Above The Grid was founded in 2017 with small businesses in mind. They aren’t given as much love as the larger corporations because the checks they cut might not be as big. Add on other systemic variables like race, access to funding, and lack of education you will notice that small businesses have quite a mess to wallow through to get to success. So we figured, why not work with small businesses to get them the quality visuals they need? At least that part can be a bit easier. Our main company goal became providing access to creative branding for small operations and even non-profits.
However, we into everybody, and anybody can get it. So after our priorities with our mom and pop pals are completed, we like to go out at night and have a little fun. Mixing and mingling with the top guns is risky and thrilling, which is why we’re totally down to get our hands dirty doing dope creative work for them as well.
NAIMAH SAMS
FOUNDER | LEAD DESIGN DIRECTOR
Naimah is a Cincinnati born and raised creative with a degree in graphic design from Cincinnati State. Naimah has always had a love for drawing and illustration, and originally wanted to be a fashion designer. However, Naimah’s graphic design education sparked a passion for branding and the development of consistent and fun visual identities. From that passion the design house, Above The Grid, was born in 2017. The goal of this firm was not only to assist small businesses and nonprofits with their brands, but to also make space for a diverse group of visual storytellers and creatives, helping to move away from graphic design’s majority white and majority male images. In her design process she focuses a lot on the development of concepts and enjoys piecing together a project based on research and personal inspiration as if it were a puzzle.
One of Naimah’s biggest inspirations has always been music, and with a diverse ear listens to anything from Reggae to Metal. You’ll usually catch her working with her headphones on, which is how she got her rap name “Lil’ Headset”.
CASSANDRA DONNER
WEB AND UX DESIGNER
A born and raised Cincinnatian, Cassandra graduated from Cincinnati State with a degree in Web and Multimedia design in 2019. Fascinated by the countless ways content can be arranged to tell stories, she’s been honing her web skillset ever since. From wireframing to user testing to ideation, she is committed to creating digital content that seamlessly meets and exceeds the user’s needs and expectations. A firm believer in user advocation, she aims to anticipate and solve the question before the visitor has to ask it.
When she’s not designing, you can find her snuggling her dogs and being indecisive about what to have for dinner.
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