Rising Stars: Meet Hafsah Mijinyawa of Ypsilanti, MI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hafsah Mijinyawa.

Hi Hafsah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If I were to go all the way back, I’d say I got my start as a young adult on the internet in the early aughts. My introduction to technology was a little bit staggered due to growing up in a low income family. But I remember being inherently drawn to what the evolving internet and technology around me had to offer—an escape and an opportunity to reach things that felt out of grasp. In the 2000s, I found community among other young artists and technologists online, and when I eventually transitioned to college life, I was pleasantly surprised to find that those same experiences and hobbies could evolve into something practical. “Having fun with Photoshop on the internet” had quietly become a skillset.

I was fortunate to begin my college years in Ann Arbor, where I had access to the educational programming of multiple well-regarded universities and colleges. Fortune was paired with misfortune at times. For my mother and me, Ann Arbor was a difficult place to be chronically low-income, and those first few years were a mix of uphill financial battles and small, hard-won moments of hope. Costs and proximity drew me to Washtenaw Community College, where I spent the next four-plus years in their graphic design and video production programs, learning, working, and building a network of friends, future colleagues, educators and mentors. Over time, the work I poured into my studies turned into a career in graphic design—first through small freelance projects, and eventually into an ongoing career in the tech space as a multidisciplinary designer.

Being grounded and staying connected with the places and people who have supported me and helped me thrive is critical. Not just as a creative professional, but as a human being. This network of professionals and entrepreneurs that I’ve met has introduced me to new ways of working, thinking, and creating work that holds meaning. Meaningful work, whatever form it takes, feels more important now than ever. In navigating the worlds of tech, non-profits, and arts and culture initiatives, I often circle back to my early days as a kid learning, playing, and connecting online. In those early digital spaces, everything revolved around storytelling and drawing people from across all spectrums together without judgment or pressure. Wherever I go and whatever I do in my career, I hope to never stray far from that ethos: helping others see themselves in a meaningful story.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I grew up “financially insecure” — in other words, poor and low-income. Not always knowing whether your family will have a roof over their head, or at least keep the lights and heat on, isn’t a stress-free way to live. But it teaches you a lot about the value of resilience, adaptability, and discipline.

One of hardest and strangest parts of the journey to where I am now was living at the Robert J. Delonis Center with my mother for almost half a year, while also trying to secure a decent-paying job and finish my final year of college. There are so many assumptions about how people end up in financially insecure situations — what they did to deserve it, or what they “should” do to get out of it. In our case, we landed there because well paying work was hard to find, and Ann Arbor is an expensive place to live. Simple as that. No drugs, no mental health conditions, just bad luck.

We got out because we never stopped trying to get out. When we were deposited at the shelter, I made a promise to myself: I would never again be at the mercy of others. That mindset has stayed with me ever since, shaping how I approach both my work and my life. All things considered, school was the easy part — the education and portfolio it gave me were the tools I needed to move forward. The real challenge was navigating the potholes along the way, and learning to find moments of ease and strength even in the rough patches. I carry that lesson with me, and I wish the same sense of steadiness and hope for anyone facing their own difficult road.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At my core, I’m a storyteller whose medium is visual design and motion/film. My work blends 2D animation, live-action, and brand design to turn complex ideas into stories that resonate. The majority of that work happens in the context of design software like Adobe After Effects or Adobe Illustrator, but the communication pre-work that I do with clients and stakeholders is as—if not more—important than the production work. I’m currently a senior motion designer at a cybersecurity company, where I support our business in bringing clarity and humanity to an industry that is often extremely technical, and that looks to effectively leverage the power of strategic storytelling.

I also take on freelance projects from time to time, typically partnering with entrepreneurs, small business owners, and startups who need a creative hand in shaping their brand storytelling. Whether I’m producing an explainer for a tech company, developing visuals for a local organization, or experimenting with emerging design tools to explore new ways of storytelling, I’m always drawn to the same question: how can design make something feel more human?

Beyond brand design, I’m deeply involved in community-based creative work through organizations like the Independent Film Festival Ypsilanti (iFFY). iFFY is an Ypsi-based and founded film event that looks to create a space where filmmakers and enthusiasts can connect and collaborate with each other. That kind of community work reminds me that creativity doesn’t live in a vacuum—it’s something that thrives when shared.

What I’m most proud of isn’t any one project, but the threads that connect them all—empathy, clarity, and authenticity. Through years of partnering with both creative peers and clients, I’ve learned to see design not as mere decoration, but as translation of thought. Art and design—in whatever shape it takes—helps ideas cross the social and cultural gaps that exist in our diverse world. I think that’s what sets work apart in general: it’s not about being the loudest or flashiest, but about making something that truly resonates.

What matters most to you?
Three things:

Authenticity, because if we are not true to who we are, we are simply lying to ourselves, and to others. Lying is no way to live.

Kindness, because love and kindness are superior to hate. Period.

Truth, because again, lying is no way to live.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wetcloudmedia.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hafsahmijinyawa
• Other: https://phantomspacecop.bsky.social