Sayma Mishi

This month’s installment of Beam’s Staff Spotlight series features our Program Associate for Project Leaders, Sayma Mishi. Working with the program’s Director, Lizzie, Mishi spends her time prototyping creative and kid-friendly projects, assisting Project Leaders with their prototyping, preparing snacks, and managing program materials and setup. Mishi also conducts site visits to CAMBA sites and supports Project Leaders as they teach elementary-school children. Mishi was first introduced to Beam through her studies at the Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction (UASDC), with whom Beam has partnered since 2014.

When asked why she decided to work at Beam Center, Mishi says that after participating in different programs she felt included and welcomed. Mishi states, “All of these programs were inclusive - and by inclusive [I mean] gender friendly, culture friendly, and it’s very welcoming. I wasn’t really interested in engineering programs like circuit making or coding or using the laser cutter. But as I worked with many different programs and made a lot of projects, I got more interested in it.” She continues to say, “It was also because my major is Fine Arts so it makes sense that I work with Beam because there are more artists here and they also work with art and engineering side by side.”

Prior to joining the staff, Mishi participated in our 2021 Spring Apprenticeship and then worked as a Project Leader herself and facilitated creative projects at Beam Camp City. 

Speaking about the Project Leaders program, Mishi says, “I think it’s a good program for [Project Leaders] to make some extra money and learn some skills that they wouldn’t learn in schools. For example, here they have to do public speaking. In schools they don’t have a class for public speaking or facilitating; they don’t have those types of classes, and they are learning skills like making a circuit. High schoolers don’t have access to those types of skills or those classes for those skills, but they are getting those skills here at Beam.”

Mishi says her favorite moment at Beam is from Summer 2021 at Beam Camp City, where she met different people and made new friends. Mishi says, “There aren't a lot of programs like Beam Camp City, and I got to go outside on an island, have fun with other people, and make art. The people that I worked with made that summer really fun and memorable.” 

Outside of Beam, Mishi is currently an undergraduate student at SUNY New Paltz majoring in visual arts. She has a sculpture and ceramics practice as well. Recently Mishi participated in the Small Exchange Market, which is a fundraising event that took place here at Beam Center. At the fundraiser, artists were able to sell their products and donated 20% or more of their profits toward legal funds for community members. For the Small Exchange Market Mishi used her ceramic practice and created bowls and holiday ornaments. Speaking about her experience at the market, Mishi says, “It was a good place to make connections and know about opportunities. It was really wholesome.”

We value having young people involved with Beam for multiple years, and we are extremely grateful to have Mishi in our community. Leave a comment below to help us thank Mishi.