Meet Kristie Raymond | Founder & Senior Casting Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristie Raymond and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristie, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Every Body Belongs. That is the statement that drives our business model and describes our ultimate casting goal for organizations. We believe that DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) should be represented in the messaging/advertising and marketing messages of every organization. Finding those faces and voices that truly represent our diverse communities is our commitment and driving force of HumanKind, LLC.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started my career in the industry by taking a big plunge 1.5 years after college graduation by opening a modeling agency (with a business partner) in 1991. Models Inc. is where I honed my skills in the photography/advertising industry and began the building blocks toward a life as an entrepreneur. I launched Viewfinder Productions, LLC in 2004 as a full service production company providing casting, location scouting, crew coordination and project management for commercial productions. As the economy continued to throw curveballs, I struggled as a single mother and a solo business owner, I took a full time position with Hasbro, Inc in 2015. I was convinced I’d never work for myself again, but it was my experience at Hasbro that laid the groundwork for the existence of HumanKind, LLC. I saw firsthand how organizations were (or more appropriately were not) approaching diversity in their advertising and marketing. I aligned with several brands to advance diversity of faces and voices within marketing assets and saw the positive outcomes of these efforts. In 2020, I determined that providing this type of casting support to other brands was my mission and my career in this industry had led me to this point. In January of 2021, HumanKind, LLC was introduced to the world. None of the decisions in my career have been easy. They have always come with a look at my personal life – can I do this and still provide for my daughter? The support I received from family and friends has always pushed me forward. Go for it was the chant! I guess I never looked at any of my endeavors as a challenge, but more as a gap in the industry and it was my duty to fill it.
The key lesson I have learned throughout my career is to listen. To stop and pay attention and then map out a response that will resolve the issue or help to move the needle forward. My hope with HumanKind, LLC is to move the needle and continue the conversation about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Images hold the power to initiate change and I want to be part of that vision of change.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am not sure if this is supposed to be about Pheonix, but I was just in the area in September and I’d say if I lived there – I’d be hiking every trail I could find and drag my best friend with me! Exploring nature and connecting with Mother Earth keeps me grounded and focused. I hope that by sharing experiences out in nature, my family and friends can feel that too.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The birth of HumanKind, LLC was in some respects, due to the disruption that encapsulated 2020 and led to the start of open dialogue about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in advertising. When I began mapping out my vision for a boutique casting company that emphasizes diversity, I received the most support from colleagues and others in the creative production field who kept telling me “it’s about time for a casting company to focus on the reality of our social landscape”. Other women led businesses, like Anchor Artists and founder Maren Rossman agreed to meet with me via zoom on a bi-weekly basis to provide ideas and support as my fledgling business took flight. Organizations like, Focus on Women, provided space to virtually meet with and gain feedback from others in this creative industry and Entrepreneurs Forever, a non profit designed to support entrepreneurs, has provided valuable insight and connections about working “on” my business rather than just “in” it.

Website: https://www.youarehumankind.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humankindcasting/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristieraymond/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youarehumankind

Image Credits
Amy Rose Productions, Melissa Shanahan & Chelsea Nye Michelle Joyce Pat Piasecki Greener Concepts