For Us, By Us, and To Inspire Us: How Carvd N Stone's Loren Martin Hintz Gala Recognized Emerging & Established Creatives
/
“Creativity fuels our imagination, and our imagination fuels our dreams of a better world”
Today’s word of the day is canvas. It is where every spark, thought, and light bulb embedded in your imagination travels to the moment they enter the colorful pathways in your mind. One would often assume that a canvas only has a single depiction–a tan colored square dimension placed on a wooden easel for paintbrushes to stroke against it.
On Thursday, December 11th, 2025, the groundbreaking national news company, Carvd N Stone, proved the assumption of a canvas only being one medium and used solely for one purpose wrong in a bold yet classy manner. Founder of the positive-focused media hub, Nyesha Stone, presented the 2025 Carvd N Stone Loren Martin Hintz Travel Writing Scholarship Gala; this is where the beauty of creativity collided with the hidden elegance and representation of the extraordinaires that are in our very city. The inspiring scholarship ceremony was held at Radio Milwaukee, located at 220 E. Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204. From the young evening hours of 6 PM-8 PM, affirmative networking conversations filled the intricate walls of the innovative venue. At this moment, I witnessed a cultural and professional atmospheric shift in the room.
HOST, STEPH CROSLEY, ENGAGING WITH THE AUDIENCE
What I assumed would be an event where accolades were being given to one individual and an exciting excuse to dress up like some of my favorite characters from the 1989 comedy, Harlem Nights, was far much more than luxurious clothing and a crystallized award that resembled an Oscar or Golden Globe being gifted to someone. As Nyesha and Steph gracefully began the start of an exhilarating night, I quickly learned the essence and origin of how this rare scholarship came into effect. Loren Martin Hintz was a prolific storyteller in Milwaukee who utilized his talents in photography and journalism by traveling throughout various nations. Hintz’s purpose and hunger that kept the fire inside him to keep going was telling stories nobody had passionately expressed before, while all the while, representing people and cultures that no one else deemed as picture-worthy or glamorous enough to capture through their camera lens or pen. Since his death in 2020, Hintz’s legacy continues to strengthen and be electrified by not only his work, thoughts, and creativity, but also his family.
During 2022, Hintz’s son, Steve, demonstrated a strong and invigorating act of leadership as he approached Nyesha with the idea of collaboration between their family legacy and Stone’s successful media company. The creation of the CNS Loren Martin Hintz Travel Writing Scholarship was launched. In 2022, it was opened to all writers up to the age of 29 who reside in the city of Milwaukee, annually rewarding one writer who responds to the question at hand in the most organic way with $1,000 and a personalized plaque that screams, “YOU DID THAT!” The question surrounded with emphasis and spotlights this year was as follows: “In what ways has traveling away from your hometown and exploring new places changed you?” For the past two years, the process and explanation of the recipient’s answer has been displayed through a remote award ceremony, but this year Carvd N Stone made it their mission to hold the very first in-person ceremony to reward and shed light on the 2025 CNS Loren Martin Hintz Travel Writing Scholarship winner.
2025 CNS LOREN MARTIN HINTZ TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT, ALIVIA ALLEN
Ambitious, bold, and courageous nineteen-year-old Marquette University student, Alivia Allen, graced the stage and was the epitome of “The Youth Is Our Future”. Allen carried elegance, poise, and authenticity as she accepted the first award of the night. The studious winner expressed her passion and intrigue with writing since she was a child, and how her family’s roots play an immense part in her talents and interests. As Allen and I transitioned into a quiet area inside the venue for one on one conversation, I learned how her grandmother, Francina, symbolized fearlessness and bravery in the Black Panther movement. Her winning essay struck eyes because of how inspiring, heroic, and similar her journey traveling to Washington, D.C at age 10 was compared to her grandmother sneaking there at 13 years old. She is majoring in political science while also minoring in communications with a goal to be in office one day, tackling worldly issues one by one. Her heart, history, and being an active helping hand throughout the community, by currently interning at the Milwaukee County office solidifies just how genuine and committed Allen is to using her creativity for impact as well as self-confidence. She will be using the monetary award towards school tuition and educational funding.
“My grandmother taught me that education is powerful. The more knowledge you have, the more you can help others and protect yourself. I want to help this world as much as I can and leave real impact”
FOUNDER, NYESHA STONE, WITH AWARD RECIPIENTS, OLIVIA BURKS AND RANELL WASHINGTON
There was a certain energy of uniqueness that roamed throughout Radio Milwaukee during the award ceremony. Nyesha and the Carvd N Stone team generously spread recognition, homage, and appreciation to multiple shining stars in the city of Milwaukee, granting the audience a night of giving those they admire their flowers and learning about one’s impact on the city, not just one person, as many assumed. For instance, two other distinct awards were presented later on throughout the galvanizing evening. Vibrant self-taught artist, Olivia Burks, was eagerly awarded the 2025 Inaugural Positive Creative Impact Award. She has an intriguing technique of pulling people into her paintings by using bright, spirited, and lively colors that quickly tell the harsh realities of the daily black experiences we face. Burks was chosen because of her continuous efforts to challenge narratives, spread positivity through her work, and elevate the creative scene. Her acceptance speech left the audience with significant call to actions, create, build community within one another, feel all the feels, and stay an optimist through it all. The vibrant and honest work Olivia creates lives at the CR8TV HOUSE gallery studio located at 3536 W Fond Du Lac Ave, Suite 3, Milwaukee, WI 53216.
2025 INAUGURAL POSITTIVE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AWARD recipient ranell washington
The ladies in the house are not the only ones who have the city on lock when it comes to strengthening and developing Milwaukee’s stamp when the words positivity and creativity arise. The last award of the night was given to none other than Milwaukee’s big brother and community service leader, Ranell Washington. He was awarded the 2025 Inaugural Positive Community Advocate Award. Washington is the co-founder of social and community engagement consulting group, SocialXMke, and captain of FearMKE. He has dedicated his career to empowering others through leadership, service, and mentorship, which is actively strengthening his city. Ranell’s work perfectly reflects the spirit of his award. His mission is to honor those who inspire hope, create change, and lead with nothing but positivity. As he spoke to the audience, emphasis on being a light was his primary topic.
“You never know what anyone is going through. Try your hardest of being a light in this world that will not only spark kindness but also inspire emerging creative ideas as well”
The charismatic and luxurious gala was concluded with the founder of Carvd N Stone, Nyesha Stone, recognizing the other three winners of the Loren Martin Hintz Travel Writing Scholarship from previous years. Stone also prioritized giving us all a recap of what themes her media company has experienced this year. Stone has been running her business for over eight years, and she is a living testament to the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. One of their biggest achievements was gaining a partnership in January with Amazon, which also presented this year’s CNS award ceremony. Stone became vulnerable and also shared the lows, such as losing both her incredible intern and videographer at the same time this year. She reminded the crowd of the many times Stone doubted herself and didn’t know how Carvd N Stone would continue financially. By the grace of God, this year Carvd N Stone is out of the red and in the black-making it public that they are financially stable and secure for the first time in a long time. 2026 will be a year of expansion of events held in both Atlanta and Milwaukee, partnership with Milwaukee Film, as well as some more bold moves that will just have to unfold before your eyes.
To stay in the know about another exciting event Carvd N Stone has in their vault and to support their mission of sharing original positive news, please follow them on all social media platforms at carvdnstone. Tag along all three winners creative journeys by tapping into their social media handles as well. It is as follows:
Alivia Allen-@alivia.all3n, Ranell Washington-@ranell.io, and Olivia Burks-@livmke
Desriana Gilbert | Entertainment & Social Journalist for /CW
