Award-winning rapper, actor and artist Common took centre stage at Vision Expo East in New York last weekend (March 22-24) in the first of Eye2eye’s series of talks.
Common, pictured, was joined by media personality and stylist, Lilliana Vasquez, shown far right, for a talk aimed at giving delegates inspiration on both storytelling and creativity. The rapper said being genuine was at the heart of telling a good story, as truth and honesty were the foundations of passion – a characteristic that people would always buy into. He also revealed that the timeless style of political activist Malcolm X was his personal eyewear inspiration.
The session ended with an interactive Q&A with questions posed directly from Vision Expo attendees. Common was asked about his most rewarding projects, the impact of social media on creativity and lessons learned throughout his career. Ashley Mills, CEO of the Vision Council thanked the audience for its participation in Vision Expo. ‘By being here today and through your support of the Vision Expo events, you enable us to spread the word about the importance of eyewear and eye care through nationwide campaigns like Think About Your Eyes and National Sunglasses Day,’ she said.
This year’s event also saw the launch of Tour NYC, a retail-education event that took in some New York’s best optical practices and retail destinations.