marketing, but also giving them the confidence that they belong at a high level. And they belong in the same places where they may see a chain restaurant being featured, on a Sunday brunch show. Now they're being featured.
LaRian Finney:So, again, it's it's the expectation and, I know where our greatness is. And, again, we don't let, you know, the enemy or those who trying to figure out
Derrick Chase:how we
LaRian Finney:got through the door keep score because, it's just a different game.
Derrick Chase:It's a good point.
LaRian Finney:It's a good point. And, sort of that that elevation, that
Rob Lee:that opportunity of having, like, you know, you have folks that are dressed up super nice. You have, like, sort of arts and culture, all of those things coming together, and it's this thing where you feel like you fit. You know, that's really important. And and as a person that's trying to carve my own lane more often than not, when it's like, hey. You're invited to do this thing or that thing.
Rob Lee:I'm like, I'm underdressed. I'm overdressed. I I don't fit. But what it sounds like is this experience, and I keep hearing an experience. You talked about the different senses, the smells, the sights, the tastes.
Rob Lee:You know, it feels like it's this this notion that you belong, you you fit, you know, all the isms and the schisms, you you fit there. So in bringing all of the different sectors of the community together under sort of, like, we're off of Baltimore. You know, talk about sort of that and any key takeaways you want from folks that are going to the event on 14th.
Derrick Chase:Well, I I'll say, I I like to play chess and I'm becoming better every day. Right? And on the chessboard, every piece moves differently, right, and has a different value. Alright? But you can make somebody with a pawn.
Derrick Chase:So the pawn is, the most insignificant piece on the board, and it's also the most significant piece on the board. Because the pawn could advance the pawn advances to the other side without being taken by its opponent, then the pawn gets to decide what piece it wants to be. Alright? Yeah. It gets that.
Derrick Chase:And we are playing a game of chess in Baltimore. Right? And, historically, we have been pawned in the game of chess that is being played, in particular with black people and people who are considered impoverished. We've been merely pawned. Right?
Derrick Chase:And what we understand by understanding the game of chess is if we make the right moves, if we make the right moves, then we get the opportunity to advance those pieces across the board, and that's where they get to decide who they are. Alright? And it's our partners. Alright? Our partners in particular at the Baltimore Peninsula.
Derrick Chase:It's our partners at the Baltimore Sun. It's our partners at the Baltimore Afro. It's our partners at WBAL who also understand the great opportunity that we have. Now, it's one thing to make it across the board. It's another thing to be accelerated and let people know.
Derrick Chase:And that's where guys like you, Rob, alright, who are in places where the Baltimore sun, and these other media, outlets are. You get the opportunity to tell our story and tell us and tell the world about the great experiences that are happening in Baltimore. Both of us are products of Baltimore City Public Schools. Right? We've had the foundational experiences in terms of cultivating our from an academic standpoint that gives us the power to prep and create a community who now can decide how the world sees them.
Derrick Chase:And that is the Met Gala. Alright? Because people would have thought before us that you can't do the Met Gal. Who are you to do the Met Gal? And the question that we have for them is, who are you to tell us that we can't?
Rob Lee:I love that. I love that. It's it's like having the gall and the temerity. I was like, yeah. You know, I'm gonna do this.
Rob Lee:I could I could do this. You know? You know, I can do it. Yeah. Absolutely.
Derrick Chase:Jay Jay z said, I'm trying to get on the screen. He said, far from a Harvard student. Just had the balls to do it. Yeah. And that's kinda where we are.
Rob Lee:I dig that. I dig that. Any final thoughts, Leron, before we move into a few rapid fire questions if you guys have a few moments?
LaRian Finney:No. I just you know, I have one thought. Sure. And, we are really product of expectations. Right?
LaRian Finney:And I live by that. So we walk out each of our doors each day, and we can say we're gonna go left, we're gonna go right, we're gonna go high. And it is our decision. And then who do you surround yourself with to make sure you can execute at a very high level? That is really the spirit that I walk in.
