Today we’d like to introduce you to Nia Nash.
Hi Nia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Nia Nash, and I am one of the co-founders of Noire, an organization at the University of Texas at Austin for black creatives. Noire started as an idea in late spring 2025, in response to a problem in our black community at UT. While we had many black creative organizations for specific niches, there was not an organization where creatives could collaborate on a larger scale, whether you’re a model, filmmaker, animator, photographer, small business owner, etc. We wanted to create a space that fostered collaboration across creative disciplines while also teaching the business side of the creative industry. Over the summer of 2025, my co-founder, Christina Cole, and I brought others on board and officially became an on-campus organization in Fall 2025.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting and running Noire has not been easy. One of our main challenges during our first year was getting funding for our events. Being that Noire is an Organization for Black students and UT is a PWI, getting funding from the school has been a constant challenge. This is an issue that doesn’t just affect new Black orgs such as Noire, but other Black and POC orgs that have existed long before Noire’s conception. For me, this problem became very frustrating. We as an executive board came up with many great event ideas, but many of them fell through because we had little to no funding during our first year.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an animator and illustrator who specializes in video game and concept art. This past spring, I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Arts and Entertainment Technologies, where I learned a lot about narrative design and how to create emotional connections with my audience. The project I’m most proud of is Mushroom Melodies, a rhythm-based movement game designed to support gait and balance rehabilitation for stroke survivors.
What sets me apart is my focus on personal and cultural storytelling by using narrative design and art together across my creative disciplines to help audiences connect with cultures beyond their own. Since my career is just beginning, I’m currently known in my community mostly for designing shirts and flyers for multiple on-campus organizations. I’m looking forward to becoming known for my animation and storytelling work in the near future!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nia312005.wixsite.com/nianashportfolio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noire.tx
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nia-nash-6752112b6
