Emmett Phillips

Career Pathways Program Facilitator Best Buy Teen Tech Center

Emmett Phillips Jr. is a dynamic artist, educator, and community leader based in Des Moines, Iowa. A poet, hip-hop artist, actor, and teaching artist, he harnesses art and culture as tools for empowerment and education. Some of his most notable exhibitions include spoken word at the World Food Prize Laureate Ceremony, a live Hip-Hop band performance at 80/35 Music Festival, and a lead acting role in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. As the Career Pathways Program Facilitator for Iowa’s first and only Best Buy Teen Tech Center, he helps young people explore creative and technical career opportunities. A National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant recipient, Phillips has developed impactful arts education curricula, incorporating hip-hop and poetry to make learning engaging and accessible. Emmett is also a proud Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute alum, and sits on several boards and committees in the city.