ABOUT SAYIDANA

Sayidana is a 26-year-old documentary filmmaker, entrepreneur, and visionary who strives to find innovative ways to uplift her community and use film to tell meaningful stories that create empathy and spark positive change.

In 2023, Sayidana directed and executive produced a short documentary titled “Ownership: Keys for Success.” This film featured accomplished New York Black business owners from different industries as they delved into their unique entrepreneurship journeys and shared some of the biggest lessons they have learned thus far. The film was spotlighted on News 12 Westchester.

This was the third episode in a 3-part docuseries she created titled “Ownership,” which highlights stories from the next generation of Black-owned businesses in New York. The other episodes covered topics like why it makes a difference to buy from Black-owned businesses and the gap in access to grant funding.

Sayidana tells these stories through her production company, SBD Media. She started this business in college at Stony Brook University and has continued it after graduating with her Undergraduate and Master’s degrees. She now leads a small but mighty team of talented creators, cinematographers, editors, and producers to collaboratively bring these films to life.

Through her SBD Media service called “Behind the Brand,” Sayidana and her team help brands elevate their video marketing with their own short documentary-style videos.

Currently, Sayidana is working on her next short film, which will be submitted to film festivals to help reach a larger audience.

Additionally, for the past year, she has been working as a Production Assistant for a 6-part docuseries called “Down in the Valley” which will premiere on STARZ streaming platform in 2024.