Daily Inspiration: Meet Jameela Hill

Hi Jameela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Detroit, MI – to the city that made me, love you forever for it! As the eldest daughter of eight children, I learned the importance of holding space for everyone to live with authenticity and joy. I moved to Tucson with my daughter five years ago, seeking a fresh start, and since then, I have dedicated myself to supporting Black people in birthing, learning, living, and parenting in ways that resist the trauma of white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism. I am a full-time mother and artist, and part-time yoga teacher and student pursuing a certification in IT.

My journey with art began when Abundance gave me the opportunity as a teaching artist for DREAM School’s KindeziCare youth program in the summer of 2022. I had never dreamt of being creative, let alone being an artist. My dad could draw well but I couldn’t draw stick people to save my life. My daughter inherited the art gene so I fed into her as much as possible. Along the way, I realized I am creative and that I have innovative ideas – I just need some help bringing them to life.

Throughout quarantine, painting became a form of meditation for me, and I shared my art with Abundance, who encouraged me to apply for a grant with The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern AZ. Who would’ve thought this little Black girl from the Eastside of Detroit would be awarded the first grant she ever applied for?! It built my confidence that people saw value in my art, and said “oh you want to do a thing? let us help!”. It’s still sort of surreal that people want to buy my art. I’m so grateful.

I founded JijiVisha Holistic, which provides trauma-informed doula and yoga services, as well as resources for Black women who are looking to cultivate healthy, affirming relationships and find their purpose.

A smooth road has never been my experience in life but the struggles made me who I am. I don’t believe that you have to go through traumatic events to grow, but I do believe that it’s important to take what happens to you and turn it into something positive. I’m a little Black girl from the Eastside of Detroit who didn’t believe she would live past 18 years of age. I’m doing things I never even had the imagination to dream up. I mean seriously, I never even considered I would or could ever ride a horse and now it’s my favorite thing. Couldn’t have told 19-year-old Mee who took her first yoga class at EMU in 2004 that she would be a yoga teacher 20 years later. If you asked me to do anything IT before this year, I would’ve told you to get somebody else to do it! Lol. Hiking? Huh! You couldn’t have paid me to be up in somebody’s mountains with snakes, coyotes, and bobcats. Removing myself from environments that didn’t encourage growth was the biggest favor I’ve ever done myself. Little Mee is so proud of the woman I am becoming.

Although I’ve completed about 8 years of college and have enough student loans to have earned a master’s, I haven’t earned a degree yet. School has never been easy for me because I have trouble focusing, and I didn’t realize until later that I have some disabilities that make it harder for me. People expected greatness and I had to deliver, regardless of what it cost me. Hello, high-functioning anxiety! I remember bawling before calling my Bam Bam and telling her that I was leaving college for the first time. I was 19yrs old and so afraid of what she would think. She told me that she was disappointed but that she would be proud when I figured out the thing I wanted to do. Hey, it took me 20 more years to figure it out but we are here, lol and she tells me how proud she is all the time. It means the world to me to make my granny proud.

I love learning, just not academia, I’ve earned 6 certifications in yoga, breathwork, fitness, and doula care since 2019. I’m currently finishing up my 300hr yoga training with I AM YOGA and taking IT classes at PCC. I hope to turn my IT certification into a degree in Networking or Cloud Management, but I’m keeping an open mind because there are endless fields of interest in IT.

It took me a few mental health diagnoses and the pandemic to slow down and fully realize my purpose in life. It’s so unfortunate that the pandemic happened the way it did but it truly changed my life. I took full advantage of the time to do the inner work. I discovered so much about myself and put down the things that didn’t belong to me. I decided to remember who I was before society told me to fall in line. I pose the question to anyone who will listen: what steps are you taking to become the person God sent you here to be? If you realize you aren’t on track, switch lanes. If you’re not growing, you’re dead. And since you are breathing, you are still on assignment. Figure out what that is and get to it.

I started Jijivisha in June 2020, and that fall, I applied for the inaugural cohort of the We Rise Business Accelerator. It was such a great jumpstart into entrepreneurship. I almost didn’t apply because I didn’t think I would be selected. I didn’t even find the application for the accelerator until 2 hours before the deadline. I put everything on the table and went back to doing door-dash deliveries the next day, not anticipating a call. I’m so grateful for Local First because there’s no way I could have gained access to those resources without their help. Going through the accelerator was rough because my dad and best friend had just died.

The grief was overwhelming but I didn’t give up. It was in this program that I had disabilities I was unaware of. Having Cassey Mapp-Ahmed as my mentor is the only reason I finished that accelerator, thankful for her. I no longer mask my symptoms because I understand the way my brain works. I proudly acknowledge my neurodivergence and hope to provide space for others to fully do the same. I am here doing art and helping others because I decided to address my mental health issues. I wish the same freedom for everyone.

As an artist, I am passionate about creating acrylic and mixed-media pieces that invite introspection and promote mindfulness. When quarantine hit, finding joy became more difficult than ever, but that’s where my love for fluid art came in. The process of creating these pieces is a meditative experience that helps me find peace and clarity amidst chaos.

In my abstract art, I strive to offer a glimpse into the inner workings of my mind and share with others what I’ve discovered along the way. I am most proud of myself for sticking with art when it wasn’t bringing in any money, and for using art to create joy where there was none.

With the award money from my grant, I hosted a retreat on March 19th at JTH Tucson for BIPOC women who are ready to become their best selves. The retreat included art exploration, hiking, yoga, journaling, & tea time. I hope to host similar events more frequently, such as art and movement workshops consistently, with larger retreats every quarter. I plan on collaborating with local businesses to bring forth amazing events that help push us all closer to achieving our dreams.

By fusing art, movement, and reflection, I’ve developed a unique multidisciplinary course that aims to help individuals explore their subconscious needs and desires. Through this course, I hope to inspire others to embrace the power of creativity and self-discovery.

The pandemic has been a life-changing experience for many of us. For me, it has been a wake-up call that reminded me of the importance of finding joy in everything I do and taking care of myself. It has taught me that rest is not a luxury but a birthright that we often forget about in our pursuit of success and productivity.

The pandemic has also made me more aware of the negative impact of capitalism on our lives. We have been conditioned to believe that our worth is tied to our productivity and that our value is based on what we can produce and consume. However, the pandemic has shown us that this mindset is unsustainable and that we need to prioritize our well-being over our work.

As we move forward, I believe that it is essential to prioritize rest and joy in our lives and to challenge the harmful systems that prioritize profit over people. We must recognize that our worth is not tied to our productivity and that taking care of ourselves is not a selfish act, but a necessary one.