Meet Asma Elmi, a fashion promotion graduate from the University of South Wales. Asma’s final project is Al Naaem — an editorial magazine exploring the diverse culture within the black and Muslim community, through articles and poetry which compliments & celebrates the rising cultural diversity within the fashion industry. Alongside the magazine, Asma aims to support young Black and Muslim creatives in Wales through events and a community that has a strong identity. Read more about Asma’s work below!
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
From being at university, I have gained a solid understanding of policies and safeguarding – in building Al Naaem as a collective movement, I will put this knowledge to use and ensure that people engaging in the network are safe, their privacy is protected, and their creativity can flourish. I have experience recruiting and bringing together young creatives from diverse backgrounds, and coordinating art activities, events and exhibitions.
I also have a growing network of more established artists and cultural producers in Wales and beyond, who I would like to bring in to connect with the Al Naaem network and provide mentoring and advice to young diverse artists. I already have a developed editorial eye and experience in the curation of analogue and digital spaces, as well as print media. I will apply these tools to take the Al Naaem brand forward and create a strong and recognisable visual identity.
Tell us about your current projects and work, what have you been working on?
I created Al Naaem as an end of year project which turned into a successful publication. One of the reasons why I started Al naaem was because being at university I was the only black Muslim within my year, I would get questions about my ethnicity, race and religion as I was a physical representation of what a black Muslim girl looks like, I never really got offended or defensive about the questions, I felt like it was my place to educate anyone that was queries to help them understand more about Islam and modest fashion through speaking to me or through my creative shoots as I felt that was my best place to show my identity to tell my story or just express how I was feeling at the time. This is what I want to continue to do for my community and the art scene in Wales.
My main focus of work was Al Naaem magazine; and editorial piece exploring creativity, diversity and culture with a primary focus on Cardiff’s young Black and community. By featuring young creatives alongside my own work, creating editorial content in community venues such as Butetown and building an offline and online following for Al Naaem I was able to raise our profile and visibility. I propose to transform Al Naaem magazine into a movement that exists both in digital and analogue spaces. Using methods like outdoor pop-up displays, performances and exhibitions in the community, as well as digital workshops, safe spaces and discussion groups, we will overcome the barriers of social distancing and work together to collectively elevate young Black creatives in Wales.
We can use this platform to interact with audiences and other creatives, collaborate with individuals and institutions, communicate, display our work and become a visible and dynamic part of the creative scene in Wales. I will continue to explore the diverse culture within the Black and Muslim community, the rising cultural diversity and representation of colour within Wales and connecting to similar initiatives and collectives across the world.
What form does your work take?
Founded by Asma, Al Naaem is an editorial magazine exploring the diverse culture within the black and Muslim community, through articles and poetry which compliments & celebrates the rising cultural diversity within the fashion industry.
How have you evolved as a young creative while studying / working?
Al Naaem. I have created a feeling of community among young Black creatives and a real momentum to carry us forward. And hope that young Black creatives can find the solutions and create the opportunities that we need for ourselves.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away? Do explore any topics like diversity, sustainability or politics in your work?
After all the research I released I myself was finding out things that I didn’t know about my faith, culture and overall background which was beautiful to see and also the lack of diversity & representation for the black and Muslim community within the fashion industry along with not seeing many Cardiff based fashion publications on modern modesty fashion, relatable articles, poetry and even art for individuals like myself so I took it upon myself to somewhat fill that gap the best way I thought possible. Knowing that there wasn’t much out there within the industry I launched issue 1 focusing on making that change Al Naaem hopes to explore the diverse culture within the black and Muslim community, share our stories and educate creatively through poetry, relatable articles, art, imagery, and fashion.
What’s an aspect of the fashion industry that you’re passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
Al Naaem community will be resilient. As young Black and Muslim/female creatives we are often not heard, or exist as isolated voices within creative spaces. By creating our own safe spaces, supporting each other, learning and sharing we will form a collective that can step out into the world, engage and negotiate on our own terms. We will be stringer, more confident and resilient through collaboration and community. I am also interested in connecting with other minority and young artist through the Al Naaem movement is more established; as minorities we need to support each other.
We face many similar challenges and stand in solidarity with each other. I am proud of my Welsh roots and would want that to be reflected through the work of Al Naaem. For example, in our online session we can invite, meet and communicate with Welsh speaking poets, with disabled artists and other creatives from minority backgrounds – Al Naaem will focus on young Black creatives in Wales, supporting especially young women and those of Muslim faith, but Al Naaem will function as a safe space for all.
What is your plan for the future?
The stakes are high and continuing to focus my energy on the arts is a massive risk, one that is not always seen as viable in my community. However, as much as I am anxious about the future I see opportunities to create change, to create new and unseen content, to bring something to the art in Wales that has not previously existed. I will invest this plan in building platforms, both digital and analogue, in connecting people to art and art to people and in building the infrastructures we need to connect and grow, be seen, heard and understood.