We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daria Nadeem a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Daria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

The generic answers for a question like this are usually like – “I want to be remembered for my art, for helping people, for doing something unique, for making the world a better place, etc.,…”

I just want to be remembered. In regards to my art, I just simply want to accomplish everything I’ve been writing down in my diary since I was a kid and feel proud of myself for materializing it. I do hope to be remembered for having my own art style and for giving people the best experience while working with me on set. I’m proud of myself for every single time someone has acknowledged how professional but fun I am to work with, and I definitely hope to be remembered in that way.

Honestly, what I don’t want to be remembered for are my struggles, even though they have shaped much of my work. But I don’t think I can expect that of people. I spent a lot of time suppressing my story, and only allowing people to know half-truths of what I’ve gone through to get to where I am. But I don’t shy away from telling my story to anyone asking anymore, and I won’t be upset if that’s what helps people understand and appreciate my work, or be inspired by me. At the end of the day though, I hope I’ll be remembered for thriving, not just surviving.

Daria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a photographer and videographer who specializes in both film and digital media. I’ve been writing screenplays and directing films since I was 14, and these are still my favorite modes of expressing creativity. When I fell ill at 14, I spent over a year bedridden. During that time, I watched countless films and started writing screenplays to keep myself occupied. Ever since then, I’ve continued writing and hope to continue materializing all my screenplays into film projects.

My journey into film-photography began at age 9, and I taught myself how to use a digital camera in my teenage years. From learning landscapes and portraits, my photography has evolved into photo series’, live shows, and professional shoots. A major highlight in my photography career was capturing images of my favorite artist, BONES, during his recent tour with Xavier Wulf and Eddy Baker.

In 2019, I launched HOMESICK By Daria, a streetwear and mini home-goods brand inspired by my own work. I’m proud of the success and positive response my first full collection received last year. Growing up in Chicago in an immigrant Pakistani & Afghani family, I’ve always been inspired by my travels and cultural background. High fashion and streetwear, two of my biggest passions, have shaped my eclectic personal style. I plan to fuse the two fashion mediums in my upcoming collections.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In January 2020, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis after experiencing temporary blindness in my left eye, known as optic neuritis. I had moved to New York the year prior, and had been living alone in the New Yorker Hotel in Midtown, Manhattan. I was struggling with myself a lot during this time. I was relieved to have a place of my own in my favorite city, but my loneliness and difficulty in adjusting to being surrounded by things and people that triggered my insecurities sent me spiraling. I was 22 and trying my hardest to keep my mind from spinning as I fought to figure myself out. To cope, I turned back to certain unhealthy comforts that always helped me in my adolescent years – isolation, starvation, smoking. I think all the stress and inflammation certainly is what led to the attack damaging my optic nerve.

I didn’t even realize what was happening at first. I was transferred around to a few different departments and doctors at Mount Sinai until it was officially deemed an MS diagnosis. This revelation plunged me into a state of panic and deep depression, especially considering my lack of knowledge about MS, and what it would mean for me. My left eye is crucial for my role as an artist —it’s my “shooting” eye. I started mourning all the things I couldn’t accomplish creatively before this attack happened. Thankfully, after days of heavy steroid injections administered to me by nurses in my hotel room, I regained my eyesight. I felt like I was just given the biggest wake-up call and second-chance, and swore to make myself a better, healthier me. Still mourning and fearful, an unexpected surge of determination and gratefulness began festering inside me. Remarkably, that very month, I ended up producing some of my best work, defying the initial despair that MS had instilled in me.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Definitely the fact that there is so much to constantly learn and improve upon in regards to my crafts. It keeps things exciting. When you go into a project with defined intentions and humbleness, you open yourself up to becoming a sponge on set, and learning from every experience and interaction you have. I believe there’s always going to be room for growing as an artist, and I’ve experienced first-hand the rewards that come from reflecting, re-learning, and evolving my creative practices.

Contact Info:

• Website: homesickdaria.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/homesickdaria
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/daria-nadeem-574318257
• Twitter: twitter.com/darianadeem
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiGLAmC7iJEVDd3U6mjE4iw

Image Credits
Personal Photo of Daria was shot by Kindaboring. Additional Photos shot by Daria Nadeem.