Life & Work with Nikki Abban

Hi Nikki, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I didn’t realize I was a “creative” until I was 19 years old in college. I joined a film club at the University of Pittsburgh and there , was where I found my people. I realized that I had always loved story and being a part of creating it. At Pitt, I just knew that I wanted to be a talk show host. I wanted to be like Oprah — to hold space for people to share their stories. That’s not exactly what happened but I found a profession that had a similar purpose.

In 2015, fresh out of college, I worked as a social media intern at Doctors Without Borders in New York City. This experience, which I thought would lead me nowhere close to my dreams, did the opposite. It led me to meeting a man named Phil, who would change everything. Phil overheard me talking about my aspirations  —  to be a documentary filmmaker and shared my story to his wife, Darcy, a filmmaker working at a small Brooklyn documentary film and television production company. I applied to an office production assistant opening there, and I got the job. The rest was history. From then on, I built my craft and community with top documentary professionals in New York and beyond. These people that have shaped and continue to shape me as the young professional and woman I am today.

After my time in New York, I explored other passions and paths for myself. In 2018, I joined Peace Corps Morocco as a Youth Development Specialist. Before and during service, I was still working on story by producing my first feature-length documentary, Uncivilized, with my friend, colleague, and director of the project, Michael Lees. Even as I was exploring other realms of my purpose, storytelling was still the focus. In 2019 – 2020, the film showed in the Brooklyn Film Festival, The Pan African Film Festival, Third Horizon Film Festival, and more.

Once returning from the Peace Corps, I began my Master’s in Education at Hopkins and taught high school English. My goal was to teach while doing my art on the side.

The experience with my students was unforgettable and truly a blessing. However, putting art to the side did not sit well with my spirit. A few months before my 29th birthday, I realized that the creative dreams and journey I’d be navigating since I was 19 needed to be honored fully.

I knew it was time to pursue art full-time and jump back into my industry. Now, I’m back in the film industry working freelance as a producer and delving more into writing and directing. I’m learning to find my voice as an artist and to discover which lane (or lanes) are best suited for me.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My road to getting here has not been without challenge, yet always coupled with support from the community and God. My sophomore year of college was when I really started to think about what it would mean to live a life that had no clear path. My friend Monica and I sat on the grass in front of the Frick Fine Arts building late at night and spoke our dreams aloud. By the end of the conversation, we realized that we wouldn’t have a structured path that other people may have and she was okay with that and I was okay with that.

That moment brought me back to my Uncle Emmanuel’s words to me when I was 17 years old — a few years prior to this moment. He asked, “Nikki do you want a life that is ordinary or extraordinary?” Immediately my answer was the latter. He then responded, “If you want an extraordinary life, you have to be willing to do extraordinary things.” This moment and the moment a few years later with Monica were two that come to mind where I made an agreement with them, myself, and God that I would agree to whatever it took to live that “extraordinary” life. Extraordinary to me is beyond the “lux life” but it’s about living a life with depth and width and big experiences  — the good, bad, and complicated.

I mention these stories because, at those times, I was young and naive and had yet to experience the isolating, painful, and craziness one feels pursuing “the road less traveled.” I couldn’t have predicted the mental breakdown I had in New York that would ultimately push me to leave, the shame I felt when ideas I started failed or never got finished, all the days I wondered if I was good enough. Last year was a tough personal and professional year. I struggled financially, while simultaneously dealing with incomprehensible pain of grief. Things were hard and sometimes still hard, yet, I’m good. I am who I am because of the divine order of my life, and I color the world through the good and bad experiences life has presented.

With each challenge or setback, I have had God, family,  and friends to help anchor me and guide me. I would be remiss to act as if this support hasn’t been a huge reason; I still carry on today.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I work as a producer to make sure that short and long-form (usually) documentary-style videos have all necessary logistics handled in order to create the best product. The majority of my professional work in film has been in that realm. However, I have other mediums that I am working in as well.

When I think about who I am as an artist…a few projects and things come to mind:

I am a writer. I’m really proud of this sci-fi novel I’ve been working on for some time. I really believe it’ll be a part of my legacy, and I’m looking forward to its completion and release to the world. This story has allowed me the space and time to reflect on things I’m deeply curious about unearthing. Things like, our existence here in this space, the cyclical nature of abuse of power, wonder and awe experienced in youth, healing through shared experiences and expression, and spirit floating through the spaces in between.

I am also currently developing my first documentary in which I’ll direct. It will serve as a love letter to Ghana through my lense. As a child of two Ghanaian immigrants, Ghana is my home away from home, and I want to document this space as a healing and life-giving place for myself and — perhaps– the diaspora at large.

When I think about what sets me apart from others, I’m not sure if I have a hard and fast answer. Honestly, I’m just living as my most authentic self with guidance from the spirit. I suppose by doing this, the uniqueness manifests. I’m not afraid to be vulnerable and to live in my truth. I don’t know if that style is particularly unique, but it’s the only approach I can pinpoint.

The funny thing is that people, at large, are a lot less unique than we’d like to think. Because of this, we  artists make content that can connect with the masses. We as humans are all part of a collective consciousness working to survive and ideally thrive in this life. Artists , scientists, spiritual leaders, community organizers and the like are able to tap into the pulse of what people are questioning or yearning to receive and then, act on it.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?

Books:

• Salt by Nayyirah Waheed
• The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
• The Prophet – Khalil Gibran
• Homegoing – Yaa Gyasi
• Binti Series by Nnedi Okorafor

Podcasts:

• Black Girl in Om Podcast with Lauren Ash
• Claima Stories with Bimma
• Studio Noize: Black Art Podcast
• How I Built This with Guy Raz
• The Institute of Black Imagination

YouTube

• Elevation Church Sermons

Resources:

• Spiritual Direction for Writers lead by Charlotte Donlon (This is an online community group of writers).
• Women in Film and Television