Meet Fatima Elswify of The Same Room and The Tribe Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fatima Elswify.

Fatima, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m originally from Inglewood, CA. I’ve lived in West Covina, CA and currently in the Mid City area. I grew up striving to lead in the corporate world, climbing the ladder at some fortune 500 company. To accomplish this I studied Economics at Spelman College and landed a job at a big company post-graduation. I soon realized that there was no passion behind this pursuit of mine so I decided to quit. This leads me on a journey of self-discovery and I’m so grateful. I was unemployed, I worked for free, I struggled from job to job until I found the very thing that sparked joy within me. I am a content creator. I started doing mini- blog projects for fun, learned what it means to produce, and share stories that matter.

I now work for The Oprah Winfrey Network in both programming and production where I get to learn from the very best in the industry. I produce on The Shade Room’s hit show The Same Room. I also work on my own documentary projects. One of my favorite things to do is to build my non-profit that I co-founded with my best friend called The Tribe Collective. I get to pour out and serve adolescent youth to help them gain confidence in who they are and what they are called to do through workshops.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth road whatsoever but a fulfilling one for sure. I think that a lot of times we start our journeys and careers in the image of the person everyone expects us to be. That was my story until I reached a low point. I was sexually harassed at my first corporate job that I already hated. I quit this job (after reporting him and getting him fired of course) in hopes to land another job that I would enjoy. Instead I was unemployed on and off for years. This is where I worked on my relationship with God and surrendered to following God and learning my true identity. This process was so necessary because it helped me build a foundation of what is real and true. I was no longer living to impress others. I was living to fulfill my purpose in life. I also discovered that although I am business-minded I am a lot more creative than I ever gave myself the chance to explore. I found a mentor in the Entertainment Industry and she introduced me to film and television. I learned quickly that unscripted television was what I wanted to pursue. Back then, I never would’ve thought I’d be a producer. I now see the importance of trusting God and the process that is meant for you.

Please tell us about The Same Room and The Tribe Collective.
My personal business is called The Tribe Collective. This is my non-profit/production company. We create content that speaks to the heart of young people and their process of emotional healing. We also have a component that caters to youth and helps provide tools in discovering who they are and their purpose in life.

My show that I produce on is called The Same Room presented by The Shade Room. This is a faith-based series that brings together people from different walks of life to discuss some of the biggest questions people have about God.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
There is no such thing as luck. It’s been divine intervention that has gotten me this far in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: tribecollective.org
• Instagram: fatima.elswify

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