Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Coke.
Danielle, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I went to Georgia State and got my B.B.A. with a concentration in Hospitality because I was so certain that I was supposed to be an event planner. I got a job at an events agency in a graphic design and marketing capacity, and I realized quickly realized that I wanted to explore that further. I quit my job last year and set out to build my own social media agency, which launched in January of this year and had an amazing first quarter!
While doing all of this, I picked up illustration as a hobby. I played around with my iPad and created a few pieces, and started to use it as a medium to talk about hard things. Eventually, this turned into me focusing on using art as a form of activism – aka, the “Oh Happy Dani” Instagram page, and dedicating myself to illustrating complex concepts to make tough topics more easily digestible!
Fast-forwarding to today, I now have 400,000 + new Instagram friends who joined me on a journey to seek justice where we are, and my illustrations have now become a huge focus for me as I work to help people love their neighbors as themselves.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being suddenly thrust into the public eye is no easy feat! I’ve had my share of hateful comments and backlash, but the support has been extremely overwhelming, and witnessing the heart-change that many people are experiencing has been so rewarding.
Oh Happy Dani – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As my little corner of the internet grows, we’ve branched into creating art prints and digital content that inspires and equips others to fight for what’s right in the world we’re living in. Whether that’s racial reconciliation, optimism, or faith, we’re working hard to help others see that making a difference isn’t as hard as it may seem.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I’m a huge Disney fan, and I have vivid memories of seeing Disney on Ice as a kid. It was always so magical for me, and I approach every day as an adult with a certain sense of awe and wonder that I definitely owe to my childhood.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ohhappydani
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ohhappydani
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/ohhappydani
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