LaRian Finney:And when folks come to the Met Gala and other activations, we want them to walk through the door and have a sense of pride that we're considering every detail and every touch point to make sure we reach and exceed their expectations so that we exceed our expectations for ourselves every day.
Rob Lee:Thank you. It's great. It's wonderful. It's I mean, it's it's good to get the connective tissue and the story around it, and here's to, September 14th.
LaRian Finney:Yes. Yes.
Rob Lee:So there's a couple of things I wanna do in these final moments. I wanna do, these rapid fire questions. And the way that rapid fire works, they're fun questions. They're more into who the person is a little bit and but, you know, the key is you don't wanna overthink the questions. So so here's the first one.
Rob Lee:When you think of Baltimore culture, right, since this is uniting, Baltimore arts culture, you know, philanthropy, fashion, food, all of it, what is the one word that comes to mind?
LaRian Finney:Potential.
Rob Lee:Chase?
Derrick Chase:I'm trying not to overthink it. Execution.
Rob Lee:Okay. And here's here's the next one. So, you know, we don't we don't go to it's like I said when I said. You know what I mean? The next one is, what would be your top consideration when building out a great event?
Rob Lee:Like, I see, you know, Afro Freak, obviously, Jazzy Summer Nights, and Baltimore Met Gala. So there's this the the reputation of building out these events, these opportunities for folks to connect. What is that top consideration when building out a great event?
LaRian Finney:It starts with the team, Rob. We we have to assemble, team members who are equally yoked, who are equally committed, and who are equally accountable for what the output is on their side of the table. So before we can begin building, the pretty stuff, you have to have solid foundation, you have to have solid architecture, and that all comes with building a great team, to execute that. Yeah.
Derrick Chase:And and I would say vision. You know, there there's a, parable in the bible, I believe, that says, without vision, the people perish. Right? So there has to be an individual or group of individuals who, see a possibility that most most people don't think could exist. Right?
Derrick Chase:And that's where we plan our flag. There was no individuals, Black in particular, flocking to Preakness before 147. All right? Blacks were considered at freakness, people who sold waters, peanuts, and parked cars. All right?
Derrick Chase:And you had a few people who would attend because they themselves felt like they belong. Yeah. But what we say is that's not how we see ourselves. We have a vision for ourselves, alright, that has nothing to do with those three small places, but very critical places, not taken from those things. Right?
Derrick Chase:Yeah. But we don't see ourselves as a group of people who are reduced to just that responsibility. No. We can not only be there, but we can be there in black excellence.
Rob Lee:Love it. Love it. It's how you see yourself. It's a vision. Here's the last one.
Rob Lee:And this this this is a callback, actually, because, you know, words matter. Right? So I gotta ask, what is the most powerful word?
LaRian Finney:It's it's not one word. It's no excuses for me.
Derrick Chase:And me, it's intentionality.
Rob Lee:Okay. We'll we'll we'll turn yours into a hashtag, Laurent.
Derrick Chase:Yeah. No. It it it as long
LaRian Finney:as I tell you before we I mean, it's just to tell you, man. Like, I can't you can't come to me telling me you're busy. You can't come to me tell me that, you know, you couldn't get it done. If you're signing up to be on this team, and we will put forth the same effort we ask our team members to prove, there are no excuses. We just make sure we get it done.
Rob Lee:Love it. It's it's the same way that I abide about things. You make it work. You know, it's sometimes it's early hours, sometimes it's multiple interviews, and in 5 years being able to do about 800 interviews, having a day job and other requirements, you know, it's a it's a effort to make it work. I look at it as a journalistic bent.
Rob Lee:I'm trying to get that story, and I'm trying to do the real version of it, not the, the fake version.
Derrick Chase:And and Rob Rob, what I would like to add on the intentionality
Rob Lee:Please.
