Today we’d like to introduce you to David Alvarez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us David. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
For the most part of my childhood, I grew up in the border towns of the Rio Grande Valley. Specifically Palmview and La Joya, Texas. My parents were born in Mexico and I was born in America, making me a first-generation Mexican American and I’m proud of it. I grew up being influenced by pop culture from both sides of the border, playing sports with neighborhood friends from el barrio and our school district program (La Joya).
Web mastering and 3d animation I discovered in high school, which led to my decision to attend The Art Institute of Houston. From 2003 to 2007, I was in the Multimedia Design program later changed to Interactive Media Design and Web Design. I learned about graphic design, web design, interactive design as well as video production, editing, and sound engineering, eventually earning an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree. I’ve worked various jobs since I was 13 years old to today from a labor position to leadership positions. I have a good understanding of identifying efficiency and communication gaps within internal/external processes that affect visual, social, technological, and business systems. The year of my graduation in Dec 2007, I found out I would be a father and as much joy that brought me (I’ve always wanted a family) it was a scary thought, still is.
April 2008 was the start of my multimedia design career. I was hired by the City of Mcallen’s Public Information Office as a Video Graphic Designer. With a team about nine, we developed a brand for the Transit Dept (Metro McAllen), helped re-design and restructure the city website, and launched a visitor/tourist website. We put on a live newscast for our local community… channel 12, collaborated with a lot of identities like politicians, businesses, citizens to put on events for the city, for example, the New Year celebration and State of the City address given by the Mayor.
If we ever bump into each other, I’ll share more about my past and experience but today I’m a husband and a father of three daughters. My number one priority is to provide for them. Luckily I do it by working on design projects that impact and change systems in communication, community, and business. Currently, I’m employed at Insperity as a Sr. Visual Designer. Under the identity of DAMMD Brand, I consult creatives, designers, organizations, and serve non-profit organizations. I’m a big advocate for solving issues with the design and creative thinking process, which is why I volunteer a lot of my time to AIGA Houston, a non-profit organization made up of designers and creatives that contribute to social and community causes.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Four years into running a design group with my wife we found ourselves in a very difficult situation. It was hard to come back from that endeavor. One night during a diner with my wife and daughter, I realized that it was our last meal we had no money we had already lost power to our home because we had not paid our bill. I had no clue where food for the next day was coming from. That night I made the choice that no matter what job came my way or was willing to take me, I was not going to turn it down.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the DAMMD Brand story. Tell us more about your work.
More of a platform to share insights and strategies to impact visual, social, and technology systems using Design Thinking and the Creative Process. To voice the ideas that have supporting data to make a change in social behavior and community programs. Lastly, to support encouraging, perseverance and progress related lifestyles.
DAMMD Brand is the identity I use to be an outside perspective source and motivator for creatives, designers, and non-profit organizations. My services are available to businesses but at this point in my career and life, I want to contribute to society and community. Graphic design, web design, branding, UX/UI, motion graphics are a few things I have experience in as well as project management, data collection, digital marketing, and business development.
I work full time for Insperity as a Sr. Visual Designer, so anything I do with DAMMD Brand is after hours, weekends, or during the time that Insperity approves (Insperity values community service). My focus at Insperity is the corporate website www.insperity.com which I’ve worked closely with our in-house team to increase engagement and conversion by improving our content strategy and user experience, staying within the corporate brand, and utilizing digital marketing techniques.
I’m known as a problem solver, a person who inspires and motivates someone who leads by doing and who is easy to work with. Also, as calm and collected as I am, I’ve been told that I can be intense… for me, at the end of the day, what is best for humanity (without harming others) should be the direction that is taken, period.
Currently, I’m an active member and was voted onto the board of AIGA Houston (The professional organization for design). I’m pretty proud of the work, collaboration, and relationships that I’ve been able to build while participating in this non-profit organization. As a chapter, we hope to build community, develop skills, and advocate for design.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
The path I’ve had has been the result of the decisions I’ve made in my life, trusting God with guidance and support. Striving to evolve and to do better than yesterday self, to aim for perfection but knowing that it will not be reached… that’s ok, and knowing when to take those leaps of faith to grow as a person and a professional which fills you with encouragement to make bold moves to impact those around you. My hope is that we can come together collectively as one race… human race and focus on issues that affect human needs e.g. equality, health, and environment to begin with. Human essentials.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dammdbrand.com
- Email: david@dammdbrand.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dammdbrand/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dammdbrand/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dammdbrand
- Other: https://twitter.com/alvaareeezzz
Image Credit:
Rebekah
Freelance Creative services by @akayourfavmom
Photo + Video + Design
https://www.instagram.com/akayourfavmom.work/
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