Our Mission
The DISTRKCT IS Foundation inspires youth to create, innovate, and thrive through art, music, education, and workforce development, regardless of zip code or socio-economic status.
The Vision
DistrKCt’s vision is to create a start-to-finish professional development pipeline for Kansas City’s underserved youth. This model unfolds in two stages:
-
Providing world-class educational services in cross-industry multimedia production, resulting in professional certifications on industry-leading technology
-
Creating an innovative space and structure where program graduates can pursue and expand their economic opportunities with the market value assets they’ve gained.
Our History
2021
DISTRKCT IS Foundation was founded
74
Kids who have benefited from DISTRKCT IS Founation.
$176,120
Funds provided to students
.png)
.png)
Our Founder
Joseph 'Jo Blaq' Macklin
The DISTRKCT IS Foundation was founded by Kansas City native Joseph ‘Jo Blaq’ Macklin. Jo is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated music producer, songwriter, engineer, and vocal arranger. Macklin has worked with your favorite artists including:
Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Anita Baker, Justin Bieber, Cruz Beckham, Mario, Big Sean, B5, Chris Brown, 98 Degrees, Jasmine V, Next, Kendrick Lamar, B. Smyth, Evan Ross, Jordin Sparks, Shaunice, and others.
After 14 years working with top industry artists in Los Angeles, Macklin returned to his hometown in 2015 with a mission in mind: create pathways and a venue for Kansas City youth to gain first-hand knowledge, experience, and a well-rounded foundation in
various careers in the music production industry. A graduate of KCK’s Washington High School, Macklin seeks to make available industry-leading tools, techniques, and resources he and his peers did not have access to growing up here.
Since 2015, Macklin and DISTRKCT have partnered with the Full Employment Council and the University of Central Missouri to offer accredited training to under-served youth in Kansas City in the fields of digital media production and trades like audio engineering, performance, broadcasting, coding (C++), sound design and mixing, videography, music production, and more.
Artist who have worked with Jo
Our Inspiration
Illene K. Sims
The DistrKCt IS Foundation is named for Joe’s mother, Ilene K. Sims, who embodies the Foundation's underlying mission to give back and invest in our community and its children through compassion and educational empowerment.
Ilene worked throughout her life to provide for her family. She always aimed to teach her kids the value of hard work and the value of education.
From her experience as a social worker and librarian, Illene has seen firsthand the many challenges that children and families throughout the Kansas City community face. She has always worked tirelessly to help foster a safe, positive, and nurturing environment for those in need. The DistrKCt IS Foundation follows in her footsteps.
Our Team.
The Distrkct Is Foundation is filled with a diverse and highly skilled group of individuals giving us a true advantage to intimately understanding our kids on a personal level. Each instructor is highly skilled and professionally sought after in their field making it a unique, real world, hands on experience for our students.
