Jason Rodriguez, the unequivocal new face of voguing, and 2021 Hollywood Critics Association TV Award nominee for “Pose,” along with Ricardo Sebastián, Rodriguez’s longtime manager turned business partner, announced today the inaugural roster of their newly formed Arraygency.
Arraygency (a-ray-gency) is highlighting and underlining the importance of finding and representing those gifted but marginalized talents. Their focus is on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and they are determined to help build a better system to help fulfill the needs of BIPOC, Queer, and Trans creatives in the entertainment industry and ensure equal access to opportunities for all.
The initial Arraygency roster includes six creatives: dancer Azusa Crawford (she/her), youth leader, queer and trans artist, and journalist Sage Dolan-Sandrino (she/her), actor, dancer, writer, and producer Morticia Godiva (she/her), music artist, songwriter, model, public speaker and trans advocate Iman Hill (she/her), dance artist and model José Lapaz-Rodriguez (he/him), and dancer and model Babou Sanneh (he/him).
Here is what Jason A. Rodriguez and Ricardo Sebastián — co-owners of the new talent agency Arraygency had to say about helping the BIPOC Queer community achieve their goals.
QUESTION: Why did you start the new talent agency, Arraygency?
JASON A. RODRIQUEZ & RICARDO Sebastián: As BIPOC Queer creatives and business owners we knew we had a unique opportunity to create a specialized – and much needed – service for members of our community. We have a deep, and personal, understanding of their talents and voices and it is our hope to bring these people center stage and allow them to shine as bright as possible.
QUESTION: Who is Arraygency for? What type of clients are you looking to represent?
JAR: BIPOC. The BIPOC Queer community. Yessss. Queer. Nonbinary. Trans. However, they choose to identify. We created Arraygency to bring them to the forefront of all creative industries. We are their agents. We are their support. We are helping them create success in whatever industry they want. We are looking to grow our team so we can continue to do this work without limitations. We are now starting to look for clients. We are looking to find six to seven clients.
RS: Yes and we will focus on those individuals and as our team and resources grow we will grow our roster. We have a humble beginning because we want a strong foundation.
QUESTION: A strong foundation is THE key to everything standing. Do you agree?
JAR: Correct. We are an agency in my perceptive because we have two different perspectives but at the end of the day, we have one goal. So, yes we are an agency, and naturally, we will be actively searching for bookings and tapping into our network and since we are the first of our kind, for us, the word agency is to prepare and to get work
AZUSA CRAWFORD (she/her) is a Bronx native with a passion for kinetic aesthetics and dance. She is part of the NYC ballroom scene which has shaped her fundamentals as an artist. She is to graduate from Lehman College for Dance in 2022. She is trained in Ballet, Contemporary, West African Dance, Hip Hop and House. Her mission is to notify every black trans woman that they are capable of being “that girl with the spice” regardless of their transitional journey. She has been featured in works with Sneakers n’ Stuff and Mavi Jeans.
SAGE DOLAN-SANDRINO (she/her) is a youth leader, queer and trans artist and Founder & Creative Director of digital zine and youth creative studio, TEAM @ TheTeamMag. Heavily influenced by The National Black Justice Coalition’s Thriving Framework, Dolan-Sandrino utilizes her art practice to shift culture via authentic and impactful storytelling. Sage is committed two creating opportunities for young black and brown queer and trans folks to see ourselves reflected in narratives of joy, love, acceptance, and celebration— A reality we are too often denied. Since socially transitioning at 13, Sage became a public voice for trans student rights–working with organizations like the Human Rights campaign, National Center for Transgender Equality, and even becoming an ambassador to The White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for African Americans under the Obama Administration. Sage was among the group of students who developed the Obama Title IX protections for trans youth. As a journalist, Sage covered trans culture for Teen Vogue as the publication’s first trans youth journalist. She continues her work for trans and queer equity on the National Black Justice Coalition’s Youth and Young Adult Advisory Council-member and Black Trans Advisory Council. She also serves on the Board of Advisors at Gucci’s Chime For Change global campaign for gender equity and justice. Vogue Magazine Voices of Hope | Teen Vogue #21Under21 | Refinery29 #Zlist2020 | BET #Future40 | GLAAD x Teen Vogue #20under20
MORTICIA GODIVA (she/her) is an actor, dancer, writer, and producer. Some of their work includes “Feeling Like An Orchid”, a short film that they wrote, produced, and starred in. The film shares a story of black love and dating within a polyamorous relationship. Godiva recently produced a body of work that is poetry in motion and an ode to Fem Queen Joy, titled “Boomerang”. As an artist, Morticia creates an authentic narrative through literature, dance, music, and performance. She is interested in the space and distance between people, and her innate ability to transform that into something of beauty for the viewer implicitly parts the gift of empathy to all who devour her art. Thematically, the truth of self and our right to self determine our own existence is prevalent throughout Godiva’s work. In 2019, the collective known as, Black Trans Travel Fund welcomed Morticia as their Director of Client Services.
