The Hustler's Digest StaffThe world today is thoroughly confusing. With rampant discrimination and hatred that has seeped into even the deepest pockets of society, all we need is positivity and empowerment to counter them. This is what Pakistani-American artist and Instagram influencer Mina Hasan believes. Her goal is simple: to be the role model for others that she did not have growing up.
Mina Hasan was born as a first-generation American to immigrant parents who had moved from Pakistan not too long before. Growing up was tough and her dad’s aggravating back injury made things worse. This is when she saw her mother take charge and go from being a housewife to a biology major, and the breadwinner for their family. This instilled a profound understanding of duty and hard work in her.
As a kid, Hasan did not feel like she had many South-Asian influences outside of her home. Social media had not yet seen its boom, and whatever little representation was seen on television was not enough. As a result, she grew up with insecurities and developed certain habits that were detrimental to her health. She eventually took to Instagram and started posting about her life and troubles. Soon enough, thousands of people joined in and reached out to her. It was then that she realized how important it was to be the South-Asian role model for her community that she so lacked.
Hasan is now a wellness and beauty influencer on Instagram, with over 100k followers and an average reach of 800,000 users. Her content concerns identity, especially her Pakistani heritage, beauty, and fashion. She also regularly talks about mental health issues and mindfulness. On Youtube, she mostly posts Youtube Shorts about the latest fashion trends and how-to. As an artist, she paints minimalist pieces with a strong social message. Her works have commented on issues like the Palestinian genocide and body dysmorphia in young people.
Because Hasan’s primary focus is on telling young girls with different skin that brown is beautiful, she frequently counters beauty myths and calls out brands for their discriminatory practices, so impressionable individuals do not turn inward to find flaws. On the other hand, she also talks about problematic behaviorisms common among South-Asian families, like casual invasion of privacy and conditional love, that can have a lasting impact on the minds of the youth.
The wellness influencer also monetizes her social media platforms and collaborates with brands to finance her education and raise funds for various charities. Currently, she is getting her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts in Business Studies and plans on eventually starting a marketing agency to help talented entrepreneurial-minded individuals reach their full potential.
