Getting to Happy With Selena Davant of Smile A Day

Last month, I had the opportunity to sit down and converse with Selena Davant of Smile A Day, to conduct my first interview ever. We talked about her current venture, the heartbreak that birthed this project, and what she has brewing in her creative cauldron.

Selena Davant (aka Selena DS) is a 29-year-old, Oakland-based French Guyanese visual storyteller. After a devastating breakup, Selena was really sad and didnt know what to do to shake the funk. One day, while at a barbecue with friends in Texas, she mentioned she was going to start an Instagram page, Smile A Day . Her friends encouraged her to do it right in that moment. She photographed her first smile that day, in 2015, and Smile A Day was born.

Selena successfully completed her initial goal of capturing 365 portraits in 365 days. It would take Selena a year to notice that the acronym for Smile A Day, spelled sad. Things came full circle then and she realized that sadness is connected to happiness and one can grow from both experiences. Smile A Day not only helped her to get through that challenging time, it also gifted her with finding the true and hidden meaning of S.A.D.

Sustain: allow yourself to be vulnerable.

Arise: make the decision to reintroduce excitement into your life.

Dominate: take action to re-imagine yourself.

Smile A Day; one thing we can all and should always do. Ms. Davant

AJH: Looking back at where you started on your trajectory, where did you think it was going to lead you? Did you even think about that?

SDS: No, I really didnt. I was just following my intuition. Im a doer; Im a maker; Im a creator. I had an idea and I had to execute it. Thats my thing. I dont know where Im going, so thats why I was telling you I like first timers. You dont know where youre going, but youre going; so youre definitely going to land somewhere. Thats what I was trying to do: Turn this negative situation, my sadness, into something positive.

AJH: Is there anything you would have done differently?

SDS: No. I dont think so. Everything has been great. Ive grown so much through the project. Ive learned about myself, my craft in photography...and actually knowing that not knowing is fine. So not knowing where Im going with this project or how to make it grow, or figuring it out on-the-go is also great.

AJH: Is there anything youre facing right now that youd say is your biggest challenge?

SDS: Right now, Im a freelancer so staying sustainable financially and growing my brand offline is major. Ive been trying to figure out ways to make Smile A Day something that people can experience offline.

When I have an idea, just like with Smile A Day, I have to try to execute it.

Selena solved the issue when she collaborated with HellaJawns, in February, to launch her first experiential event, Pastries & Portraits a head-shot party with bottomless pastries and good music. In talking with a friend, Selena was trying to find a way to promote Smile A Day differently. She came up with the idea and reached out to Jamica El, co-founder of HellaJawns. And that was my first time...first timer again...producing a real event, organized from beginning to end budgeting, inviting people, graphics. I did all the marketing, shot all the videos and photos. It was a lot of work. Some people came from San Jose and Napa to take pictures, because they follow Smile A Day. I was like, What? No way. It was a great experience. When I have an idea, just like with Smile A Day, I have to try to execute it.

AJH: What was it like asking for that first smile?

SDS: It was easy, because Im pretty sure the first time was a friend. The first stranger was a photographer at Fossils headquarters in Texas, whom I met while I was part of a creative boot-camp, The Marcus Graham Project. He was telling a story about how he photographs products and I was so into it and asked to take his picture. It was also the first time I asked the question, What makes you happy and why? I had finally figured out that I want to know more about other peoples happiness, especially the why. That was exciting.

AJH: Whose smile havent you photographed yet that you would love to capture?

SDS: My parents. Im ready to go back to French Guyana and also do a full documentary about my family.

AJH: What is a partnership that is on your goal-getter list? Who would you love to collaborate with?

SDS: I love to collaborate with creative people in general. I would also love to create with a few companies: VSCO , BuzzFeed , AfroPunk, Polaroid , Refinery29 , Airbnb , and Apple .

AJH: What is it about those companies that makes you want to work with them?

SDS: Theyre successful and they promote new ideas consistently. I want to create and be successful. To be successful and creative, you have to be around successful and creative brands and people.

AJH: When I met you, I immediately thought Black Girl Magic (BGM). We spend a lot of time idolizing celebrities and I really want to put the spotlight on someone in my community, which is why I wanted to interview you. Who are local women you know that exude BGM?

SDS: My business partner, Kierra Johnson * Ashley E. Osborne * Allyssa Joseph * Faiza Fara, Third Space * Martina Abrahams, You Had Me At Black * Sharell King, National Association of Adventurist Black Women * afroDJiak * Red Corvette * Mimo Haile * Morgan DeBaun, Blavity * Morgan H. Walker, MAKE-DO

AJH: We just celebrated Black History Month. I think we need to move away from Black History Month and really look at it as Black Legacy 365/366. In years, even centuries from now, how do you want to be remembered? What do you want Selena Davants legacy to be?

SDS: My motto is to foster new perspectives and bring people together in positive ways. Thus, as a creator/creative I hope to be remembered for that, at least. Otherwise, it would be great to be remembered as a fearless woman, an unconditional lover, and that girl who pushed you out of your comfort zone.

AJH: Now for the penultimate question, the question you ask of the individuals you photograph for Smile A Day. What makes you happy Selena and why?

SDS: What makes me happy is unconditional love from my family and my friends and seeing them manifest their own dreams. Its how I stay motivated. Im super curious and want to know and understand almost everything, so traveling to new places, meeting new people and learning their stories also makes me happy. I am a big believer of capturing moments (for the sake of my short term memory), so creating and capturing special moments either through having deep conversations, supporting my people, or through the lens of my Polaroid and my DSLR that makes me really happy.

AJH: Is there anything we didnt touch on that youd like your smilers to know?

SDS: Stay positive. Stay true to yourself. Love. Kill the game.

Selena Davant creates like a rock star, because she is one. In addition to exploring ways to grow Smile A Day and creating more live interactions through the S.A.D. medium, Selena is working on a business venture that is on the hush, for now. Ms. Davant is a Black Girl Magician who is leaving her imprint in every space she enters and with each creative ideation, as she captures moments that will never be forgotten. In essence, she is here to kill the game and wants YOU to kill it too!

Connect with Selena Davant on her site or on IG .