Meet Transform GSO member, Gui Portel!
Gui is a non-binary Latinx queer and interdisciplinary creative who uses gender-neutral they/them pronouns. Gui is Motley Local’s creative director, having joined the team in April 2020. Motley Local is a place-building and community development firm that focuses on storytelling through a place based lens to facilitate the equitable development of said place.
As creative director, Gui leads the team in marketing, grant writing, and program development for Motley Local’s clientele. An integral focus of their work is on how images, words, and overall intentional messaging helps to portray Motley’s vision through holistic storytelling and placing emphasis on serving marginalized communities. Gui works very closely and collaboratively with the other two members of Motley’s leadership team, Chelsea Glen Dickey (Founder and Director of Economic Development) and Mtende Roll (Director of Digital Development).
Though the firm’s move to Greensboro was one of circumstance, Transform GSO’s location in the heart of Downtown Greensboro has proved to be an important asset to reach local collectives and companies. Living in and growing up in Greensboro and Winston Salem helped Gui to see first hand the importance of authentically and intentionally building community. Being deeply involved in the community in a true way is a value that Gui prioritizes.
“It is affirming to feel supported by a community and in turn support that community through the work that they do.”
The people that comprise Motley Local bring lived experiences that are not all the same. Each member of the Motley Local team brings their vastly different background and a myriad of skill sets that coalesce into a shared learning experience. The name Motley Local encapsulates the wide variety of services that Motley offers to their clientele.
Gui’s first project with Motley Local was their partnership with the town of Haw River. Through interviews, Motley Local produced a brand inclusive of logo, tagline and Instagram account for the township of Haw River. This project culminated in the production of a 300 sq. ft. mural in collaboration with a local black artist from Alamance. From Gui’s first week working with Motley and seeing the growth allows them the opportunity to engage with the community and share tools that will empower the residents, create place attachment and build upon existing town pride.
Through their membership at Transform GSO, Gui and their colleagues connected with Gabriela Humailo, another Transform GSO member, to strengthen the SEO on Motley Local’s website with Gabriela’s mentorship and training. Collaboration with other members is just one of several reasons why Gui finds value in their membership at Transform GSO.
“It has been transformative to have our own space to come in, be productive, and network with like minded entrepreneurs and build upon a workspace that feels like home.”
Fun Facts:
Coffee routine? Mate’, Argentina and Paraguay’s national drink.
Current favorite music? Nathy Peluso, an Argentine singer/songwriter
Stress reliever? A South End beer on tap at Transform GSO at 4 pm
What are you currently binge watching? Pose and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills