Some birds feel like sunshine. When ZamZam stepped into my studio, she didn’t rush. She wandered. Slowly moving through the spectrum, her hands brushing each color — feeling, sensing, listening.
And then she turned. “I think I’m a yellow bird,” and we found the American Goldfinch. It fit her instantly.
How We Met
ZamZam and I first met at a Studio Cor3 Light Night last fall — one of those spaces where creativity and connection flow easily. But it wasn’t until winter that we truly connected. At an outdoor silent disco, with snow falling around us, we found ourselves twirling in the dark — music in our ears, laughter in the cold air.
There was something about her joy. It was palpable. Easy. Present. Real.
Who She Is
ZamZam is 22, Sudanese, and has been building her life in the United States since 2010. She carries a deep love for reading, nature, dance, her family, and community. She works as a Registered Behavior Technician, supporting children with autism — a role that requires patience, presence, and care. And alongside that, she’s studying Psychology and Economics, exploring futures that span both heart and intellect.
But there’s also another thread. She lights up when she talks about dance, makeup, acting, and modeling. She wants a future in the entertainment industry; a life that holds both purpose and expression.
Why the Goldfinch
The American Goldfinch is one of Michigan’s brightest birds. In spring and summer, the males transform into a brilliant yellow, almost glowing against the landscape.
They are symbols of:
- joy
- renewal
- lightness
- seasonal change
Goldfinches don’t hold onto winter. They molt. They shift. They become something brighter when the time is right. That energy felt deeply aligned with ZamZam. She is in a season of becoming. Exploring who she is, what she loves, and where she wants to go — not rushing it, but moving toward it with openness and joy.
The Look
We built ZamZam’s look entirely around yellow:
- Clear yellow and golden yellow stretch denim wide-leg pants
- Raven black rayon halter top
- Clear yellow rayon square wrap tied as a shrug
- Long, clear yellow rayon scarf for draping
- Yellow rose belt
- Yellow rose in her hair
The black halter grounded the look, allowing the yellow to radiate.
Layer by layer, she became brighter.
She looked like a bloom.
Like something fresh rising from the ground after winter.
The Session
We met at East Paris Nature Park in Caledonia, just as the sun began to set. The sky stretched wide — soft clouds catching the last light of the day. We wandered through wetlands and rolling hills, listening to birdsong that seemed to surround us. At one point, we nearly walked right into a cluster of life — the sound of wings, movement, energy all around.
ZamZam softened in that space. She told me she comes there often to find peace. And you could feel it. Her energy slowed. Her movements became gentle. Her presence deepened.
There was no rush. Just being.
Color Connection
Yellow is the color of:
- joy
- light
- clarity
- life returning
It’s one of the most visible colors in the spectrum — impossible to ignore, impossible to hide. But it’s also delicate. It asks you to be open. To be seen in your brightness.
ZamZam didn’t resist it. She stepped fully into it.
A Moment in Bloom
There was a moment, just before the light faded, where everything aligned.
The sky.
The color.
Her movement.
And it felt like witnessing something simple and profound:
A young woman, standing at the edge of her life,
not fully formed,
not finished —
but already radiant.
Find Your Bird
Some birds call loudly. Some blend into the background.
And some… Shine.
If you’re ready to explore your own color, your own season, your own becoming—Let’s find your bird.
