In honor of Women’s Day, Songmont sat down with Amina Hansford, Board Member of Create Now.
Discover Amina’s insights on transforming young lives and the profound influence of the foundation’s work.
On Her Motivation Behind Joining Create Now
- Song: What motivated you to join Create Now and why is this important to you?
- Amina Hansford: I was drawn to Create Now because their mission and my own ethics and interests intersect in so many ways. I truly believe that providing positive opportunities for people (especially the youth) to explore interests, develop skills, play, and connect has an immense impact on individual lives and whole communities. Create Now is providing that resource to youth who may not otherwise have that opportunity. This level of direct impact on lives is something worth investing my time in supporting.
On Her Personal Connection to Create Now
- Song: Any personal stories you have with CreateNow that you can share that helps us understand why it’s important to you?
- Amina Hansford: One of my favorite memories with Create Now to date has been the time I volunteered for a water coloring workshop and helped the kids figure out how to paint their favorite cartoon characters. Drawing cartoons was one of my favorite activities as a kid. Seeing their faces light up with pride as their pictures came to life is really something awesome to witness. It’s such a simple way to teach a child that anything is possible with a little effort, some attention to detail, and their own dash of fun.
On The Impact of Create Now on Her Life
- Song: Did joining and working in the organization change your life? How?
- Amina Hansford: I’ve always been inclined towards hands-on art making. As a kid, video games were never my thing—I loved drawing, Play-Doh, coloring, and anything that required using my hands to make something. I studied Studio Arts in college and always envisioned myself being involved in the art world in some capacity.
My involvement with Create Now as a volunteer and now as a Board Member has changed my life by allowing me to realize that dream. Through supporting the organization, I can leverage my business skills/professional background and love for art to stay connected to the art world and the community I grew up in, Los Angeles.
On Overcoming Challenges
- Song: Have you met any challenges during your involvement with Create Now and how did you work through them?
- Amina Hansford: When I first got involved with Create Now, I helped the organization partner with my previous employer to put on a fundraising event that took an entire year to plan and required “all hands on deck” for the day of the event to execute it properly.
Organizing that event was my first time leading a fundraising effort and also my first time working collaboratively with a non-profit (all while managing the day-to-day of my full-time job). That event taught me how truly incredible the people are who make non-profits run. Everyone involved wore so many hats and worked so hard to create a memorable event for the kids who attended.
On The Role of Women in Making a Positive Impact
- Song: In what ways do you see yourself as a female making a positive impact?
- Amina Hansford: I’m a woman who truly tries to do it all, and succeeds…not always, but a lot of the time! I am as confident in a Boardroom as I am anywhere else in life. I make a positive impact through the level of thought and care I put into the actions I take. I think that is a necessary trait for anyone who is involved in non-profit work. I support Create Now with the intention of using my skills and resources to do good for others.
On Memorable Stories with the Kids
- Song: Could you share 2 or 3 most memorable stories you had with the kids?
- Amina Hansford: The watercolor workshop I mentioned earlier is definitely one of my most cherished experiences with Create Now. It’s worth mentioning the festival Create Now organizes annually, called the Power of the Arts. The event really is just a kid’s dream come true. We throw a festival at a local park and bring games, toy/supply giveaways, face painting, caricatures, karaoke – everything! The kids always have a blast!
In Los Angeles, access to greenspace and places to run around is not always readily available. The Power of the Arts festival is a safe space for kids to enjoy being kids.Another funny memory I have was at a jewelry making workshop I volunteered for. My role that day was to just help manage the kids at one of the tables, answer any questions I could, help keep things organized etc.
While there, I was also making my own jewelry to participate in the fun. Hearing the honest design feedback from the kids made me laugh and realize maybe jewelry making was not my forte.
On Tough Decisions Made Right
- Song: What are the hardest but the right decisions you have made throughout the years?
- Amina Hansford: I wouldn’t be connected to art the way I am if I hadn’t made the decision halfway through college to switch my major from Business to Art. It felt like such a risky decision at the time because it meant having to work hard to play catch-up, but I did it. Because of that decision, I was able to find myself as an artist and ultimately fostered my love for art that led me to Create Now.
On The Shared Vision Between Songmont and Create Now
- Song: What aspects of our Songmont brand’s image do you believe align well with the mission of the foundation?
- Amina Hansford: The connection I see between Create Now and Songmont is the empowerment through something well-crafted. Our mission is to empower youth through well-crafted arts programs. Songmont empowers everyday people to feel good through well-crafted, thoughtfully sourced designs.
On How to Support Create Now
- Song: What would be the best ways for anyone who wants to support Create Now?
- Amina Hansford: The best way to support Create Now is to donate, volunteer, and partner! You can find out more at https://createnow.org.
To further support the foundation’s efforts, Songmont is committing to donate 5% of the profits earned in the next month to Create Now, and we encourage others to join us in this initiative. Your contributions can make a significant difference in the lives of these young individuals.
Original article published on https://songmontofficial.com/blogs/events/songmont-x-amina-hansford