On The Road: Super is The Newest Mobile Co-working Space For Black & Brown Creatives

There seems to be a lack of diversity when it comes to co-working spaces and  it’s representation of black and brown people. Only 0.25 percent of co-working spaces are black owned. Over the past decade 22,000 co-working spaces were opened worldwide, only 100 of those were Black-owned with an even smaller percentage of them dedicated to media and arts.

Super Media Company’s Founder and CEO, Crystal Hines is looking to shift that narrative with Super, a traveling outdoor workspace offering a scheduling app that allows creative individuals to work, shoot, and record in an open space. The New Jersey Native now living out her dreams in Los Angeles, has plans on a launch in the Summer of 2021. Hines is creating a safe haven for black and brown creatives who are looking to build in a space filled with people like themselves.

Thru crowdfunding Super plans to rise a total of $35,000 to fund and launch the Super Pop-Up, which is a shipping container style workspace set to be equipped with a soundproof podcasting station, a studio for photo/video shooting, and seating areas with outlets and Wi-Fi.  

Hines vision is to offer a physical workspace for black and brown creatives included but not limited to artists, photographers, writers and musicians who are looking to advance and develop their brands. Super caters to those who are looking for an affordable and accessible place to fellowship, focus, and craft their best work.

Here’s what Hines had to say about Super:

1.How did the idea of Super come about? What was your ultimate goal and vision for the co-working space?

Super is a product of my first business, AMMO Magazine, that I founded 13 years ago.  While shooting all over NY and LA I noticed that a lot of access to studio spaces and even just co-working spaces were overpriced and filled with people that don’t look like me.  And even further, lacking creative workspaces.  I always wanted to have sort of “creative factory” but with more of a focus on the community.

Ultimately, once a larger space is built, Super will be a creative hub for Black and Brown multidisciplinary artists; including musicians.  I want to give our people a place other than their homes to create their work.

2.Where did the name come from? Does it have any particular significance?

I am a big fan of vision boards and part of my theory about them is that when you make one there’s no need to make another until your vision has come to fruition. When I moved to LA 4 years ago I had some what of a mental block.  I didn’t know what my purpose was anymore but I knew that the vision board I made earlier that year was the direction.  The following year while visiting my mom back in Newark I revisited that vision board and realized that everything I had placed on there and sort of forgotten about had come true.  I mean… the power that has.  So I made another one in 2018 and slowly began to live my life faithfully.  Knowing that my manifestation power was so strong that my paths would align.  Well I hit another wall again, I knew it was time to launch the community space but struggled because imposter syndrome AND intrusive/comparative thoughts.  I looked to my vision board that was directly in front of my bed and above my name I had placed the word, “SUPER,” in all caps.  It slapped me in the face, truly.  And that was that.  I had a mission.

3. You launched a crowdfunding campaign looking to raise $35,000 to officially launch Super, to-date how is that coming along and what are your future projections?

Yes! Our crowdfunding campaign is to kick off the first initiative for Super which will be a touring pop-up style container that will have a photo and video studio, a podcasting booth, and co-working desks for Black and Brown creatives.  So far we’re off to a bit of a slow start, having raised just over $1,000 in 3 weeks.  But I’m so confident in my network that we’ll hit that goal. 

4. Can you give us a few background details about yourself and your personal mission?

I was born and raised in New Jersey and spent most of my teenage and early adult life in Newark, NJ.  Believe it or not Newark is an artists city.  My life was nothing without the arts and access to programs and education (I was an Art Major at Arts High School, the first public high school for the arts in the country) surrounding art.  Although I studied Fashion in college and worked in Fashion half of my career, I was still drawn my roots.  In 2010 I changed course and brought my passion to the forefront of my career and AMMO Magazine’s base.  That’s when it all changed for me.  I saw so many creatives spend their last dime on expensive studio spaces for shoots and had many friends who tried to fit their “artist’s studio” in their bedroom which is fine if that’s where you prefer to create but not fine if you have no other choice.  So my mission was clear, to build a space for my people to be able to create free of financial pressure, micro-aggressions, and around other people that look like us.

5.Have you had any sponsors, local supporters, brands, or companies looking to collaborate with Super?

I’ve had some attention from some gallery owners and event production friends along the way and I am so thankful to them for their help.  We’re just getting started though so I anticipate more as the weeks continue.

6. What are your long term plans for Super? What do you expect it to manifest into?

Long-term I would like Super to be a pillar in the community for keeping our youth engaged in the arts.  We have so many ways to be creative digitally now that when I was young and I want kids to be able to experience, shape, and grow their creative side as they are the future of our culture.  We plan to include partnerships with local schools on programming and classes as well as resources for every creative that walks through the door.  Editing, Sound Engineering, Legal services, etc.  There are needs that artists have that are unique and should be nurtured.

Support Super by donating at:

https://ifundwomen.com/projects/join-us-super

Follow Super’s Journey here