We recently connected with Khadeejah Abdusshakur and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Khadeejah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
My small business, Kovered in Joy! was created out of a need to see more representation of and for Muslim woman. The lack of broadness and diversity in imagery, storytelling, and experiences when it comes to Muslim products and lifestyle forced me into action. I used my Graphic Design training and artistic inclination to create what I like to call useable art featuring Muslim women in a variety of skin tones and styles.
I don’t just create fun, funky, bright useable art. Through the use of social media, I aim to curate and create relatable and uplifting content that my target audience will see themselves in. My core values for this brand revolve around a love of Faith, a reclamation of the joy of Muslim womanhood, sisterhood, and of course, representation.
I can’t say if I knew/know if Kovered in Joy! would succeed, but I knew it had to be done, it’s a necessary brand; every time someone takes the time to reach out to me via social media or in person to tell me how happy just looking at my products makes them, affirms this.
Khadeejah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a small town girl, originally from Ohio, but have been residing in Michigan for about 7 years now. I received my Associated of Liberal Arts & Sciences degree in Visual Arts in 2011. Upon graduation, I started my freelance Graphic Design & Creative Services company, Oddball Creatives LLC. My artistic inclination came about as a result of grief and declining mental health as a young teenager. I developed such a love for the creative process that when I started college I knew I wanted to major in something art related. That’s when I discovered their Visual Communications program. And the rest is history as they say.
I absolutely love the problem-solving aspect of being a Graphic Designer/Visual Artist/Visual Communicator. Being able to create meaning, or convey a message through the use of color, line, text etc gives me so much joy and I love being able to provide that to my clients. I know that with do-it-yourself applications such as Canva and the like, services like mine MAY seem less and less valuable, but honestly I’m not worrying about it, I know what I bring to the table, and it’s valuable.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think non creatives struggle to understand the utter fulfillment the creative process brings, like nothing else can, Many of us will choose hunger, financial instability, to able to dedicate time to our respective crafts rather than gift up on our passions for something more financially secure and predictable. Of course, the goal is for our art, or joy, our passion to eventually lead to financial stability and the life of our dreams. Our creative side isn’t just a side actually, it’s the essence of who we are, it;s our core. To deny that is to deny ourselves and who wants to live like that.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
Social media is a great and easy way to keep in touch, but I highly recommend focusing on building your email list. for a few reasons: -Everybody has an email address, not everyone is on, or active on social media.
-Your email list is a better reflection of who your actual supporters are
-You own your email list, you do not own your social media
Contact Info:
- Website: koveredinjoy.com oddballcreativesllc.org
- Instagram: @koveredinjoy @feistea.kat @oddballcreativesllc
- Facebook: facebook.com/koveredinjoy , facebook.com/oddballcreativesllc
- Other: Etsy Shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/KoveredinJoy?ref=profile_header