Creating With Purpose: Joshua Leonard’s Vision for Inclusive Storytelling at the 2025 Mosaic Event
At the 2025 Mosaic Event, nearly 500 West Michigan students were introduced to the transformative potential of storytelling, creativity, and technology - all centered around this year’s powerful theme: “The Power of Vision.” One of the standout voices in this year’s lineup was Joshua Leonard, a nationally acclaimed character designer and member of 9B Collective, the first Black-owned concept art studio made up primarily of BIPOC artists. His personal journey and professional achievements embodied the event’s mission to inspire the next generation of creators.
From Athlete to Artist: A Journey of Resilience and Vision
Joshua began his talk with a powerful reminder that creativity is often born through perseverance. A self-proclaimed military brat turned hurricane survivor, Joshua’s life changed dramatically after Hurricane Katrina left him homeless. Yet through every challenge, from a career-ending sports injury to the loss of his older brother, he held tight to the artistic passion he discovered in kindergarten after learning to draw Garfield.
“Once I learned Garfield, I never put the pen down,” he told students.
Joshua eventually became a professional character designer, working in pre-production for major studios like Netflix, Disney, HBO, and Cartoon Network. His work includes designing characters for Iyanu, a top-rated animated series for teens, currently streaming on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.
Animation as a Visual Language
Joshua took students behind the scenes of animation production, explaining how character designers create the personalities, movements, and visual identities that drive animated films and series. Through sketches, turnarounds, and exaggerated expressions, he showed how art becomes animation and how storytelling is infused into every line, pose, and color palette. He emphasized key creative concepts such as:
Shape language and silhouette to define emotion and personality
Turnarounds and special poses are used in pre-production to bring characters to life
Cultural accuracy and authenticity in character design
Color as an emotional and storytelling tool, shaping the tone and energy of each scene
One of his primary messages to students was that you don’t need permission to create something powerful; you just need vision, skill, and the will to follow through.
Team Supreme: Changing the Narrative on Disabilities
At the heart of Joshua’s presentation was his passion project, Team Supreme, an original animated series he created in 2009 featuring a diverse cast of superheroes with disabilities. His characters include:
Zeke, an autistic teen and the show’s main character
Thumper, who is deaf and wears a cochlear implant
Li, who is blind
Sweet Pea, Zeke’s younger sister, without a disability, to explore family dynamics
Dr. Jackson, inspired by Joshua’s late best friend
Mech, who uses a wheelchair and is the team’s brilliant engineer and inventor
“I wanted to create something so dope it could compete with Marvel and DC,” Joshua said. “We all know someone with a disability. This isn’t just a cartoon; it’s a statement.”
Team Supreme is already making an impact. Joshua shared the story of Jaden, a young boy with autism who began speaking more confidently after seeing himself represented in the Team Supreme characters. It was a powerful reminder that representation matters and that students can use their creativity to build a more inclusive world.
Branding, Passion, and Staying Authentic
Joshua also touched on a topic often overlooked in creative spaces: branding. He explained how everything, from how you dress to how you communicate your work, contributes to how the world perceives your art and message.
“I’m going to dress nicely. I’m going to draw well. I’m going to represent color, culture, and diversity in everything I do.”
He encouraged students to create for themselves first, trusting that if their work resonates with them, it will likely connect with others as well.
The Power of Vision in Motion
Joshua’s presentation embodied the essence of The Power of Vision: using art and storytelling not just to entertain, but to uplift, include, and transform. He gave students practical insights into animation as a career, but more importantly, he showed them how staying true to themselves and their creative voice can lead to meaningful impact.
Mosaic Film Experience is proud to empower underrepresented youth to explore emerging and creative careers through the power of storytelling. We are proud to highlight creatives like Joshua Leonard, who are reshaping their industries to be more inclusive. Thank you to Joshua for sharing your powerful vision and to our educators, sponsors, and partners who made this year’s event possible.