We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maryam Myika Day. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maryam Myika below.

Maryam Myika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Currently, the most meaningful project I’ve worked on to date is my new children’s book co-authored with my 8-year-old daughter. Entitled, This is My Story, is a 40-page picture book, designed to start the conversation around, children experiencing adversity, the loss of a loved one, and freedom of expression when sometimes words are not enough.

This project is a very meaningful piece of art. My motherhood and widowhood intersect in a way unlike most. While nursing a newborn I had been grieving the loss of my husband. Years passed and I was able to process my loss in ways that proved to make me more better. On the other hand, my daughter had no awareness of the magnitude of the loss she endured and did not know what was to come. When she turned 5 years old, it became clear she was now in her process stage of grief. This is My Story, articulates her childhood, her loss, and her triumphant embrace to the life she now lives.

This is My Story is a passion project and very meaningful to me but it is also a tool that will be meaningful to so many others.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Maryam Myika Day is a multifaceted talent, excelling as an actress, author, storyteller, and award-winning producer. She inherited her passion for show business from her renowned uncle, fashion disruptor and icon, Daniel ‘Dapper Dan’ Day. Maryam’s creative journey spans various mediums, showcasing her remarkable versatility.

She has penned the untold story of Motown sensation Tammi Terrell for the upcoming biopic “Mountain High,” starring Kat Graham. Additionally, Maryam is the screenwriter for John Sacchi’s “Vegas Jade” and crafted a made-for-television movie script about Jennifer Jones, the first African American Radio City Rockette, which was shopped by Mar Vista Entertainment. She also successfully sold and wrote “A Sisterly Christmas,” starring Deborah Joy Winans, aired on OWN.

Maryam proudly joined the writing team for Lifetime Television’s anthology series, “WRATH: A Seven Deadly Sins Story,” which premiered in April 2022. Her excellence extends to television production, earning her three Telly Awards for “Real Moms, Real Stories, Real Savvy,” featured on PBS and Disney.com.

As an actress, Maryam made notable appearances on NBC’s “THIS IS US,” “Law & Order,” FX’s “Rescue Me,” Sony Pictures’ “Fort Pit,” and the independent feature “Palm Swings.” She graced Broadway in the 2001 Tony Award-winning revival of “42nd Street” and garnered Audelco award nominations for Off-Broadway performances.

Maryam’s creative talents extend to the literary world, with her book “The Commercial Actor’s BLACK BOOK” available on Amazon. She also created the podcast and online community “North of 40,” sharing insights from her inspiring life.

Beyond her artistic pursuits, Maryam is a strategic problem solver, offering consultation to Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Toyota, BMW, and DHL. She has shared her expertise as a guest lecturer at universities, including the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

As a Creative Producer for Panay Films, Maryam’s recent project features Microsoft’s “BLACK HISTORY IS NOW” campaign, starring Common. Her extensive training and professional experience have seen her work featured on major networks and platforms, solidifying her status as a multifaceted creative force in the entertainment industry.

Currently, Maryam is proud to co-author alongside her beautiful daughter, Ayodele a new children’s book entitled: This is My Story. This book is designed to begin the conversation around adversity and children who are experiencing their pain through grief. Illustrated by Amy Rhee, Creative Direction and executive produced by Dennis Lee.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I am truly grateful to have the ability to do what my heart desires, my art is my ministry. To create something in my mind, toil over it with my hands, or in conversations with my trusted circle, and later, produce a product for consumption is very fulfilling, but only part of the reward. What is most rewarding for me as an artist, is the ability I have to inspire others to create art for themselves.

When I discovered my gifts at 7 years old, I knew immediately those gifts were not just for me. The art I was imbued with was to be shared because it came in the form of performance, it was always on display, and it cultivated a sense of high engagement or enjoyment for all who had experienced it. My art was not only for me, it was a talent for all. The freedom in knowing I had a well of artistry that could be regenerated, or recycled again and again, led me to the belief that I am not just a creative, I am an ignitor.

When teaching a class at the New York Film Academy, I witnessed (once again) the ignitor in me in action. Seeing the intent to make art in the form of screenplay but my students was sublime. What was for me a moment in time to share my knowledge was for them a chance to birth to a new creative baby that needed my experience to pass through their creative birth canal.

When one student squealed in excitement because she had broken her “story” for her feature film, I knew I was not just working as a creative, teacher who had been hired to teach the building blocks of a great screenplay. I had been a doula bringing to the world a new piece of extraordinary storytelling.

I am fueled by a passionate exchange of artistry that meets the sparks of momentum. The momentum is the reward. It is evidence of my passion for making a difference to someone who in turn is inspired to make their momentum. That is how you make rewards be more than about you.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

There are many ways by which society can support an artist. I find the the best way to do so is constantly make artists and artists of color apart of the global fiscal planning for any company, corporation, non=profit or for profit brands.

Art and specifically creatives are the bloodline to connecting passions and ideas globally. Without creatives the singular understanding of humanity cannot be heard. No matter the language of a person, art can be a great equalizer. To this end, it is necessary to support with dollars in a way that will sustain the art form and the person create it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iamyika.com ; www.thisismystorybyayodele.com
• Instagram: MaryamMyikaDay & ThisIsMyStoryByAyodele
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryammyikaday/