Nooga Pixels is a full-service creative design agency rooted in

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Founded by Entrepreneur, Author, & Advocate Joshua Perez

I am a storyteller

Our story isn’t short or sweet, but it’s good.

It’s relevant to know this story began

out of a place of need

not a mountaintop or an

EXPENSIVE PRIVATE SCHOOL

I was the spiky-haired,

volunteer youth pastor

in my twenties.

I was serving the church my Granny

took me to since birth.

The church was founded by Jack Crye on the fringes

of a small county on farmland in Cleveland, Tennessee.

It was a small, country church.

A small   WHITE   country church, to be clear.

COMMUNITY HALL CHURCH

1305 6th Street in Cleveland, TN

1936

BUT

WAS IT A HOUSE

FOR ALL PEOPLE OR A

SEGREGATED

CHURCH IN A

SEGREGATED

TOWN IN A

SEGREGATED

STATE

IN 1936

I only see white people.

Poor white people, to be clear.

Through the civil rights movement of the 60’s, the pictures look the same. As a kid who started attending in the 80’s, I can tell you the congregation looked the same then too.

I don’t remember the first time I heard the unofficial name of that side of town. You won’t find it labeled on Google Maps, but it still has the same nickname to this day. It’s affectionately referred to as

the bad side of town

As a kid I assumed it was called bad because it was littered with trash and trailers, and these dwellings you would maybe call sheds or shacks? The church was poor. The neighborhood was poor. The county was poor.

The state of Tennessee is still poor.

As Cleveland grew, farm fields turned into trailer parks and junk yards.

?

THIS IS FENCE BEHIND THE CHURCH

TO HIDE THE TRASH

THIS IS THE SAME STREET NOW

6th Street in Cleveland, TN

“State legislators like local republican Bo Watson just made lowering the cost of private school the top priority of one of the poorest states in the country. Governor Lee even shamefully prioritized the school voucher scam over Hurricane Helene relief for those impacted last September in East Tennessee. Who in this state is looking to enroll their kids in Baylor right now with costs this high? Eggs are $9.”

“Most Tennesseans don’t even live near a private school. But that was their priority last month? My bible says to, ‘Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.’ As someone who grew up in foster care, this verse has always resonated a lot with me. If our leaders won’t fight for the vulnerable, it’s up to us to step up and take action.”

FAST FORWARD TO 2002

I was a young youth Pastor, and I was zealous for God. I wanted to reach the city, so I started planning outreach events. First, I needed a ministry name & logo.

- design & branding.

flyers, banners, & posters

- print products.

and then a website

- websites.

So, I learned graphic design and web development out of necessity to serve my calling. I am a networker, and a good friend who was also a youth pastor in the city told me I did great work and encouraged me to start a business. (Thanks Bob!)

Later in my career I developed those skills further to grow professionally as my portfolio grew to plan street festivals drawing crowds of 20,000+. From there I went on to work with clients like Dollar General, Keyshia Ka’oir, Gucci Mane, Bravo reality star Kim Zolciak, the incredibly talented luxury shoe designer Aminah Abdul Jillil, GotPrint.com, plus other VIP & C-suite meetings that demanded only the best. Check out a sampling of my work here.

Over the last 25 years, I’ve had the great privilege of sitting at many fine tables. Sadly, I’ve found the finest tables often set with greed and deceit, while true nourishment is often found in simple, honest company.

Yes, I still work with celebrities and big personalities that still have their hearts intact.

Yes, I do work with some rich, privileged people still too.

But let me be as clear as Kamala: I refuse to support the cause of hate, and I don’t work for greedy people who lack basic human values we should all agree on.

I do not work for sweat shops or patriarchs or oligarchs 🤢

I don’t work for jerks or snobs or haters 🥱

I DON’T WORK FOR RACISTS 🤮

I DON’T WORK FOR 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️HOMOPHOBES🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

I DON’T WORK FOR WEAK bullies

I STAND UP TO THEM 💪

My mom taught me a big life lesson when we would go camping that stuck with me: always leave the campsite better than you found it.

I say it on every single camping trip now as an adult. I practice it on every camping trip. It’s how I leave a home when it’s time to move out. It’s how I try to live my life.

And it’s like our North Star here at Nooga Pixels.

If you’re a busy small business owner, a BIG personality, or an e-commerce brand, start a project now to save time and focus on growing your brand. Meanwhile, I’ll harness my 25+ years of sales, marketing, & web industry experience to unleash the power of your brand.

—Joshua Perez

OWNER & CEO

TO THE  ADULTS IN THE ROOM:

These are unsettling times. America has a problem. It’s an important time for us to

affirm our commitment to the following values:

We stand up to bullies

DIVERSITY

EQUITY &

INCLUSION

aren’t the problem

& NEITHER ARE THE POOR

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Diversity refers to all of the ways we see and experience the world, with respect for differences in race, gender identity and expression, age, ethnicity, disabilities (seen and unseen), family or marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, education, religion, and all the ways we may identify as a community.

Equity refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality: equality means providing the same to all; equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances.

Inclusion is the state of being heard, recognized, and valued. It’s about creating a sense of belonging for every individual and a trust that “you deserve to be here.”

At Nooga Pixels, our efforts focus on uplifting the lives & businesses of underrepresented groups doing work that leaves our world a better place than we found it. Our NEW webgrants and other community funding only targets these underrepresented groups.

We proudly work with clients regardless of differences in race, gender identity & expression, age, ethnicity, disabilities (seen & unseen), family or marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, education, religion, and all the ways we may identify as a community.

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

Isaiah 1:17

(this is in the OLD Testament, Mr. President)

(IN OTHER WORDS, STAND UP TO BULLIES)

So, in 2025 we’re starting our own PROJECT (or 12)

We’ve decided to take action by supporting individuals and organizations in Tennessee who are making a difference but lack the resources to amplify their message right now.

If you know of a person or organization based in Tennessee that:

  • Is still deeply committed to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in business and society like us

  • Is working to leave the world better than they found it

  • Needs a professionally managed website but cannot currently afford one

Nominate them for a webgrant!

We will select one nominee each month to receive a fully managed website—at no cost to them.

What our webgrants include:

  • A custom-designed website tailored to their mission and audience

  • Domain registration and hosting for 1 year (if needed)

  • Basic SEO and mobile optimization to ensure their message reaches as many people as possible right now

  • Monthly updates and support for the first year

12

  GRANTS AVAILABLE IN 2025