Hi! I'm Zaakirah (zaa-key-ra) I help you Go from where you are (stuck, stagnant, scared) and where you want to go in your business and life (freedom). I provide Black and Indigenous creatives with strategies that empower them to achieve their goals through branding and storytelling, and marketing.For the last 20 years, I've been storytelling by any creative means necessary; photography, writing, film, and podcasting.I check all the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility boxes.I’m a visually impaired, hard of hearing, cancer survivor, chronically ill Muslim Woman. Knowing your history helps you propel and prepare for your future. Entrepreneurship is ownership, and flexibility is key. Sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter!
Accessibility Is Not An Afterthought — and Where I'm Taking it Next
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Reader, June is DeafBlind Awareness Month and Black Music Month, and it's also a month filled with conversations around accessibility, innovation, storytelling, and community. It was an honor to speak at the WITS Travel Creator Summit! I got to stand in front of a room of women and men who travel, who build, who advocate — and I got to be honest with them about what it means to move through the world as a Black, disabled, Muslim woman who refuses to be invisible in travel spaces. I talked about what accessibility actually costs you when it's an afterthought. I even confidently wore the black Eyehesive eye patch instead of my prosthetic eye. The positive responses reminded me why I show up and do this work even when it's heavy. My session mainly focused on making content more accessible for individuals with invisible disabilities. I shared several practical tips, including: - Adding captions to talking videos to improve engagement and reduce skip rates. - Using detailed image and video descriptions to boost your SEO. - Applying proper color contrast in your graphics and thumbnails for better readability. Want to dive deeper? You can watch the full recording by clicking this link: Ready to build with me 1:1?You can also book a mentorship session with me if you're navigating storytelling, disability advocacy, podcasting, travel media, or building purpose-driven creative work. These are focused, strategic, and built for women who are doing the work and need a thinking partner — someone who's going to ask the hard questions and tell you the truth. Whether you're clarifying your brand direction, working through a partnership strategy, navigating a speaking career with a goal of being on a TEDx stage, or figuring out how to monetize your expertise without losing your voice and being empathetic to those with disabilities — this is the session for you. Click here to schedule your session June is going to be a full month in the best possible way. Over the next few weeks I'll be documenting lessons around accessibility, technology, storytelling, travel, and belonging even with hearing and vision loss. I'll be making notes of lessons from upcoming networking events in London, England. Until then, I'm carrying the experiences from Chattanooga, Tennessee with me. I'm carrying the community with me. And I'm building something for Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 3 and 4 that I cannot wait to tell you about soon. What's Popular in the Travel Marketing Culture Right NowRoots Picnic has become a case study in community-building, cultural storytelling, and multi-generational audience loyalty. I think about the people who flew in from all over the world to be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This year's event generated major conversation around Jay-Z's headline appearance, his new hair do, and the gathering and commemoration of a career 30 years in the making. Whatever you think of him right now, he has built a cultural and travel economy that moves Black dollars internationally. The conversation happening around him is bigger than him. There's also the quiet product placement of his wife's hair product, Cecred (pronounced Sacred). How are you reclaiming ownership in your space? And while you're pondering that, ask yourself who gets left out of the conversation when we design experiences? Talk soon.
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Your Branding and Marketing Therapist
Hi! I'm Zaakirah (zaa-key-ra) I help you Go from where you are (stuck, stagnant, scared) and where you want to go in your business and life (freedom). I provide Black and Indigenous creatives with strategies that empower them to achieve their goals through branding and storytelling, and marketing.For the last 20 years, I've been storytelling by any creative means necessary; photography, writing, film, and podcasting.I check all the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility boxes.I’m a visually impaired, hard of hearing, cancer survivor, chronically ill Muslim Woman. Knowing your history helps you propel and prepare for your future. Entrepreneurship is ownership, and flexibility is key. Sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter!
Reader, This past weekend, I attended my maternal family's 80th reunion, and I left feeling deeply inspired. There is something special about being surrounded by people who look like you, think like you, and understand the importance of legacy. I spent the weekend listening to family stories, laughing with cousins, and being reminded that I come from generations of brilliance, resilience, and service. One of my favorite memories wasn't a grand moment at all. It had been three years since our...
Reader, At Essence Fest over the holiday weekend, I moderated a panel, had a founder feature, and hosted a Soft Stories sensory session all in one day. In between, I kept noticing people wanted to be inclusive but almost nobody had a framework for actually doing it, especially in their content. Most of the attendees I spoke with, particularly other New Voices founders, admitted they hadn't considered captions or image descriptions yet, but they were very appreciative of the insight. That's...
Reader, I just got back from Essence Festival — and I’m still processing. I spoke at two activations, both filled with people who showed up ready to listen and talk about disability, inclusion, and what it truly means to be empathetic to other communities. It was powerful. And in both rooms, I kept hearing the same thought echo in my mind: we need more of this. We need spaces to belong, to rediscover ourselves, and to feel empowered to keep going. Here is the link to watch the 3 minute recap:...