Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Lee.
Cameron, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Born and raised in Columbus, OH as an only child to a very creative mother and an athletic father – I was blessed to have the opportunity to express my passions for whatever came to mind. Sports were my first go at experiencing my passions – as a basketball and baseball-focused athlete (amongst other sports), I knew my true passions lied in expressing myself through art as a creative in some way shape, or form.
Dance was the secondary love to sports as a child but quickly began to consume my life in ways I knew I had to continue to express. Through dance and creating things for school or helping my mom design and put together parties, weddings, etc, I continued to seek more ways to be creative. By the second half of high school, I had dove head first into the being a part of a dance team that had the opportunity to compete on the world stage, the school choir/coral and began taking the photography and advanced photography courses that my high school had to offer.
My father is huge into film, and that was our thing, movies movies movies – so it was an easy decision for me to continue school to be some form of creative. After taking a 5-day course with an art institute in Los Angeles my senior year, I was pretty sure it was going to be them. I didn’t make it to L.A., however (we’ll get there a little later). Instead, I found myself in Pittsburgh at a film school there, however, after about a year, it just wasn’t the experience I was looking for, although I met some great artist and people along the way. So, I moved back to Columbus for a short period of time but knew my place was in Los Angeles – so I left and moved there with no real direction.
After an interesting few months however I was forced to return back to Columbus; before I did, I managed to sign myself up for film school in Hollywood. Which had me shortly back in L.A. with a real goal in mind this time; to be one of the next great cinematographers of all time. I succeeded through my time in film school and graduating with my degree, and continued working on a handful of students and indie films. I became a little burnt out, so I transitioned my focus to be more on photography as an analog-only photographer. About a year out of film school, I was working as a server and bartender and a very popular eatery in Hollywood California. There I was approached by a well-known artist, and style curator who invited me along to one of his local photo shoots to Model and to Shoot. Next thing you know for the next two years, I am fully immersed in the wardrobe/style curating industry working with major recording artists traveling the country curating clothing for their events for award shows for photo shoots, etc. This was an incredibly special time in my life as the artist that then became a mentor to me (who went by the name of DapperAfrika) truly showed me what the entertainment world was like and what it meant to be an artist in any medium. He was a special spirit who is no longer with us however he remains with me in spirit and every bit of work that I do. After life slow down a little bit, I decided to focus on where life was going to take me next in what I was going to find myself doing, so I jumped back into my photography and allow that to lead the way from there.
Fast forward a couple more years with projects happening here and there mostly in the space of creative direction- I was invited to a dinner for creatives where is I ended up meeting my now current significant other. She in herself being an illustrator, animator, painter, graphic designer Etc and myself being a director, creative director, filmmaker, fashion/style curator, designer, etc, it only made sense that we should start a professional business… so after moving to Ohio during the middle of Covid (she’s originally from Nebraska) we established a Design Firm by the name of Ora Krespuko Desegni, LLC. Where we offer a diverse palette of services for all your design and creative endeavors from social media design and curation to brand curation, logo and brand design, fashion sketching, industrial design sketching, photography, filmmaking, textiles, graphic design, product photography- the list goes on, and business as been amazing as we still have a lot to learn but so much creativity to give!
While that was going on, I found myself immersed into the firearms industry – as I grew up with a law enforcement father, he wasn’t that much of a “gun owner” other than what we had for protection. So, after purchasing a firearm for home protection, I was offered a job and the local range/gun store and decided why not, I love a challenge, and I love learning new things. After being there a few months, I began picking up on some things I didn’t like in the interactions with those who looked like me and those who didn’t. I also noticed the lack of individuals who looked like me coming in and signing up for education and shooting classes which was alarming and concerning to me. So, I did something about it and became an instructor at the range.
The creator and entrepreneur in me though still wasn’t satisfied, so after about four or five month of instructing with the local range I was – I decided to start my own safety, education, and training experience, Smoove Arms Seminary, LLC. We choose the name as “Smoove” is the nickname given to me as a child by my pops, and spinning off the name “seminary” as this is a place where treat our safety and protection as sacred and the religious take on learning here will make you then a teacher for your peers. We offer all types of education options from phone/FaceTime consultations, private lessons, private classes to obtaining your CCW or concealed carry permit.
So, after all that – I’ve been blessed with exceptional and amazing opportunities throughout myself, and I am looking forward to creating many more of them as a multi-business owner and artist.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not a smooth road what’s so ever – and I definitely were met with a lot of obstacles internally and externally.
Realizing that blood is not always thicker than water and that all relationships aren’t good ones or will be beneficial to your mind, spirit, and/or business endeavors.
Not allowing yourself or anyone to bring you to a place of disappointment or doubt.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As mentioned in my story – OKD (as it’s commonly referred to) is a Design Firm and studio out of Cincinnati, OH built around a collective passion of bringing ideas and dreams into reality. Cameron Lee and JaCasta Rex founded the company recognizing that from tattoo design, merch, animation, filmmaking, and much more that they had the combined knowledge, skills, and passion to bring a new reality into existence. What sets us apart is the experience you’ll get em from working with us – being able to access a public library or a book store. We also help curate businesses creatively and their social media, websites any digital type assistance as well brand/logo – T-shirt design and fulfillment. We pretty much have you covered all the way with beautiful work to show for it.
Smoove Arms – or SAS is A premiere firearms safety, education, and training experience for like-minded individuals that want to obtain or further their knowledge of awareness, firearms, and understanding, whether new to firearms or an experienced owners. We specialize is Pistol training in its full spectrum of defense shooting and training, but we offer education and training in shotgun and rifle as well. We offer a wide variety of devices starting from phone and FaceTime consultations, public and private lessons in classroom or on the range, public and private classes in classroom or the range, including certifications for obtaining your concealed carry permit in up to 28 states. Soon we will have a podcast platform build for all individuals, Gun owner or not to hear real and accurate information and opinion or the firearms industry from people IN the industry, and we’ll get to break down the negative perceptions of the firearm is only like to call the “good person with a gun”… we are a SAFE place for all those in marginalized communities from Black Brown/POC, the LGBTQ+ And specially our WOMEN learn how to become the best option to save there live or family/loved one’s lives.
What matters most to you?
Honesty and loyalty matter the most to me – and it’s a rather simple (without getting all introspective) because if you have those two things as a main Quality of your characteristic, then all other things that one might say as to what matters will fall underneath those two umbrellas.
Pricing:
- 30 min phone consultation $5
- Children lesson $65 2hrs
- Basic lesson $65 2hrs
- Intermediate lesson $85 2hrs
- Advanced lesson $100 2hrs or $180 4hrs
Contact Info:
- Website: www.OKDesegni.com and www.Smoovearms.com
- Instagram: @OKDesegni and @Smoovearms
- Facebook: Smoove Arms Seminary
Image Credits
Stephanie Ramirez
Marty Alanzo
Cameron Lee
JaCasta Rex
