We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Noemi Saafyr Paz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Noemi Saafyr below.

Noemi Saafyr, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents did some horrible things, while also doing some amazingly resilient things as well.
I am one of many survivors of sexual abuse starting within my home life, and outside of the home. At 16, I caught myself sexually projecting onto others. This led me to make a conscious shift for peace and clarity. I chose photography as my source of releasing and navigation. I joined a paid youth program in Boston by 17, and this radically changed my life.

I found myself reporting all the abuse and trauma to the adults around me and they found legal support for me to leave right before turning 18, my parents agreed to emancipate me so that I could move onto my life journey. This has been pivotal as I instantly found a doorway to liberation.

This opened many doors, gates, and paths that despite whatever my parents resisted, they always landed with allowing me to live my truth. This showed up in all areas of my career as I learned to follow my passions for peace, art, love, and community. I have been an activist, youth worker, and health promoter since. This has helped me to help other survivors as Executive Directors for multiple programs, and now rebranding my own.

I used to be a sign language interpreter, thinking that was my purpose, because I am very good at it and it kept me close to my parents. This influenced an amazing program I ran for years called SOS: Sharing Our Stories, but it was also keeping me in my trauma cycles. in 2022, I started to shift my mindset, my life style changes, and surrender my attachments.

On January 2023, I started to live in the identity of a RADICAL. This started with venting on my YouTube channel, exploring the different meaning of Radical. This then turned SOS into Gems & Jewels by Saafyr. This is a new wholistic approach to a Radical Arts Initiative while now prioritizing myself and including many others on this journey that are similar to my story. To validate those who have been invalidated.

What my parents do right now, is respect me, and allow me to validate my journey without their permission.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Noemi ‘Saafyr’ Paz, best known as “SAAFYR” a Black-Caribbean, Queer, Spiritual Warrior of LIBERATION. I am a Radical Creative Community Organizer from Boston, MA and a Certified Artist in Boston, and in Fitchburg, MA. I attend Fitchburg State University studying in a Graduate Program for Arts & Education. I explore healing through performance arts, dance, songwriting, event organizing , leading wellness workshops, and fitness.

Other hats I wear are:
Talent Manager & Youth Mentor for Boston Lesbigay Urban Foundation
Substitute Teacher for Worcester & Nashua Public Schools
Personal Assistant to McKersin under his companies McKersin Consulting, Katye Productions, and Lakai Arts, Inc.

I run a monthly newsletter with Aabidah Muhammad, my best friend, and business partner. Together we make connections and create opportunities with other artists and healers in and around Boston, and beyond. Our goals are to run a monthly open mic series, to spread wellness, and continue to heal with deep intention for better impact on life.

Since 2017, I have released two music.& poetry albums, SOS: Sublime Over Stress and SOS: So Saafyr, I have also featured my latest single “Blessing” on YouTube, streaming everywhere. I also sell Gems & Jewels Products: Self-Love Sprays and specialized Crystal stone Jewelry! I offer energy cleanings and oracle messages from our Angel Teams. I love to support events and radical businesses. I am currently working on my next passion project, which is a visual mixtape telling my story as a short film.

I live with my sweet black cat named, Obsidian. My love language is acts of service, and physical touch. Virgo Sun, Aries Moon, Cancer Rising! I love to travel! Big sister of two amazing brothers! Auntie to gorgeous children of my chosen family. My dream is to marry a healthy, financially motivated, and spiritually aligned BIPOC Lesbian who is aspiring towards their dreams while building a family together. Check out my monthly updates to learn more about what love takes me! Thanks for subscribing to my story! Your support donates to collective social healing and change in this funky world! I love you!

Gems & Jewels, a Radical Arts Initiative.

Mission: An organic collective, led by Saafyr, whose mission is to center BIPOC Womxn & Queer Adults & Youth gifts in the fields of Arts, Education & Wellness, by identifying us as liberators on journeys that offer creative passion projects while fighting for financial freedom to restore the imbalance of harm caused by generational abuse.

REQUESTS: We welcome and encourage support from allies who seeking to heal and help represent positive social change and impact through arts & transparency. Support can look like volunteering, in-kind and monetary donations, and/or just show up.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Not everyone can come with me on this journey. I may bring people to the water, but they have to want to drink it. Just in case they are ready, I make sure to keep my tank purified, so that I am always prepared to share my cup.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to be genuinely connected spiritually and creatively with other healers and change makers that have impacted the world globally, universally, and beyond as they are willing to face the shadows that come with the light work. My mission is to uphold truth and birth a radical journey of liberation. My goal is to complete my catalog of chakra-inspired music before I die. My goal is to hug Erykah Badu, and have the world see I made it to the other side of the game, and thanking her for her inspiration.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.saayr.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saafyr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noemipaz
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saafyr/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Saafyr
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/sos_sharingourstories

Image Credits

Kat Concep, Bizzie Ruth