IMAN HILL (she/her) hails from Atlanta, Georgia and is now based in NYC. She is a classically trained contemporary music artist, songwriter, model, public speaker and trans advocate. She is a community organizer and dot connector for LGBT resources. She is an active member in the House of St. Laurent founded in 1982. In 2020, Iman released an extended play entitled “If Mona Lisa Could Talk” which prophesied the coming of a new renaissance highlighting black trans and queer people as cornerstones in societies and catalysts for the turn of culture as we know it told through rambunctious lyrics/wordplay and sultry R&B melodies. Since the development of the EP, Ms. Hill has graced numerous NYC stages/ nightclubs, been featured in an assortment of campaigns and magazines. Her hit song “Never Last” was performed at the SXSW Music Festival in 2021.
JOSÉ LAPAZ-RODRIGUEZ (he/him) is a freelance dance artist and model from the Dominican Republic currently living in New Jersey. José is a Hanya Holm award recipient and he graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University with a BFA in Dance. José researches the interconnection of contemporary dance and voguing in concert dance in queer bodies as he is part of the ballroom scene. He has performed works by Matthew Rushing, Pam Tanowitz, Jordan Lloyd, Stefanie Batten-Bland, Roderick George, and Darrell Grand Moultrie. Asidefrom concert dance, he has performed as a cameo artist in the Off-Broadway ‘Hercules’ by Chase Brock, he collaborated with Mandy Moore for a Facebook commercial, Jermaine Browne for Rowan Papier’s Telfar “The Same Beat”, and danced in Chad Lawson’s ‘Prelude in D Major’ music video.
BABOU SANNEH (he/him) is a first generation Gambian-American artist from New York City. Babou is currently a junior in the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase college where he is pursuing his BFA in dance. Prior to studying at Purchase, Babou was a student at the Ailey school’s Professional Division and the Young Artist Program at the Martha Graham school where he later performed Graham’s “Panorama” as part of the company’s 2018 New York City Center Season. Babou has also studied theatre arts as a student of Repertory Company High School for Theater Arts. Babou has performed works by Jamar Roberts, Victor Quijada, Jenelle Figgins, Doug Varone, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Darshan Bhuller, Martha Graham, and Earl Mosley. Babou has danced and modeled for the Burberry x SSENCE ‘imaginary cities’ campaign and featured in GQ magazine as a model for Post Imperial. He has also worked as a featured talent for Sneakers n Stuff.
www.arraygency.com
@arraygency
Azusa Crawford (she/her): www.instagram.com/sa.rabi__/
Babou Sanneh (he/him): www.instagram.com/babousanneh_/
Iman Hill (she/her): www.instagram.com/missimanhill/
José Lapaz-Rodriguez (he/him): www.instagram.com/josesitolapaz/
Morticia Godiva (she/her): www.instagram.com/morticiagodiva/
Sage Dolan-Sandrino (she/her): www.instagram.com/thhrift/
New York-based talent agency Arraygency is now accepting submissions for BIPOC, Queer, and Trans talent representation.