Our Team

OUR TEAM

We create experiences-through the magic of music, animation and storytelling.

One of the greatest gifts we can leave those who come after us, is knowledge and a legacy of who they are and where they came from. There is no better place than history to discover ourselves. Our past is a deep journey with lots of twists and turns. But we can learn so much from those who have already taken on the challenges of their time and succeeded beyond their own dreams. 

Illumination Station desires to bring back the excitement of learning again. Our tools will be the great history of this country’s unsung heroes that many have never heard of. Through Illumination Station you will discover truth about those who triumphed. So come along with us on an amazing journey though our past, to learn about those whose lives may touch and inspire our present. Welcome to the place where amazing true stories and the past, come to life.

 

DREAM BIG

The very best storytellers creating the most inspiring stories.

We cultivate and bring to life the lives of truly amazing, American historical figures from our past, while bringing toe-tapping songs, fun lyrics, and fantastic animation and music you can’t help but watch and sing over and over again. With exhaustively researched stories that engage and inspire. 

So plug into one exciting ride through America’s history. As we embark on a unique journey, that tells the tales of people from a past forgotten, that share them in a way you’ll never forget.

Our History

Illumination Station was cofounded in 2020 by two lifelong friends, Tom Roepke & Ed Melendez, with a passion for serving others. Tom Roepke is a disabled veteran who has experienced and overcome a myriad of challenges, struggles and difficulties. All these experiences have shaped a heart within Tom that is dedicated to improving the lives of those most in need among us. Tom’s career has been spent securing and making resilient some of America’s largest Pharmaceutical, Technology and Entertainment companies. He has been married for 26 years to his lovely wife Lisa and raised three wonderful children and has one beautiful grandson.
Ed Melendez is a gifted creative who has spent his life bringing joy to others through music, design and pastoral leadership. He has overseen and maintained multiple start up businesses in music, tech, and social media for several decades. Ed has also overseen creation for multiple companies. Ed too has experienced the many painful roads that we often walk through only to come out stronger, and more resilient as a grace-filled individual. He is married to his beautiful wife Sharon and has 3 wonderful daughters and 3 sons.
Tom & Ed both grew up in Southern California and watched first-hand throughout the 70’s and 80’s as so much changed technologically, educationally, politically and socially. This unique perspective along with being a minority and a disabled veteran has provided them with a heart and enthusiasm for engaging, encouraging and ultimately improving the life and well-being of their neighbor.
Tom & Ed created Illumination Station to serve their neighbor via creative, true, and powerful accounts of historic people and events using storytelling through music, animation, and digital educational platforms.

Our Vision

Publishing, video production, storytelling and education are not new concepts and have certainly been in existence in one fashion or another since humans began communicating with one another. Neither are empowering or engaging via these mediums’ novel ideas. What is fresh and new is the approach which Illumination Station is pursuing.
Using history as it’s guide, Illumination Station endeavors to change the world to become a more positive, loving and encouraging place. How is this accomplished? Illumination Station believes that storytelling is one the most powerful tools we have as a human race and the best stories are the ones that are true. When it is presented in the right way, a story can connect, bring to life, and inspire individuals to achieve what they never before thought possible, heal relationships, spark meaningful dialogue and elevate who we are as a society.
‘Schoolhouse Rock’ captured the attention and minds of youth in the 70’s to learn fundamentals of grammar, Government, mathematics and even static electricity through catchy and fun cartoons. In the same vein, Illumination Station aspires to reach our youth to change our world using modern technology to deliver stories of little known, yet great, figures in our history and not often talked about events that have helped shape who we are as a nation and a worldIllumination Station wants to illuminate those in our past who may have fallen into an oppressed or marginalized segment of society, and tell their story. There are so many of these people that the vast majority simply don’t know, yet they have left indelible marks of greatness in history.
From idea to implementation, Illumination Station will research, develop scripts & stories, author & publish, direct, edit and air, and create content that doesn’t just teach history but inspires minds to want to learn more.
Take if you will the person of Madam CJ Walker; -a black American woman born in the Delta of Louisiana in 1867. Walker was the first child in her family to be born into freedom, yet would be orphaned at the age of seven. From those humble and hard beginnings, she would go on to become one of America’s most amazing entrepreneurs, philanthropists and social activists. Developing a line of cosmetics and hair care products she would, at the time of her death, be considered the wealthiest self-made woman of her time.
Illumination Station will take the story of Madam CJ Walker and deliver it in a way that captures the minds, attentions and hearts of  today’s youth, to show that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance.

Our Mission

“Illuminating Amazing People of Yesterday to Inspire Minds of Today”

Illumination Station is bringing light to amazing people and events of yesterday to inspire youth of today

Illumination Station tells the history of yesterday to inspire the youth of today

Inspiring the generation of today through the illumination of yesterday

Opening today’s minds to yesterday’s greatness

Storytelling for change Illuminating history and inspiring tomorrow

Uncovering the treasure of history through storytelling

Illumination Station introduces amazing people & events of yesterday to youth of today

Illumination Station strives to inspire greatness in the youth of today through telling the stories of amazing history

Illuminating yesterday’s greatness

Our Values

Integrity: We function in a manner that is above reproach. Operating with integrity can be summed up in the simple phrase: “always doing the right thing even when nobody’s watching.” We conduct operations and all manner of interactions with truthfulness. All content created by Illumination Station will be fact based and built upon the platform of honesty.
Humility: We do nothing out of selfish ambition.
Excellence: We produce and deliver outstanding content.
Respect: We treat all with decency and grace.  
Transparency: We affirm as an organization that to the best of our ability we will pursue full and open transparency in all operational, financial, and relational practices. 
Resiliency: We respond to change within and beyond our control, adapt to new and unanticipated situations all while staying true to our mission. 
Stewardship: We are committed to ethical oversight and management throughout all aspects of the organization’s fiduciary practices.
“We Are The Music Makers, And We Are The Dreamers Of Dreams."
W. Wonka
CANDY MAKER
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