Meet Safia Malin | Writer, Racial Equity Coach, & Fashion Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Safia Malin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Safia, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success is authenticity. To be authentic is to stand in your truth. A scary concept for most people. In a world where we are judged and told to be a certain way; to respect the status quo, authenticity is the flame that burns bright against that. We all have something that makes us uniquely us, I learned how to lean into the aspects of myself that make me who I am. I garnered success on social media because of my ability to unconditionally love, accept, embrace, and showcase myself. When I embraced my authenticity my confidence skyrocketed. People always ask me how I maintain my confidence; the answer is rooted in the amount of time I spent getting to know myself on a spiritual level. I have learned that most people are running from their own shadow, I have accepted mine and it has become my superpower. I introduced myself to myself in a brutally honest way, I addressed the false beliefs that made me feel like I wasn’t worthy; and I reprogrammed my subconscious mind. That is the most important factor of my success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I wear many hats. Everything I do though I do with an equity lens. As a racial equity coach, diversity, equity, and inclusion are very important to me. I work with schools and early learning programs to ensure all children are getting the best quality care and education especially black and brown kids. I am huge advocate of working against the pre school to prison pipeline and work closely with educators to ensure black and brown kids are not getting suspended or expelled. I believe in time in not time out. As a writer I write everything. I have written poetry collections, songs, self help books and have been a blogger for most of my life. My personal blog has always been a therapeutic guide in my life and like me has went through several rebrands. Right now my blog safiasofly.com is focused on fashion writing as that coincides with the work I do as a stylist. My slogan is “Equitable Elitism” because being elite should not have to break your bank. I sell $5 sunglasses for this same reason. Everything I do is rooted in pouring into community and having the community pour back into themselves. Not just saying that but giving the resources to do that. I was the girl growing up homeless that could not afford the clothes I wanted so early on I got heavily invested in thrifting. I learned how to find gems in bins most would run away from. I excelled at the skill of curation and would take pieces that people told me are ugly and I would style them into iconic outfits. Fashion styling taught me it doesn’t matter what you have it matters how you use it. What sets me apart from others is I don’t have a lane that I stick to. I work and volunteer in so many different things and I like it that way. It helps me stay motivated and intrigued with what I am doing. Being the daughter of immigrants I have always understood the opportunity that I was gifted by being in this country. Even homeless as a child, my parents never showed a lack of gratitude. I learned young to work hard and in return have lived lifetimes. People are always surprised to hear all that I have accomplished in my 27 years of living but to me it has all been a testament of the strength of my people. We are survivors. I want the world to see me and see that a Somali, Black, Muslim, Woman did it and that means anyone else can do it too. You can be exactly who you want to be as long as you are willing to do the work. The most impactful lesson I learned in my professional life is that there is power in my intersectional identities. The system might be rigged against people like me but the system can be transcended. Life is a one player game. I recently decided to go back to school and study law. The work I do and the life I have lived has inspired me to make more change for people who look like me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Anyone who has been in the Pacific Northwest knows that this is the most beautiful area in terms of nature. I enjoy being outside and I enjoy being around water. On my itinerary are definitely the scenic spots, Mount Rainier national park, Snoqualmie pass, Olympic national park, Lake Chelan, there are so many beautiful places in Washington. My itinerary would absolutely include a boat day and lots of food! Seattle has amazing Thai food and local restaurants like E Jae Pak in International District go above and beyond in both taste and customer service. Seattle has amazing cafe’s and a great live music scene with local bands performing at almost every lounge. However I am not much of a planner. If I had a friend visit we would definitely see where the wind takes us. I believe in experiencing life in the moment.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be who I am without my older sister Sahra. She has been a positive role model in my life and has taught me so much about healing, empowerment, self love, and the journey of life. Her creativity inspires me deeply and she deserves much more than a little credit for my story. I am eternally grateful that God brought us together in this lifetime and may He reunite us in every lifetime.

Website: https://safiasofly.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/safiasofly

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@safiasofly

Image Credits
Photographer: Fuego Gatsby