Meet Aminah Salaam | Creative Director and Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aminah Salaam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aminah, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I am not a first generation Entrepreneur and my goal is to make sure that I am not the last. My grandfather has always been extremely dapper and amazing with doing Women’s hair. Even though this was considered to be foreign among black cisgender straight males during his time, he had his own very profitable hair salon in Harlem and he was my go to person for a press & curl. My mother went on to carry the same traits and has a business working in human wellness and non profits for over 30 years. Having people like my mother and grandfather as elders is the foundational reason why I felt comfortable enough to start, but what has kept me going are all of the former students that I have taught as an educator and my forever student, my daughter Chloe. If I constantly push for them to reach for the stars then I also have to lead by example. I decided to study Film while I was in college when I remembered a composition notebook that I had as a child which had my favorite directors listed in them. I was always fascinated with lighting, composition and telling an impactful story. When I graduated from college, my entrepreneurial spirit took me into working in media where I developed the first Video department at a multi million dollar radio station during the growth of social media. During this time I also took part in an entrepreneurial program founded by Olympic Gold Medalist Allan Houston and began starting the process of developing my own Business. At first, Abstrak Vision’s purpose was to solely serve small businesses and artists with visual tools to help their endeavors grow in spite of gentrification, however the education component was added a few years later. Through some soul searching, I have learned that I am unhappy if I am only doing one or the other in regards to education and entertainment…. Therefore I combined the two with media education services, hoping to contribute to the greater good and future generations of people of color.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My Films have an authentic voice usually depicted of people of color. I am an Afro-Latina who was raised muslim and that in itself gives me a unique perspective on life and culture. I am also very empathetic so I do well with tapping into people’s emotions while also gaining wisdom and personal experiences from people of all ages and walks of life. Growing up in New York City, the melting pot of cultures and class, my mother made sure that my sister and I experienced it all. She had us traveling to schools outside of our neighborhoods at an early age, and we explored the city on the weekends. She did not judge our friends even though a few were pretty questionable because she wanted to make sure that we knew how to adapt and thrive in all environments and with all types of people/ characters.

I always find it hilarious when people look at me as accomplished when I have such a long way to go. I think that some of it has to do with them knowing how tenacious I am as if whatever I want to attain I will eventually succeed in. However as hard as I work, anxiety, depression and imposter syndrome are very real as well. I have made myself sick so many times by being too hard on myself. This is especially true when wondering if I was doing everything correctly as a mother first, then provider, Educator, Creative and Entrepreneur. Those are all a lot of important hats to wear and honestly I am still trying to find a better balance. I am learning the importance of positive self-talk and taking things day by day, also pushing to have a better work/life balance. However as I have mentioned before, combining these roles into one business has definitely helped with some of the load. Therefore whenever we are not teaching young BIPOC folks media production skills, we are often working on Documentary and Narrative Films of our own. One common theme that you will see in our projects is the importance of giving a voice to the voiceless. Our last Film, Swimming Against the Current, has been doing very well. It has been in over seven festivals and still sought after. The Film is a Documentary featuring a Black Senior Citizen Synchronize Swim Team called the Harlem Honeys and Bears, with members some at the age of 100 years, encouraging us to live our best life regardless of age.

If you are truly putting in the work, the rewards will naturally come and people will seek you out as opposed to you constantly looking for support. I know that my work has a unique voice and once it get’s into the right hands everything is going to take off from there in a way that I probably would have never imagined. Therefore I am also making sure I am also ready for that success, mentally and professionally.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I don’t get out much but I love negril restaurant in Brooklyn. It’s upscale Caribbean Cuisine often accompanied by live music. The food is delicious and the place is still a vibe after many years of being in service. Otherwise do your research and find a speakeasy in Manhattan. I love how discreet and unique they all are.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This has not been a simple or easy journey, however there has definitely been a community of individuals who have supported me along the way. There are too many to name, but to everyone who has ever believed in me, I truly appreciate you.

Website: www.abstrakvision.com

Instagram: instagram.com/abstrakvision

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abstrak-vision-llc/