Meet Camille Ashraf, Maryam Aasif | Co-founders and Community Organizers

We had the good fortune of connecting with Camille Ashraf, Maryam Aasif and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Camille Ashraf, Maryam Aasif, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
We started Actors Across Borders to create a community that truly reflected our backgrounds and experiences. As South Asian founders living in one of the most diverse cities in the country, we were searching for a space where we could connect with other artists who looked like us and represented the city’s diversity. Through our events, we wanted to bring together creatives to enjoy improv, learn acting fundamentals, and collaborate across different mediums. Our goal was to build an inclusive environment where artists could connect, learn, and create together.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As founders and as an organization, our work is deeply intentional. Every class, film, and play we produce is designed to have a meaningful impact on the Houston community and beyond. What sets us apart is our focus on creating an inclusive space for connection and creativity. Actors Across Borders started as an improv group, and from the beginning, our goal was to offer something different from typical film or acting events—a space where people could drop their guard, meet other creatives, and simply enjoy the experience.

Since then, we’ve hosted over ten acting and improv workshops, made two films, staged a play, and even put together a multi-art festival. Throughout it all, we’ve aimed to foster an inclusive, open environment that invites participation from the entire arts community.

Along the way, we’ve learned a lot, including the importance of staying open to collaboration with peers. We’ve found that the beauty of creative work begins when we acknowledge we don’t know everything and allow collaboration to shape the outcome. But perhaps the most significant lesson has been that if the space or opportunity we’re looking for doesn’t exist, we have the power to create it. That philosophy has guided us from day one.

We’ve been fortunate in that, from the start, the Houston arts community has been incredibly supportive. This encouragement has helped us grow without many major setbacks, and we hope our story inspires others to build spaces that bring artists together, support their journeys, and celebrate diverse voices.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to visit, I’d kick things off with fried chicken and waffles at The Breakfast Klub and a stroll through Buffalo Bayou Park for skyline views. We’d hit Shri Balaji Bhavan for dosa and sweets from Raja Sweets, then catch a comedy show at Houston Improv or a secret live performance with Sofar Sounds. The next day, after biking along White Oak Bayou Trail, we’d dive into birria tacos at Tacos Doña Lena, explore the Museum District, and finish with a cozy dinner at Anna Thai Food. Honestly spend the rest of the week eating our way through Houston!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to recognize Houston’s incredible creative community, home to many talented artists. Among them is professional actor Danish Farooqui, who has been instrumental in leading several of our acting workshops. Organizations like In The House Media also deserve a shoutout for their support of newcomers in the film community; collaborating with them on our first film, Thinkin’ About You, was a highlight. And, of course, a big thanks to the broader Houston arts community, who helped us bring the Falasteen Arts Festival to life this past July. The support from artists who are passionate about addressing injustice is something we deeply value. Houston is truly a community that shows up for its own.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actorsacrossborders/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/707877810877325/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ActorsAcrossBorders/videos

Image Credits
Renegade Lens, Farah Mithani, Ayesha Muzaffar