ough , ▁Al aska ▁Category : Un in cor por ated ▁communities ▁in ▁Val de z – C ord ova ▁Census ▁Area , ▁Al aska ▁Category : W r ang ell – St . ▁E lias ▁National ▁Park ▁and ▁Pres erve ▁Category : H istor ic ▁districts ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁in ▁Al aska <0x0A> </s> ▁D erek ▁Bl anks ▁( born ▁November ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁photograph er , ▁illustr ator , ▁cre ative ▁director , ▁and ▁producer . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁D erek ▁Bl anks ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Jackson , ▁Mississippi ▁on ▁November ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁school ▁teacher ▁in ▁Pear l , ▁Mississippi . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁middle ▁tw in ▁of ▁three ▁sib lings . ▁Bl anks ▁attended ▁Mur rah ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Jackson , ▁Mississippi ▁and ▁en rolled ▁in ▁AP AC : ▁The ▁Academ ic ▁and ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁Complex ▁which ▁exposed ▁him ▁to ▁art ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Bl anks ▁graduated ▁Mag na ▁cum ▁Lau de ▁from ▁the ▁Maryland ▁Institute ▁College ▁of ▁Art ▁( M IC A ) ▁in ▁Baltimore , ▁Maryland ▁where ▁he ▁received ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁degree ▁in ▁Ill ustration . ▁Upon ▁gradu ation , ▁Bl anks ▁worked ▁in ▁commercial ▁design , ▁illustr ation ▁and ▁fre el ance ▁phot ography ▁through ▁work ▁with ▁The ▁Baltimore ▁Sun ▁newspaper ▁and ▁illustrated ▁children ' s