DePauw Alum Launches Creative Networking Initiative
Dante Stewart, a 2020 DePauw University Posse graduate, is the founder of Underscore Ave., a company dedicated to building platforms for creatives to advance their careers. The company launched in 2017 and has experienced steady growth since.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Dante has long been motivated to provide opportunities for underrepresented communities. After watching talented artists in his circles give up on their passions to pursue more stable “9-to-5” careers, he resolved to find a new way to support peers in their respective crafts.
“Struggle comes with success, yes, but you should not have to be exploited to achieve that.”
With a background in computer science and the performing arts, Dante initially created Underscore with three partners to showcase creative talent within their community.
“We wanted to eradicate the concept of the starving artist,” Dante says. “Struggle comes with success, yes, but you should not have to be exploited to achieve that.”
Underscore now counts more than 3,500 members in their network. The community provides tools and resources including workshops, classes and industry-specific mixers. Despite their still-small team of five employees, Underscore is focused on strategic growth in the crossover from startup to fully operational company—a process that has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dante and his team are currently working on Underscore’s 2022 NYC Fashion Circuit. This ambitious, summer-long project has included a kick-off networking event, collaborative photo shoots and model workshops, concluding with a September fashion show in New York City.
“The circuit was designed to show the lifecycle of bringing a project from idea to production—starting with networking, then building a community,” Dante says.
Dante sees Underscore becoming the go-to place for aspiring creatives to build opportunities and a key showcase where clients can find the talent they need. He is excited to grow the business across more corners of the industry, and sees no limit to its potential.
