“When people had to be accountable for their guests, they were really intentional about who they invited,” Imani says. The founding team didn’t worry about losing the integrity of their original group because each new member was personally invited by an existing one. In the beginning, the CCNYC’s growing membership was completely organic and driven by other members. “It started as kind of a social secret society,” Imani says, “the core founding members were all digging into their databases for people they could vouch for.” Then 10 people turned into 20 people, 20 turned into 40, 40 turned into 60 and soon they needed a bigger venue. So they decided to bring one new person each. When she brought her friends together in her living room-to contribute their unique skills, collaborate on projects and learn from each other-they immediately realized they were onto something special. She was looking for a community of young and inspiring creatives to join and hadn’t realized one was right under her nose. The CCNYC started as a gathering of friends in Imani’s one-bedroom apartment in Harlem. In the current climate, community means business. Many of these have secured millions of dollars in funding. There are currently over three thousand startups listed in Crunchbase’s “community” category. But beyond the warm and fuzzies of connection, ambitious millennials have found ways to leverage this generational shift. This access has provided opportunities to find like-minded people to share ideas and build bonds both online and offline. According to the American Press Institute, one in five millennials say they now connect with a broader range of people because of social media. Smartphones and social media allow us to interact with friends and strangers on a 24-hour basis. It is no secret that millennials are a hyper-connected generation. They are joined by fellows Desiree Talley and Andrayah Del Rosario and Tequilla White, who spearheads volunteer involvement. Michael Oloyede, Tannis Spencer, Jenae Green and Chiana Johnson. The Creative Collective NYC is run by a collective: Imani Ellis, Lilly Workneh, Nabeela Ahmad.
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