By Lensa Lello Said
I open my Zoom link to speak with Absetou for the first time, but I have seen her face before. On the evening of February 7th, I caught a glimpse of the multi-disciplinary spoken-word artist, who also answers to the name NoFables, as her video premiered before the all-women Sayalab cohort of emerging African diasporic content creators. Sayalab, a digital storytelling program launched by Sayaspora, guided the selected participants on how to tell a 60-second audio-visual story from inception to production in just 14 weeks.
In NoFables’ minute-long recording, she penned a love letter to her mother, a tribute that is a hug in video form. It was an offering that she hopes encapsulated the depth of love she has for her mother, the most notable source of her creativity. But it doesn’t take long to see that creativity is everywhere in her house. Within the first few minutes of the interaction, she shares with me that later in the evening, she must run off to see a spoken word performance by her sister.
The very person who inspired Absetou to pick up her pen.
A family of creatives.
Despite her natural inclination towards the arts, Absetou had reached a point where she was questioning her modelling, spoken word, and performance endeavours. It was then that she stumbled upon Sayalab, a program financed by The Canada Media Fund, which comprised of mentorships, workshops and community building. From August 2025 to January 2026, budding creatives based in Montréal and Ottawa were paired with mentors to develop skills in audiovisual and digital creation. “It introduced me to new experiences that I hadn’t wrapped my head around or known possible,” NoFables tells me with resolve.
Among the stacked roster of mentors whom I had spoken to was Kenza Cardot, a visual storyteller who set out to inspire her mentees’ artistic processes. For Kenza, Sayalab filled the gap of what has been missing in Montréal and Ottawa’s artistic landscape. The program that rewarded each participant with a $500 stipend to create their minute-long video provided “funding, exposure, direction, and confidence,” factors that are paramount to nurturing budding talent. But make no mistake, even with the modest budget, Kenza reminds me over our call that “you can do a lot with a little. I am proof of that, the girls are proof of that, the experts are proof of that.” After viewing the videos created by the cohort, I agree.
Under the theme “Through Her Eyes,” the videos were a snapshot into the interiority of these women. Tales of resilience and recovery, be it surviving domestic violence or disorderly eating. Repairing a fraught relationship with the self after job loss, turning 30, and reminiscing on the cultural practices that brought comfort as warm as a cup of coffee. The participants opened the door and welcomed the viewers into their lives, if only briefly, but the impact remains.
Through Kenza’s guidance, her mentees were able to inquire about all things technical, logistical, and artistic during their one-on-one sessions. The visual storyteller shares that this experience distinguishes Sayalab from many other programs that set out to simply “create for the sake of creating.” Instead, Sayalab offers a space for beginner and intermediate content creators and artists alike to create with purpose and direction. “It provides a foundation that allows the mentees to grow on by themselves until they are comfortable enough to spread their own wings.”
A sentiment shared by Montréal-based Sayalab participant, Yasmine Elmi, who echoes, “the mentorship allowed me to take a leap of faith without falling into the void. I knew my mentor would catch me whenever I fell”. Yasmine is a clinician researcher, and medical student who began her pursuits in content creation with the hopes of being a voice of encouragement for Black girls and boys aspiring to work in healthcare. An ambitious feat that would intimidate many, but after one conversation with the soon-to-be double doctor (MD and PhD), it is clear she takes it on with ease. Yasmine has been able to organically grow her following by chronicling her life and academic pursuits on Instagram since 2024.
“Sayaspora helped [in that leap] because I might have abandoned social media if it wasn’t for the program. Sayalab came at a time during the summer when I was over [content creation] and burned out from school. Sayalab gave me that motivation to push through and continue forward.” Interspersed between mentorships, scriptwriting, and filming were workshops led by experts passing on their knowledge to Montréal and Ottawa’s upcoming creatives. I got the chance to speak with workshop facilitator Afoali, the creative mind behind NINE SIXTEEN STORIES, a video production company based in the 514 area.
In just three hours, Afoali imparted her lighting, sound, and editing knowledge to the young women. The NINE SIXTEEN STORIES founder demystified vertical video creation, with the hopes of “giving the women the tools and autonomy to tell their own stories”. After checking in with the participants, I can confirm it did. “Not only do you walk out of the workshops with new information,” says Yasmine, “but you walk out having achieved something.”
“Everything I learned in Sayalab streamlined into how I make videos going forward.”
Going forward. A testament that the 60-second videos were just a sneak peek of the talent coming out of this program. So, what can we expect of Sayalab now that the first iteration has wrapped? What can we make of the village of 9 expert workshop facilitators, 12 mentors, and 22 participants, that was built with care by Project Manager, Lucie N’thanga, at the helm? We will have to keep our timelines refreshed to find out.
Until then, Kenza assured me over our video call that Sayalab, as we know it, does not simply end because the 14 weeks have elapsed. Kenza emphasized that her doors are always open to offer advice, as well as for creative exchange with her mentees. She’s noticed that pursuing the arts and content creation as an African diasporic woman can often be an isolating endeavour when it does not have to be.
Although she dreams of returning to Mali, Kenza understands that while she is in Canada, she must “build home here, build with the culture here.” Kenza urges other African women in the diaspora to find community in programs like Sayalab, stating that “they might not necessarily come from the same country, but they are still showcasing the same values and dreams as you. Build your hope here until we return. Building strong foundations here for other people to lean on them and grow all together.” Her mood lightens as she tells me that “Sayalab was a reminder of everything I hoped for, searched for and found.” A soft landing spot in the interim. With Sayalab, she was able to find a creative community in the diaspora. She found an artistic home.
Lensa Lello Said
Writer, and Visual Storyteller
Lensa Lello Said is a writer, interviewer, researcher, and visual storyteller whose work is situated at the nexus of Black feminist geographies, art and public policy. For Lensa, the pen and lens are conduits she uses to piece together community and hope. You will find that her written and visual work is anchored by a renewed desire to create and revive alternative ways of being and knowing what it means to be a Black Muslim Woman. She holds a Master of Arts degree and has more than seven years of experience in advocacy for equity-deserving communities.
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