YOU CAN MAKE IT FROM ANYWHERE
Joe Young, President/CEO
with Robenia McKinley, Senior Producer/Writer
Joe Young Entertainment
Join the event via YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/live/fjMkugan74Y Or in person, Bishop Room 136
a Marks Family Career Development Series event
About the Topic
In this dynamic and inspiring online presentation, award-winning creator, cartoonist, filmmaker, and producer Joe Young shares the blueprint behind building a successful creative career from the ground up—no matter where you start. Drawing from over 35 years of experience across comics, television, film, youth media, and cultural storytelling, Joe breaks down the real strategies artists need to thrive in today’s entertainment landscape.
Attendees will learn practical tools for transforming their creative passions into viable careers, including how to position their work, how to reach wide audiences with limited resources, and how to authentically protect and package their intellectual property. Joe also reveals industry lessons, mindset shifts, and the essential habits that have guided his own journey from local creator to nationally recognized producer.
Whether you’re an illustrator, animator, filmmaker, storyteller, or digital artist, this session offers a candid and motivational roadmap to help you believe—and prove—that YOU CAN MAKE IT FROM ANYWHERE (YCMIFA)
About Joe Young
An award-winning creator, cartoonist, filmmaker, and producer, Joe Young’s work spans comics, television, youth media, and community engagement. He is the President of Joe Young Entertainment, President & CEO of Hartford’s Got Talent, and Executive Director of CAN DO, Inc., a nonprofit empowering young people through media arts and entrepreneurship.
Joe is the creator of Kemet the Time Traveler, a nationally growing educational franchise featured across TV specials, syndicated activity sheets, and a new PSA filmed at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. His projects have been showcased on major TV affiliates nationwide and recognized with honors including a Platinum AVA Digital Award.
With over two decades in the entertainment industry, Joe is committed to helping emerging artists find their voice, build sustainable creative careers, and bring impactful stories to life.
About Robenia McKinley
A published author and Senior Producer at Joe Young Entertainment, Robenia McKinley contributes to writing and producing youth-focused storytelling and multimedia projects that inspire and educate. As a writer, Robenia has published two children’s books: Sir Frederick: Squirrel of Canterbury and The Weaverbirds. Sir Frederick is a heart-warming story enjoyed in homes, schools, and libraries, while The Weaverbirds is a vibrant graphic novel with an animated script that showcases her diverse storytelling abilities and imaginative voice. Both works are available on multiple platforms and reflect her commitment to engaging young readers. Before joining Joe Young Entertainment, Robenia dedicated over 20 years to education, serving as an elementary school teacher, a private school principal, and the owner/operator of her own preschool. Her extensive background in classroom instruction, curriculum development, and leadership has been invaluable in her current work creating meaningful educational content. In addition to her work in publishing and production, Robenia has written for various local, regional and national media outlets and is passionate about helping others develop their creative gifts. Looking ahead, she plans to bring The Weaverbirds to life through animation and is currently working on motivational presentations centered on her theme “Live, Love, and Leap,” encouraging individuals to embrace purpose and possibility in the second chapters of their lives.
This event is part of the Marks Family Career Development Series
and brought to you by UConn’s Department of Digital Media & Design
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