Acclaimed chef, author, and TV personality Kristen Kish is on a mission to help kids go on the journey of self-discovery, using the medium that was so essential to her own path: cooking.
Through Upwork CoLab, she’s partnered with an experienced writer, illustrator, and integrated marketer to create a unique, guided culinary journal for kids, featuring cooking experiments to encourage self-expression and self-reflection through the art (and play) of cooking.
Ever wondered how a team of independent creatives bring an impactful project to life?
Now’s your chance to find out.
Kristen introduces her mission-driven project and dives into building her dream team of independent talent. In this episode, she’s hunting for the perfect illustrator to bring her culinary journal to life. Find out who she chooses amongst the incredibly talented individuals and why, right here.
After selecting a talented independent illustrator in episode one, Kristen meets with acclaimed authors to find her perfect co-pilot for the writing of her culinary journal. Learn more about what makes these authors click and find out who she chooses right here.
Now that Kristen’s found her dream creative partners, she needs a talented integrated marketer to handle the promotional side of her project. Find out who she chooses to round out her dream team and why, right here.
With her dream team in place, it’s time to watch the project come to life: Mishi shares early character development, Lisa reveals the concept for the book cover, and Andrea maps a campaign plan that will make it all sizzle on Instagram and TikTok.
After rounds of inspired collaboration, the team is ready to share the final culinary journal with their nonprofit partner, Tarik Daniels, Executive Director and Founder of WhatsintheMirror?. Find out what’s possible when talented people come together around a shared passion and purpose.
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Throughout the interview process, Kristen leaned on one of her most essential tools: gut instinct. She gravitated towards the people she naturally connected with and who she could see forming a cohesive unit easily.
Her final selections were based on a few key criteria: an extremely high level of skill and acumen in their discipline, a personal connection with the project’s mission, and a sense of mission in their own lives.
A children’s-book author, mother, and licensed therapist, Dr. Thomishia (Mishi, as she’s affectionately called) has been featured on the Netflix original series Celebrating Black Voices, in Forbes Magazine, on the Today Show, and on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Her work focuses on helping Black children, especially boys, build the confidence they need to navigate the world and life successfully. Kristen especially gravitated to her keen sense of cadence, which uses rhythm and rhyme to make stories relatable and memorable for kids.
As an author and illustrator, Lisa infuses her quirky, playful illustrative style with intentional, symbolic imagery that seeks to provide representation for people of color. When she moved to Kenya 12 years ago, she was a practicing nurse but quickly developed an appreciation for art through her work with children. She returned to school to become an illustrator and has since created works for publications including Ladybug and Babybug. Lisa has been granted the bronze prize by the Japan Illustration Association, as well as the Adelaide Books Children’s Literature and Illustration Award.
Originally from Venezuela, Andrea has travelled and lived all over the globe. She’s a successful integrated marketer and social media influencer, with 111,000 organic Instagram followers. She’s helped brands such as Adobe, TikTok, and Instagram drive viral content using video-focused verticals and has driven 300 million monthly views for ByteDance. On a personal level, she relates deeply to struggles around identity and the innate desire to belong, as she’s learned to adapt to a vast array of people and cultures on her journey to America.
Check out recent projects, upcoming opportunities, and the purpose behind the program.
Learn MoreUpwork CoLab is a brand partnership program that pairs visionary brands with top independent talent to collaborate on high-value, innovative projects. Brands get the unparalleled opportunity to assemble an independent team of talented people who are passionate about their industry, mission, and the challenge at hand. Working with the best and brightest from the world’s work marketplace, brands tap into new ways of thinking, niche skill sets, and the kind of refreshing creativity needed to stay ahead in their industry — whether that’s through marketing, tech, or a range of other disciplines.
New partnership project opportunities are available on a quarterly basis. Stay up-to-date with Upwork CoLab here and on Upwork’s social media channels for the latest news.
Yes! As the world’s work marketplace, the Upwork community offers thousands of skills across 12 major categories. Brands can partner with Upwork CoLab to accomplish a wide range of projects.
If you represent a brand and are interested in learning more or have an idea for a project, we’d love to hear from you. Please email the team at colab@upwork.com.
Kristen Kish personally selected WhatsintheMirror? because its mission resonates and aligns so closely with hers.
WhatsintheMirror? is an Austin-based 501c3 organization that provides mental health awareness and suicide prevention to communities of color, with a focus on women, youth, and LGBTQIA+ persons. As someone who grew up in Austin and personally struggled with issues around identity and belonging, Kristen wants to give back to her community and support those going through situations similar to what she experienced.
