Brandon J. McKinley (he/him)
I picked up my first point-and-shoot camera when I was around 12 years old. Something about capturing photos fascinated me, and my brothers and dogs were great models. Around the same time, I joined middle school band, and it pretty much defined the next 10+ years of my life.
Being behind the lens of a camera to capture authentic moments and stories excites me. Tackling the Adobe Creative Cloud software is a never-ending challenge that I enjoy because it pushes my creative and problem-solving skills (with a few vulgar words from time to time). I have a love-hate relationship with writing. I’m often told I’m good at it, but opening a blank page sounds exciting until you actually do it. As a communicator, I try to build strategies that create tangible change in making our lives and communities happier, healthier, and safer.
I’m also a musician and educator. My favorite instrument is probably the vibraphone (just don’t tell the marimba). I’ve never been under the impression that I’m a talented musician—I just learned how to practice well. After spending time in college and competitive marching programs, I took a few years to teach high school percussionists. I’m an avid marching band and drumline fan (no, I haven’t seen the movie) and love sharing that passion with students. Now, I enjoy being back behind the instruments in a relaxed environment as part of a queer community band in Denver.
In my free time, I work hard on motivating myself to be active. When I’m not listening to Beyoncé or All Time Low, I might be tuning into podcasts. My current favorites are City Cast Denver for uncovering Denver’s drama and stories and The Moth for empowering people to tell their own.
Things that really grind my gears include raising awareness and people honking at me when I’m riding my bike.
