Lauren Hemp is a fourth year at the University of Oregon and a Social Media Specialist at the Artisan Kitchen and Cafe. Hemp is expected to graduate from the University of Oregon with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Art History in the Fall of 2023. As a Social Media Specialist for a local cafe, Hemp is responsible for overseeing the growth and maintenance of the brand’s social media presence. Her goal is to maintain the brand’s relationship with the public through social media platforms and help the Artisan Kitchen and Cafe tell a consistent story and imagery on all platforms. 

From 2016 to the present, Hemp creates digital artwork for clients based on their specifications. She uses her past experience in commissioned art pieces when creating graphics for the Artisan Kitchen and Cafe’s posts. In 2018, Hemp started a small clothing brand, Jeunesse Clothing, that focuses on youth’s awareness of mental health. She started a website for the brand that included thorough research on the pros and cons of using social media and how it can impact one’s mental health along with surveys from high school students about their use of social media. She uses her experience from Jeunesse Clothing to network with similar brands that align with the Artisan Kitchen and Cafe’s values. This networking helped source a client for the cafe, Liquified Juicery, to mutually benefit the cafe by growing both customer bases. 

During the start of the pandemic in 2020, Hemp created a TikTok account focusing on the video game, Grand Theft Auto. Using her skills in editing videos and studying the algorithm, Hemp amassed over 50 thousand followers on the platform. She developed a diverse community of followers from different genders and regions. She used her platform to collaborate with and promoted brands while succeeding at creating multiple viral videos with over a million views. Hemp uses her experience in studying social media trends and editing videos to create a cohesive aesthetic for the Artisan Kitchen and Cafe’s brand. She looks forward to exploring a career in social media and using her past experience to further develop her career.