Aitina Fareed-Cooke: Biography

Aitina Fareed-Cooke was told at a young age that she would be a "failure to thrive" as a result of her biological mother's substance use disorder. As a result, she and her two older siblings were placed into the foster care system and due to addiction and substance misuse, their mother passed away. Despite being labeled “emotionally handicapped” and a “failure to thrive” by the system, Aitina refused to be defined by it. Instead, she found solace and empowerment through her faith in God and her voice within the creative arts, rewriting her own narrative. Her unwavering commitment to her family and community became a testament to her resilience and determination.

Currently, Aitina​ Fareed-Cooke "A.I. The Anomaly" ​i​s a Creative Arts Strategist, National Recording Artist, and founder of Get Fokus'd Productions (GFP), an international award-winning media arts production company that has been recognized for its exceptional work within the community of Buffalo NY and beyond. Get Fokus'd Productions is a company in which creatives partner together to capture 'human-first' stories, a method that prioritizes empathy and connection. In collaboration with a with a ​diverse cohort of creatives, and through the mentorship of emerging artists, Aitina amplifies community voices using a social design approach, creating a ripple effect of positivity within the creative arts.

She utilizes digital media art, performative, emotive storytelling through speech writing and lyricism to ignite thought and expand perspectives, she travels across the country sharing her inspiring journey of personal and professional growth from foster care to freedom through the creative arts. For nearly two decades, Aitina has pursued and earned numerous grants to fund a plethora of creative arts projects that involved and unified nonprofit community based organizations, ​community members, business​es, entrepreneurs, educators, and the next generation of creatives.

Her musical career has led her to becoming a contributor of a Grammy award winning music project, executively producing four of her own full-length albums and collaborating with other Grammy award-winning artists, resulting in an impressive ​2 million stream count through distribution services.

Earning her Associates in Arts & Humanities at Erie Community College, BA in English and MS in Education at Buffalo State University, where she currently serves as a Buffalo State University foundation board member, she has utilized her educational experiences as a mechanism to forge her own creative path. Over the last decade she has dedicated her efforts towards designing and implementing a variety of project based educational programs, presentations and performances, apprenticeships, practical income-generating opportunities and access to a variety of platforms for career development experiences within the creative arts sector to a collection of over 20,000 emerging artists, aspiring young creatives, entrepreneurs and more.

Aitina has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Art & Design Department at Buffalo State University, Community Schools Navigator with Say Yes to Education, Artworks Director and Education Coordinator with Young Audiences of Western New York, and was the Youth Services Site Coordinator for the Community Action Organization’s N.U.R.T.U.R.E. Academy. During her tenure in each role, she designed curriculums that contributed to the growth of program retention rates in youth and parent participation, increased youth & community engagement, established unique partnerships with community based organizations and secured grant funds toward the longevity and success of those individual programs.

Recognized for her achievements, she has successfully secured funding through prestigious organizations like Creatives Rebuild New York, New York State Council on the Arts, 43 North Ignite Buffalo, Citizens Bank and more. Her interdisciplinary and multimedia work has been exhibited through the country and she has provided her services to esteemed institutions such as Buffalo State University, Cornell University, Thiel College, Jamestown Community College, M&T Bank, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, among others. Aitina's remarkable accomplishments also include receiving the Buffalo State University Young Alumnus Achievement Award, the Arts Services Inc. Trailblazer of the Arts Award, Citizens Bank Community Champion Award, firmly establishing her as a beacon of inspiration and a catalyst for positive transformation within the creative arts industry.