NASIM SIDDEEQ
What one piece of advice would you offer anyone who asks? Peace isn’t happiness. Peace is accepting what is.
What is your favorite thing in the world and why? I love growth and progress. Growing or progressing as a person is when I feel the happiest and most alive.
What helps you persevere when you feel like giving up? God. I have to turn to God and rely on this power that is far greater than self. I often forget that I’m not on this journey alone and that there is a power I can call on and rely on.
For what in your life do you feel most grateful? For this moment right here right now and another opportunity to get things right.
What is the best compliment someone could give you? You changed me for the better.
What is your greatest strength? Impact/influence.
Authentic, passionate, reliable, and honest, Nasim Siddeeq brings a contagious energy to everything he does. Born in the Bronx and raised in Wawayanda (yes, really), he grew up in a hard-working, sports-driven family that showed love through humor. He has an older brother and sister, and especially misses weekends spent with his cousins.
A three-sport athlete, he credits sports with shaping his discipline, resilience, and drive. At SUNY Albany, where he studied Spanish and minored in music and secondary education, he competed in track and field, studied abroad in Chile and Puerto Rico, helped his team win the IC4A championship, and broke the AEC conference record in the triple jump. For him, there’s nothing like hearing the official call, “Bring out the steel tape.”
As a child, Siddeeq dreamed of becoming a famous singer with a top-40 Billboard hit, and that dream is still alive! He was discovered at four, when his grandma heard him singing “Oh Happy Day” in the bathtub. He joined SSSAS in 2011 to teach Spanish, but left in 2016 to pursue music full time. A man who puts 100% into everything he does, Siddeeq knew he had to give music a shot.
Performing as a street and subway musician in New York City was hard work—carrying 75 pounds of equipment, staying hydrated, and hunting for restrooms. Some days he made just $20 for three hours of singing; on his best, $430 in two. He gained a following busking and learned how to ignore the unappreciative. His music journey includes two albums of original songs, performing at the Apollo Theater and the Kennedy Center, and three years as a solo guitarist and vocalist for Disney Cruise Lines. But he says his most memorable performance was when a man without a home shouted “boooo” with an endearing expression, then winked as he departed. His boos led to people leaving more generous donations!
This year, Siddeeq returned to SSSAS as a Spanish teacher and track coach. In the classroom, he sees Spanish as a way to open doors and break down barriers, and when supporting students in the Academic Center he draws on his own experience to help students build strategies, confidence, and momentum.
The best part of his day—lunch, of course! His playlist is filled with 90s R&B, rap and hip hop, dancehall reggae, and funky instrumentals—and he’s still performing. Siddeeq’s favorite book is “The Power of Now,” his top movie is “Major Payne,” and he just binge-watched “Godfather of Harlem.”
The perfect weekend starts with Jum’ah on Friday, and includes grilling, family, friends, guitar, a motorcycle ride, and reading. Adventurous with food, his favorite restaurants are Yechon Korean and Yamazato Sushi. Siddeeq traveled the world with Disney, but felt most loved and welcomed in Cuba.
Siddeeq always wants another five minutes of Spanish class and loves sharing a different side of himself as a coach. His fondest wish is that his students have a lifelong passion for learning, recognize we are all interconnected, and treat others with respect and kindness.