Meet Trailblazer Haya Abid

Today we’d like to introduce you to Haya Abid.

Haya, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I moved to California from Hong Kong at the end of 2012 when I was seventeen. I attended Fashion school in San Diego and realized I hated it, so naturally, I dropped out after a year and moved to Los Angeles at the beginning of 2014 – where I attended Santa Monica College to study Communications and transfer to Loyola Marymount. I realized that school wasn’t for me fairly early in my academic career but still pulled through because I wanted to fulfill my parent’s wishes of me graduating college. So, halfway through at SMC, I got into a slump where although I knew what I was passionate about (it was still fashion, beauty and mainly showcasing my personality through everything creative), I didn’t exactly know of any opportunities that were fit for me as a creative. I was always the “black sheep” of my family and I felt this also transferred over in my creative career. I started to create that “dream” opportunity for myself.

Originally, I wanted to start a fashion blog and I began to take photos of my outfits and my make up but wanted my creativity to show through. I didn’t want it to be a generic blog where I was posting outfits and eating breakfast looking cute. I wanted to showcase my many different personalities through fashion and creatively direct the shoots to post on Instagram. Long story short, the fashion blog never happened – I found myself strictly posting content on Instagram and grew a following on there. I started to notice many photographers reaching out to me through the platform mistaking me for a model. So, I ran with it and ended up creating a network of photographers, stylists, hairstylists and other creatives in LA. Through everything I do, I want to represent the “21st-century brown girl”, while also representing a third culture kid.

Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not! First of all, just adjusting to the Californian lifestyle is completely different from Hong Kong. Hong Kong has more of a New York vibe to it, so California is a slower pace for me – which I enjoy but wasn’t used to. I was really in a state of culture shock and had to adjust to different things that seem weird, how people communicate, how to maneuver around the city (I didn’t know how to drive), peoples mannerisms, etc. Everything was different! I came here literally “fresh off the boat” and had grown up on American culture through music and movies, so thats really all I knew. I came here with no friends and no family, it was me trying to make it on my own by creating an opportunity for myself that I would have never thought would happen!

My only advice for young women who are starting their journey is JUST START. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have the tools, the network, JUST DO IT! The truth is no-one is ever 100% ready, you have to dive in with no fear because fear is going to hold you back. Be yourself, stay true to your passion and creativity and GO FOR IT!

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
I specialize in content creation, I model, do makeup, creative direct, emcee and am an all-around personality representing the modern-day South Asian woman. I think there’s a negative stigma attached to brown women, either that or we don’t see South Asian women in the industry as much as we should. It’s a little discouraging because I’ve never been able to look at anyone in Hollywood and think “oh thats me! Oh, she’s putting on for me!”. I never saw myself in anybody growing up and I think thats so important because it really molds the way the youth thinks. For example: because I never saw anybody who looked like me, I thought there was only ONE idea of what beauty was. Mind you, I’m a curvy, brown woman with chunky thighs, a babyface, and big curly hair. Now, imagine being all that and having not one person in the media look exactly like you? I was brainwashed to think I had to have straight blonde hair and blue eyes to be considered “attractive” or “socially accepted”. Representation matters. The stereotype for South Asians doesn’t cut it anymore and never did, to be honest.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Say yes to every opportunity (unless it’s something that makes you feel uncomfortable) and find a way to do it! You never know who you’ll end up meeting. I’ve met the greatest people and made lifelong best friends in the industry who genuinely support me and everything I stand for.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sheisbiddy.com
• Instagram: @biddy
• Twitter: @sheisbiddy

Image Credit:
@brialysse, @gypstypixie, @audolita

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