Check Out Jordan Tuss’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Tuss.

Hi Jordan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m currently the Director of the Welcome Project in Cincinnati, Ohio. We work everyday with immigrant populations in Cincinnati to socially engage people through exhibitions, art programs, community education, and tackling food insecurity in our neighborhood. My background is quilted together thru the food service industry, corporate grocery, and art/event production. The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened by understanding that everything is fleeting. Lead with kindness and go with the flow.

My path to Director of an arts non-profit is unorthodox and I’d have it no other way. I moved to Cincinnati from Dayton, Ohio in 2009 to study Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business. My second year at college, I built my own co-op with a local restaurant group – they taught me the financials it takes to keep a food business running. Up until this co-op, I had big dreams of owning a restaurant. I quickly realized local food and small business is a passion but owning a restaurant is not for me. I worked from 18 to 23 years of age full time as a chef in various restaurants in the city. This was the foundation I needed to form the professional skills of patience, networking, teamwork, and deep kindness.

My next journey was finding stability, and taking a break from working nights in a kitchen. I was hired as a Fresh Produce and Floral Analyst at Kroger Corporate. This job broadened my understanding of the global food economy and allowed me to understand the American supply chain for fresh products. I spent my days in a cubicle farm running international produce reports, analyzing company standards; and in airports traveling to farms and warehouses across the country. My job in corporate American left me feeling burnt out and wanting to have more of an impact. I’m a hyper local person and this job provided the knowledge I needed to step back, travel and get back to my love of small business.

After taking a year off I returned to Cincinnati. I was hungry for community and wanted to build something I was proud of, but needed income first. I returned briefly to restaurants while I began the hard work of building a freelance client base. Food connects people and keeps me grounded. The first year back in Cincinnati developed my ability as a Director and Producer to multitask. In 2017, I successfully landed my first two clients and went part-time at the restaurant.

This period of growth was all before the age of thirty, it gave me grit. I am so proud to have accomplished successfully working for myself before the Covid-19 pandemic. On March 14th, 2020, I slowly received four phone calls from clients putting contracts on hold. This began the most recent journey through unemployment and once again, problem-solving how to reinvent my career path. I’m a doer, so during the year of 2020, I did the following: Traveled by car across the country to visit friends. Started an online concert series, Thrive Stream. Dedicated time to a youth dance non-profit, Q-kidz. Marched in protests and attended town halls for Black Lives Matter, Focused on production work for Black and POC owned organizations. And, started the free fridge program, Fridge Etc.

2020 was a huge year of growth for me and the beginning of a new chapter. I am humbled to deepen my understanding of Cincinnati, and keep making an impact locally in Camp Washington at the Welcome Project.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My largest obstacle everyday:

I’m part of the LGBTQIA community and identify as a butch lesbian. Often the world looks at me as unfamiliar. and foreign. I have to walk with confidence and constantly prove my worth in each room I occupy. I’ve experienced homophobia and micro aggression from my peers at every job I’ve ever had.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m professionally rooted in social entrepreneurship and an avid lover of community engagement and art focused ventures. Most recently I’ve been connecting, assisting and inspiring people through art and food at the Welcome Project. In my downtime, I can usually be found lounging by the pool, cooking, or playing outdoors with my dog.

I’m constantly craving new knowledge. I avidly practice mindful ways to stay open and push my personal boundaries.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I’m a firm believer that there is no reward without calculated risk. For me, staying open and embracing moments when you feel uncomfortable are key to personal and professional growth. I’m absolutely walking down a road less travel. My background is quilted together thru the food service industry, corporate grocery, and art/event production. The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened by understanding that everything is fleeting. Lead with kindness and go with the flow.

Risk #1: I opened a restaurant as the general manager and it failed. This eye opening experience led me to start a production career and work for myself. I love creating an experience for people to enjoy. For the past five years, I’ve working as a freelance producer working with warehouses, musicians, photography companies, art nonprofits and more!

Risk #2: During the height of lockdown, I gathered a group of producers all laid off by the pandemic (myself included). We wanted to create an online music festival. This all-ages event was called ‘Thrive Stream’. We tapped into our local nonprofit communities, raising awareness of their efforts, and provided a creative outlet for those near and dear performers in the Cincinnati community. Our first ‘Thrive Stream’ in May 2020 had over 13,000 viewers tune in. This event provided excellent local media coverage, and led me to help with other community production projects during the Black Lives Matter protests. We produced 2 more Thrive Stream events before the world shifted gears.

Risk #3: ‘Thrive Stream’ led to meeting Toncia Chavez at Etc. Produce and Provisions in the historic Findlay Market. I was needing income and went to work for her packing groceries. They employed nine freelance workers and artists during the pandemic and provided us with local fresh food to eat. It saved my life as I was waiting months to received unemployment. I have over a decade of experience working in the service and grocery industry, it was good to be in a safe environment and back involved with my first love, local food. The gig at Etc. Produce and Provisions led to the discovery of free fridges being installed all over NYC. I asked Toncia to partner with me in the efforts to get a network of free fridges running in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was thrilled at the idea of fresh food access and we began creating our framework for the free fridge project, Fridge Etc., in Cincinnati. One year later the fridge reaches hundreds of people each week and is a place for community building in the Camp Washington neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. We are currently problem solving how to keep the fridge full (it turns over 2-3 times per day) and expand our offerings to other neighborhoods too!

Risk #4: Post lock down, leaving the freelance world. The world is once again shifting and so am I. I am dreaming bigger than ever heading into 2022. I found employment thanks to the effort of the free fridge, Fridge Etc., at Wave Pool Gallery. All the programming from ‘Thrive Stream’ and the Fridge Etc. illuminated the next professional chapter in my life, the Director of the Welcome Project (a project of Wave Pool). I’m delighted that this new role as of August 2021, will deepen my understanding of Cincinnati, while focusing on cultural awareness, food insecurity and gallery installations. The Welcome Projects mission is to empowers Cincinnati’s refugee and immigrant population while connecting, assisting, and inspiring all through art and food.

Contact Info:

• Email: jordan@wavepoolgallery.org
• Website: https://www.wavepoolgallery.org/welcome-project
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welcomeprojectcincinnati/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/welcomecincinnati
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/jordan_tuss/?hl=en