Evan Snow is a jack of all trades — an art curator, community culture crusader and now an author. But all of his project’s share the goal to build and support the people of South Florida.
“Being a South Florida native gave me a cultural lens to how I view the world,” Snow said. “It’s what helped me develop my love and passion, which has led me to pursue helping others pursue their passion.”
Whether it’s the Everglades swamp or the vibrant glitz of the art scene, Snow said he loves South Florida and believes the land of sparkling high-rises and palm trees is a flourishing world cultural capital.
“I love our cultural opportunities that allow for a taste of everything,” he said. “My parents are from the Northeast, but luckily I was born and raised here, and those cultural opportunities made me.”
His parents — one from New York and the other from Pennsylvania — met during the 1970s through Landmark Education, a self-help development workshop series.
“That’s how I developed my genes for wanting to help other people,” Snow said. “And being interested
in personal development.”
After his parents moved to South Florida, Snow would immerse himself in the community, discovering a passion for exploring art, food, music, culture,and events. He eventually started blogging and creating event calendars, including Choose954, a platform and social movement showcasing and promoting Broward County.
“It’s all to cultivate culture and community,” he said. “I have a couple of other projects too.”
Snow’s calling started in Broward, but he wanted to support artists, entrepreneurs and locals in more ways. He also has AAF CreativeZen to connect, engage and inspire the community on the second Friday morning of every month. The monthly breakfast lectures invite locals to short, inspiring and thought-provoking conversations.
He also has 1000 Mermaids, an initiative of Ocean Rescue Alliance to enhance marine habitats and expand fish habitats while providing enhanced creative, economic and educational opportunities. Fort Lauderdale Art and Design Week, the first art fair in the world housed in mansions for sale that people arrived to on a boat, is another one of Snow’s projects.
“I found this higher calling to make art and opportunities more accessible in my community that way we wouldn’t have to drive all the way to places like Miami or Wynwood to see cool stuff,” he said. “I was discovering so many talented artists who deserved a platform, and we all need platforms for opportunities.”
Using vacant retail spaces along Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach Gardens’ Legacy Place, Snow and his his business partner Andrew Martineau started Zero Empty Spaces, which transforms empty stores into working studios for artists.
“I took that interest in community and the arts, and I’m just a regular guy,” Snow said. “I just became insanely passionate about pursuing my passions and was able to make a couple of choices to step outside of my comfort zone to change my life, my community, the art world and beyond.”
But then began to feel fatigued. While on the beach in Tulum in November 2020, he took an interest in exploring yoga and mindfulness. Returning from Mexico, Snow continued these practices and through working with Chloe Ravel, aka The Gemini Rising, Snow developed a new zest for life.
“I was hesitant at first,” he said. “I love personal development and transformation stories and the success people share. Eventually, I felt called because at first, I was hesitant, but more friends and supporters were encouraging me to share.”
In 2021, Snow started writing the lessons learned throughout his life, and in two years, he started sharing his stories. Obtaining inspiration from TED Talks and motivational speeches, he decided to venture into something new.
Snow’s first book, “Learning To Choose,” highlights seven learning lessons that he followed on his path to arts advocacy, community building and creative entrepreneurship. His purpose is to share his personal stories within the book to help inspire others to change their life — and their community — and discover a higher calling.
“At the end of each chapter, I pose very tangible questions to help people kind of reflect on how they can unleash their inner potential,” Snow said. “I want people to really think about where they are in their life and what they could do if they want to make progress.”
He also shares recommendations such as a morning routine, which includes yoga and vitamins, and he’s also started the “Learning To Choose Podcast,” which invites guests to discuss the stories behind pivotal choices and takeaways from various people from backgrounds and walks of life.
“One of the artists I know through Zero Empty Spaces sent me a message saying she just started reading
the prologue of the book,” Snow said. “She said she was only four pages in and she told me she had already finds herself relating and excited to read and learn.”
Snow has been doing book tours in a variety of locations, including the Parkland Library, Delray Beach’s The House of Perna Atelier, Arts Warehouse in Delray, a Palm Beach Gardens Zero Empty Spaces location and Boca Raton’s The Flamingo House.
Snow has also had book tours in Los Angeles, Indiana and Greece, and he’s also spread his lessons on radio station WLRN.
He said he wants to do more book tours throughout the country, continuing to encourage people to get involved
in their community and to learn life-changing lessons along the way.
“Being able to change lives and connect dots has become my oxygen,” Snow said. “You can’t put a price on that. I’m glad to be doing the book tours locally and inspiring more local people to get up and get involved. I encourage people to choose choices that are right for them and also spread the gospel to different communities because we all have learning lessons that can build and support the people of South Florida and beyond.
“Learning To Choose” is available on Amazon and through other booksellers.
