ADWEEK RECOGNIZES JAYDE I. POWELL IN CREATIVE 100 2023

critics, thank you for making ✨me✨ your choice.

okay, no—i was not nominated for a critic’s choice award (check back in 2024), but it sure as hell feels like it. i am very proud to have been included in this year’s adweek creative 100 as a media innovator. what does that mean?

“adweek creative 100 is an annual celebration of today's most fascinating innovators, agency leaders, influencers, marketers, and other creative game-changers. as the media sector bends under pressure, with many known outlets shuttering or cutting back in the past year, these innovators are forging new pathways to elevate diverse voices and conversations. from podcasts to newsletters to social channels, their avenues lead to a reimagined future for the industry.”

get into the adweek interview.

on founding a startup: this month, powell launched the em dash co, a one-woman-led content and creative development agency. before this, she was predominantly a social media strategist working for both agencies and brands including delta air lines.

pushing creative boundaries: “everyone is a creative in their own way. i am personally making it my mission to challenge the idea of what that looks like. while i can build a game plan and determine a vision for a brand’s social media based on data and analytics, i can also show what that will look like visually and write the story for how it will make people feel,” powell said.

infusing her culture: powell grew up in a jamaican family in the atlanta suburbs, but spent most of her formative years immersed in city culture and creativity. regular activities included watching the street art in the west end, enjoying lemon pepper wings with lemonade, or visiting the caribbean bakery on memorial drive. “Black culture, no matter which part of the diaspora, is infused into my being, and therefore shows up in my work,” she said. “throughout my career, i’ve worked in predominantly white organizations, and i was often the only Black person or person of color on my teams. infusing my culture into my work in some way, shape or form allowed me to feel seen in those spaces.”