Sa’fian Lewis, a fourth year telecommunications major, isn’t afraid to take the leap off the deep end. In her final year at Penn State, Sa’fian is proud of her wildest dreams — the ones that have come true and the ones that are yet to come.
In a static of bright blue energy and clad in a star-studded sweatsuit, Sa’fian beams with her latest projects. Her drive is palpable.
After all her hard work, Sa’fian is participating in the Hollywood program this semester, dipping her toes into the world of media production in Los Angeles. Though she isn’t sure of what comes next, she is sure of what she wants.
Finding True North
The Sa’fian that sits comfortably in her own bones hasn’t always been. It took a while to finally discover her under all that promise.
“I would try to change myself to fit into these spaces, only to realize that ‘you’re good enough as you are.’”
If you have the drive — If it’s already in you, and you know what you want — you could do it just by being yourself.
Sa’fian attributes many of her successes to her family and friends. Young, introverted Sa’fian probably would’ve never taken the leap to study abroad in South Africa if it weren’t for the push of her close friend, Monica, and her support system. She may have never even pursued her passion for communications if it weren’t for the people who inspired her.
Though always looking forward, Sa’fian isn’t afraid to glance back. Sa’fian grew up in West Philadelphia, in circles she admits may trap Black women in certain boxes and cycles of expectations. But, she describes her parents and her friends as constant reminders of hard work.
Thinking back, Sa’fian believes her younger self would be so proud of where she is now. Getting here wasn’t without its difficulties: taking up space where, historically, Black women haven’t been welcomed, breaking expectations and taking leaps of faith.
Redirection, Not Rejection
Sa’fian acknowledges she has been told ‘no’ many times. She applied to the Hollywood program her first year, but that didn’t come to fruition. She admits it hurt her heart, but good thing she’s a little stubborn.
She applied again. Now, she’s ready to live out one of her biggest dreams.
During her time at Penn State, Sa’fian found herself in places she could only have dreamed of. Halfway around the world in South Africa and Japan, she took her passion to the max. In Japan, she had a marketing internship with the only stand-up comedy club in the entire country. It’s an experience she describes as both exciting and eye-opening.
The path here wasn’t straight or even clear, but Sa’fian has never minded readjusting the arrows of her compass. She doesn’t believe in rejection. Instead, she redefines it as redirection.
If you don’t do it, then you’ll always just dream about it … No one’s gonna get it for you … It’s gonna hurt you more that you wished for it for so long, instead of just doing it.
Sa’fian may be here now, but she’s grown comfortable with anticipating the unknown tomorrow — even if that means having to redirect.
Ad Astra
Sa’fian is a spark, always ready for the next opportunity. The same vitality she just seems to attract, she works for.
Even with her hands full, she doesn’t forget to give back to her community of creatives.
On her podcast, “The Platform,” Sa’fian provides a platform for local artists to promote their music and work. “It’s a space where they feel important,” she says. “I don’t care if you sing rap, country, DJ … we have all types of people.”
Sa’fian recognizes that many minorities and Black women like her haven’t always been welcome into certain spaces. The entertainment industry has been no exception. A lot of progress has been made, but there is more work to be done and Sa’fian is ready to take on the challenge.
She shares her ideas for future show productions that depict Black communities in a different light. She is set on portraying the lives of Black people in authentic ways, real and diverse — especially people in creative spaces. It’s the kind of representation that not many minorities and people of color have enjoyed. TV and film fall back into stereotypes, disseminating harmful narratives that aren’t the only story.
I do it a lot to make other people proud, in a way. I do it for myself. These are ideas that I want to do and to inspire other people.
Certainly, it takes time to find one’s footing in a chaotically revolving world, but Sa’fian proves it’s not impossible. She is a visionary, a little crazy, she admits — but what’s life without a little craziness?
For all her big energy and even bigger dreams, Sa’fian remains grounded in herself:
“Don’t wish on it,” she reminds us. “Do it.”
