Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaleel Brown.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in the Bronx and raised in the South. I moved to North Carolina, Georgia and back to Carolina again. That movement gave me flexibility, but it also taught me to stay grounded in something deeper than a place. I was raised in the Nation of Islam, and the teachings instilled a strong foundation of discipline, self-respect, and purpose into me. And that was reflected throughout my household too.. My mother was the first teacher I ever learned from, the first poet I ever heard, and the first entrepreneur I ever saw make something out of nothing. Her strength and creativity shaped me way before I had words for what I wanted to become.
From a young age, I knew I had a gift for language and an ambition for excellence. I wrote poetry as a child, earned top academic honors, and eventually found my way to Howard University’s School of Business on a full academic scholarship. There I studied Marketing and gained more than just a degree. I found a new and much wider perspective on my culture, community and history. I joined the Alpha chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and became chapter president. I even got the honor of performing one of my original poems at graduation, which was a full-circle moment of creative and personal affirmation, reminding me that my voice, and my vision, had value.
After college, I launched JKA Digital, a creative agency built on the same foundations I was raised with: excellence, faith, and service. I started with logos and flyers and grew into full-scale brand development with websites, campaigns, and even dabbling in government contracting with the Department of Education. Over the past five years, I’ve served over 100 clients, helping them tell their stories with clarity. At the same time, I’ve remained deep in social justice work. I’ve protested and organized in cities like Baltimore, Ferguson, New York, and D.C., marching on Capitol Hill, and just standing for what I believe in. Today, I’m still designing, still building, but also teaching and serving as a department chair in Georgia. Everything I do is still connected by a thread: storytelling with purpose.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Definitely not. But that’s part of what makes it a story worth telling. There have been deep valleys on this path. One of the hardest moments of my life was losing my father the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at Howard. He passed just weeks before I had to return to school, and I had to carry that grief back with me. And at the same time I had to understand that to the rest of the world, life just kept moving even though mine had been changed forever. But before he passed, he gave me two messages I’ll never forget: keep your faith in Islam and build something for yourself so you don’t spend your life working for people who will take advantage of you. That advice didn’t just shape my business, it shaped my worldview.
I’ve also watched the people I love, especially my mother, carry burdens with incredible grace. She poured her heart into everything: raising us, teaching, running her own businesses. But unfortunately, she did it in a world that doesn’t always honor Black women’s labor. Watching her do so much with what she had made me want to work harder. It was a feeling that didn’t come out of shame but out of pride. I saw brilliance in motion every day, and it made me want to take what she planted and help it grow.
Starting a business from scratch wasn’t easy, of course. I didn’t come into this with capital or connections. I came in with conviction. I had to learn how to price my work, protect my time, and assert my value. I faced all the usual trials, late payments, overpromising clients, burnout and more. But I stayed committed because this work is about more than money for me. It’s about building something that serves not just me, but the people coming up behind me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the founder of JKA Digital, a full-service creative agency that specializes in design, branding, marketing strategy, and storytelling. I work with entrepreneurs, small businesses, and organizations to help them build brands that feel as strong as they look. Over the years, I’ve designed everything from logos and websites to clothing lines, packaging, and campaign strategies. My clients range across industries, e-commerce, wellness, cannabis, government, education, and every project is grounded in clarity and care.
What I’m most proud of isn’t just the work, but the way I work. I’ve served over 100 clients in five years, and most of them come back, not because I offer a service, but because I offer a partnership. I bring intention into every conversation. I listen deeply. I make sure that what we build reflects the vision, values, and voice of the people I’m working with. This isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about identity.
What sets me apart is that I’m not just a designer. I’m a poet, a teacher, a student of culture. I bring that multidimensionality into every room I walk into. I understand how to craft messages that resonate, and how to design systems that feel human. I’m rooted in purpose, and that comes through in everything I do, from my design choices to the way I show up for my clients.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people who know me through business don’t realize that poetry is my first love. I’ve been writing and performing since I was a kid. It started as a way to process my feelings and grew into something spiritual—an art form that gave me identity, rhythm, and perspective. My poetry has taken me to stages across cities, and one of the most unforgettable moments of my life was performing an original piece at my Howard University graduation in front of thousands. That moment wasn’t just a performance. It was a declaration.
Even now, I still perform poetry within Atlanta’s creative scene. And honestly, that poetic lens is behind everything I do. It’s what helps me understand timing and tone in design. It’s why my branding work feels like it has a heartbeat. It’s the energy I bring into the classroom when I teach history. People may see the designer or the educator, but at the core of everything—I’m still the poet. Still finding the right words. Still telling the story. Still creating meaning that lasts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.JKA-Digital.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaleelsdesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaleel.j.brown
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaleel-karriem/
- Twitter: https://x.com/JaleelKariem
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JaleelsDesign
Image Credits
Malik Muhammad Brown
