Jackson Free Press

As a child, Yolanda Foster knew she wanted to do something creative when she grew up.

"I remember my dad used to tell me that I couldn't make living off art," Foster says. "I wanted to have a creative job, but he would say that he wanted me to, in his words, stop 'being a starving artist.' I kept pursuing it."

Foster, 30, was born in Jackson and lived there until she moved to Ridgeland five years ago. In seventh grade, she got into the Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex visual arts program at Peeples Middle School, and also took advanced-placement art courses at Murrah High School. After graduating in 2003, she went on to the University of Southern Mississippi in 2003. She graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in graphic communications.

Foster joined the American Advertising Federation Jackson, a chapter of the nation's oldest advertising trade association, as a volunteer straight out of college.

As an intern, she helped to organize the agenda and name badges for the 2007 Jackson district conference. She became a secretary for the organization in 2012 and was named president in July 2014. AAF club presidents have one-year terms.

This year, AAF Jackson received the AAF District 7 Club of the Year award. Foster received the Club President of the Year at a ceremony Saturday, April 10, at the district's spring conference in Knoxville, Tenn.

The national organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and comprises 200 local federations that represent 40,000 advertising professionals across the country. AAF also has more than 200 college chapters with over 6,500 student members. AAF Jackson is one of 24 in AAF District 7, which includes Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and Georgia. In addition to the Club of the Year award, the Jackson chapter is set to receive national awards in club operations and diversity this June in a ceremony at the national conference, Admerica.

Aside from her current club president position, Foster works as the creative marketing strategist for Mississippi Media. She is a graphic designer in charge of digital media, creative works and other aspects of Mississippi Media's brand.

Her favorite art is graphite portraits, and Jackson artists such as Jason "Twiggy" Lott inspire her. Foster plans to continue her fine arts education by attending graduate school at Mississippi College and enrolling in the school's master's of arts program within the next year.

"My dream is to be able to have my own art show someday," Foster says. "I'm still having a bit of a struggle over just what my show would be, however. I ask myself, 'What kind of style do I want to pursue, where will I go?'"

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story identified Mississippi Media as marketing strategists for AAF Jackson and Yolanda Foster as in charge of graphic design and other aspects of the AAF brand. Foster is the marketing strategist for Mississippi Media and is in charge of graphic design for its brand. The story has been changed to reflect this. We apologize for the error.