This blog was written by Memphis Library Foundation
Say hello to your Memphis Library Foundation Innovators-in-Residence class of 2026! What is an Innovator-in-Residence? The Memphis Library Foundation’s Innovators-in-Residence is a program for any library system in the U.S. that engages creative professionals to base part or all of their work within select branches of the Memphis Public Libraries system.
There, they receive free workspace, an annual stipend, and access to equipment and other resources to further their careers and hone in on their skills. In exchange, they curate and deliver free, public programs related to their specific area of expertise. Their programming is built to inspire, teach, and connect community members to launch new career paths and expand their entrepreneurial skills.
We recently sat down with some Innovators to learn more about their work and why working with the Memphis Library Foundation matters to them and their communities.
Ted Kasparek
Fun facts:
- Expertise: Graphic design and animation
- Local branch: Cossitt Library
- Hometown: Memphis
- Additional commitments: Professor at Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Innovator since June 2025
As a professional graphic designer and animator, Ted learned about the Innovator-in-Residence program through the Memphis Library Foundation when he was looking for unique ways to get involved with the community and show people the borderless world of animation. As a professor at Southwest Tennessee Community College, he wanted his hometown to feel excited about opportunities for accessing resources to create designs. Ted’s favorite part of being an Innovator is meeting people from all different backgrounds during the workshops he hosts at Cossitt Library in Downtown. From young, eager art students to people tapping into their creative side, this Memphis College of Art alum teaches it all.
“Memphis has always been a place where creatives can come together and make wonderful things, and the library is a great space for creative minds to meet,” Ted said. “The Innovator program can take your skills and help you push forward. It helps people learn a new skill and craft to showcase, and allows them to make connections with others in the creative field.”
Tyke T
Fun facts:
- Expertise: Hip-hop music
- Local branch: Orange Mound Library
- Hometown: Smyrna, Tennessee
- Additional commitments: Memphis musician and performer
- Innovator since June 2026
Tyke first heard about the Innovator-in-Residence program when his manager at a previous job saw the opportunity and encouraged him to apply. “After reviewing the program and learning more about its mission, I immediately saw the potential impact it could have on the community and knew it was something I wanted to be a part of,” Tyke said. Music has given Tyke opportunities that have shaped his life, and he wanted to give back to the next generation of creators. With Memphis’ rich music scene, especially in hip-hop, Tyke knows how it can be difficult to get started in the industry and wanted to teach lessons he wished he had known sooner.
Aside from leading programs at the new Orange Mound Library, Tyke enjoys seeing how people utilize the library and rely on it for an after-school study spot, for free access to computers and the internet, and for family resources they may not have elsewhere. Memphis is known around the world for music, but many people don’t have access to the tools, mentorship and guidance needed to pursue careers in creative industries. By bringing music, content creation and creative entrepreneurship programming into the library, we’re creating pathways for people to learn skills that can translate into real opportunities.
Ena Esco
Fun facts:
- Expertise: Podcasting
- Local branch: Cossitt Library
- Hometown: Beaumont, Texas
- Additional commitments: Program director of Lowery Communication Center at LeMoyne-Owen College
- Innovator since June 2022
The “OG” of the Innovators, Ena piloted the Innovators-in-Residence program in 2022 when she was looking for an opportunity to create programming and engage with the Memphis community through her love of podcasting. Ena believes that libraries have always been centers of learning, storytelling and community engagement, and podcasting is a natural extension of that mission. To Ena, podcasting preserves stories, shares ideas, builds digital skills, and allows people to speak on topics that matter to them. She enjoys watching participants of her workshops or classes launch their own podcasts, create original content, and build confidence in storytelling.
“Seeing someone walk into a session unsure of themselves and leave feeling empowered to use their voice is incredibly fulfilling,” Ena said. The biggest program she organizes is the annual PodBox Memphis Podcast Festival, which connects content creators with industry professionals, provides educational resources, and opens opportunities for collaboration and networking in the Memphis community. At its core, the Innovators-in-Residence program is about empowerment. It gives people the tools, confidence, and inspiration to learn something new, explore their creativity, and potentially discover a new passion or career path.