Derrick Chase:Is, you know, my father always would tell me, if you had to say something to somebody and you're serious, tell them in their ear. Alright? Yeah. You get that close so you can whisper it to them so they know that you're serious So that they know that this is being directed to them. They can't mistakenly because you're yelling into a crowd.
Derrick Chase:Yeah. No. I'm talking to you. Alright? And the other part of intentionality, alright, is consequence.
Derrick Chase:Right? Well, everything that is intentional, there's a consequence. Right? Someone has always been driving the cart of black affairs, making decisions for black people. Yeah.
Derrick Chase:Alright? And many black people have become comfortable, alright, with the intentionality of other people to drive their affairs. Myself and LaRonde say, no. We are intentional. You will know us and see us and abide a relationship based upon the terms that we set or else.
Derrick Chase:Yeah. See, it's a consequence. And a lot of times people aren't prepared to not only deal with the consequences, but they're not willing to confront and and apply the consequences to other people. Right? No.
Derrick Chase:No. No. No. No. We're coming.
Derrick Chase:We're marching forward with confidence, with the creator behind us, and there are consequences. You have decided that you want to be a hindrance in what we are trying to create. Alright? Yeah. We believe in ourselves that much.
Derrick Chase:And I think that as we began to chart a future in this country. Alright? Because from the Met Gala, alright, we have we we we've sparked within the Met Gala a new industry. Alright? That we are less than 1% in.
Derrick Chase:We buy fashion, we don't create it.
Rob Lee:Right.
Derrick Chase:That is what we are shooting at. No. You have been very comfortable driving our affairs in fashion. Yeah. No longer.
Derrick Chase:Here is us presenting us to the world.
Rob Lee:Stope. Thank you. That's that's a that's a really good point to to close out on, you know, the sort of intentionality that's that's there, and when you see things that don't quite fit or representative of the people that that it's supposed to be geared to, it's it's a disconnect there, and it seems from what you just mentioned that the attempt is to try to rectify that and their consequences when that's not quite there. So I I love that. I love that point.
Rob Lee:So there's 2 things I wanna do as we close out here. 2, well, 1, I I wanna thank you both for coming on and spending some time with me. This has been surely a treat, and definitely, again, it connects those those dots for me and for the listeners. And 2, I wanna give you both the opportunity to, share, you know, in the sort of, like, final pitch website, social media, all of those things, those dates so folks are aware. It'll be in the show notes, but I at least wanna have give you guys opportunity to to shamelessly plug, as I like to say.
LaRian Finney:Yeah. I appreciate that. And, 1, thank you for allowing us to be on your platform. We're big fans. And, again, it just shows, the ability of of Richard just to make sure we got connected.
LaRian Finney:They can go right to the baltimoremcgalya.com, to get tickets. We're very fortunate that all of our VIP sections have been sold out. They're always the first thing to go, but we have great seats. And the the the space just affords a great experience no matter where you are in the building. So baltimoremetgalot.com, to
Derrick Chase:purchase tickets, and then social media is at baltimoremetgalot. You like don't don't allow this conversation just to be something that inspires you, to listen. We wanna inspire you to buy a ticket. Yeah. Right?
Derrick Chase:Yeah. Now because, you know, so so many times you hear people say, if if if doc if I was there with doctor King, how would it march? Alright? But we're marching towards, economic freedom and and and creativity, alright, in this time. And the way that you support that, if you would support doctor King, is you attend and you clap and you support these designers.
Derrick Chase:You go to these restaurants, you buy this art. Alright? Support some of the efforts of myself and Finny. Like, that is the new the new revolution. Alright?
Derrick Chase:Is us embracing the the the the the the generosity, alright, and the beauty of us.
Rob Lee:And there you have it, folks. For La'Ron Finney and Derrick Chase from the Baltimore Met Gala, I'm Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, and community in and around your neck of the woods. You've just gotta look for it.