Jasmen Richmond
Fun facts:
- Expertise: Culinary arts and entrepreneurship
- Local branch: Raleigh Library
- Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Additional commitments: Nutrition educator for her business RICH Health LLC
- Innovator since June 2025
Jasmen also heard about the program through a colleague who encouraged her to apply as she was looking for new experiences in the 901. She specifically loves seeing who will attend her programming, whether those are cooking classes, youth culinary camps, or lessons in entrepreneurship, and what type of connections people will make in the library. Jasmen was recently reminded of the importance of her programming when a woman visiting the Raleigh Library attended her entrepreneurship workshop and later received a job offer through her new connections. “That moment reminded me that people need a resource room,” Jasmen said. “They need to have support and insight during their entrepreneurial journey. It also felt like how a community is supposed to feel – cohesive.”
Jasmen believes libraries are a great destination for people to kickstart their entrepreneurial journey as they’re hubs and connecting points where people can learn, teach, build, and feel inspired. “I would describe the Innovator-in-Residence program with words like new, impactful, and, resourceful, as it drives connections and creativity. Being an Innovator means all of the above because we get the opportunity to bring meaning to those words. We have the opportunity to create impactful programs that bring resources and make connections in the Memphis community.”
Ty Boyland
Fun facts:
- Expertise: Music production
- Local branch: Cossitt Library
- Hometown: Memphis
- Additional commitments: Consultant of Ty Boyland Consulting and enterprise director at Crosstown High
- Innovator since June 2025
Ty heard about the program on LinkedIn when he was looking for new ways to dive deeper into his passion for music production in Memphis. He loves to build community and is specifically motivated to demystify the music production industry. An active member of Memphis’ thriving and diverse music community, Ty sits on the Board of Governors for the Recording Academy, works with the Memphis Music Initiative, and is a four-time Grammy U mentor. Aside from those incredible accomplishments, he has collaborated with entertainment legends such as Clarence Avant, who was his professional mentor, and Memphis film director Craig Brewer. Ty first connected with Brewer in 2005 for his 2005 film “Hustle & Flow,” for which he worked on the music and mixing of its Academy Award-winning soundtrack. As a teacher and mentor, Ty regularly connects his students with today’s industry professionals to inspire them creatively and motivate them to explore the endless career paths made possible through music. .
Ty thinks libraries are important, specifically in cities like Memphis, “because libraries connect experts with people who are curious but afraid to lean in.” He believes they can serve as a second home where everyone can exist without an agenda and where everyone is the same. That’s why hosting his programming at a library is special to him. He enjoys helping people who are curious about music production, and his program participants learn more about the inner workings of the music industry directly from his personal experiences. By sharing the triumphs and trials of his extensive career, he wants to guide them on their path to success. He is looking forward to adding a variety of ideas to his programming. From introducing songwriting and production to mixing, mastering, and learning how to monetize your art, Ty is ready for it all. What motivates him is “being introduced to new young people who have a passion for music but just have not yet discovered they love making it, and seeing that creative light switch go off? I would not give that up for anything.”
Devin Kirkland
Fun facts:
- Expertise: Horticulture
- Local branch: Frayser Library
- Hometown: Memphis
- Additional commitments: Tattoo artist at Killer Rabbit Ink
- Innovator since June 2026
Devin is one of MLF’s newest Innovators and the first at the Frayser Library. He has worked in the horticulture field for over six years. As a master gardener, artist, and former educator for over a decade, he combines his unique collection of skills to bring art and garden programming to life in the communities he has served. He’s passionate about educating and empowering people of all ages, from the youth to the elderly, to create and cultivate beautiful, sustainable neighborhoods and harvest their own produce. Devin has worked with organizations and institutions such as Paint Memphis, Rhodes College, Fisk University, and the Frayser Community Garden.
Devin applied to become an Innovator after receiving encouragement from his friends. He is excited to host programming at the Memphis Public Libraries as he sees libraries as a wealth of resources that can improve people’s quality of life. He believes the Innovators-in-Residence program allows room for innovation and experimentation in creativity and the arts, and he cannot wait to welcome people into the colorful and rewarding world of horticulture.
The Innovators are organizing several free programs at their respective library branches in the coming months. To stay updated on upcoming events, along with other Memphis Public Libraries programming, visit the Events Calendar on the MPL website.
