Black History Month 2019

Celebrate Black History Month 2019 by working on getting your money, business, spirit, body, and hair together!

These nine women are authors, educators, CEOs, creatives and people who are making a positive change in their communities and the world.

Read on to find out how you can benefit from and be a part of the Black history they create in 2019 and beyond!

Nyaima Taylor – Co-creator of Art & Alchemy

Black History begins and end with the Black Woman, who is the conduit for all Life. It is this Loving act that nurtures Self-love.

Self Love is a revolutionary act. Participating in Self-loving activities can catapult our communities into a New-Age of Renaissance.

This is My vision, and my mandate. To create pathways towards Self-love.

My name is Nyaima Taylor, and I am the co-creator of Art & Alchemy. Our business offers practical products and services that empower, uplift, and
feed the Spirit. Our featured products are Transformational Adornments.
Hand-created, artistic jewelry that reinforces and affirms the Spirit.

In 2019, we intend to be the catalyst that helps 100,000 Black Women affirm who they are at their core. Goddess. Spirit. Love. Light. Beauty. Fierceness. The “I AM”.

We are running two projects to accomplish this. The first, our “I AM” Pledge. An affirmation created to instantly remind us of our power.

Secondly, our “Goddess Wears Waist-beads” Project. Waist-beads are fashionable, and induce Self- Love. A gift every Goddess deserves. Worn
around the waist, each set tells a story. They are made with powerful
semi-precious stones/crystals.

These adornments are tailored to the Goddess which aids in her confidence. Confidence is 100% connected to your worthiness. Only those who feel worthy can walk in their light.

Self-love induces creativity, awareness, and insight. It changes you at the cellular level.

I have dedicated my life to inspiring others to nurture, and develop the
Self-Love within. Because I AM, and WE ARE.

Veronica Haywood – Co-founder/Executive Director of Latched Support

My name is Veronica Haywood and I am Co-founder & Executive Director of Latched Support located in San Antonio, Texas. My business partner and I, Ashley Green, are both Black women in a Brown city living our very best life and making history in our city.

We are two of three Black lactation consultants in our city who took a leap of faith in 2017 to self-fund our nonprofit to offer free in-home breastfeeding education and assistance to women of color. Our goal is to increase awareness and support to all breastfeeding mothers but with African American women as a priority.

Latched is not only empowering moms, it is also changing the community perception on why it is important to support a breastfeeding mother. Latched having lactation professionals of color allows promotion of equity and cultural competence within the lactation profession, as representation to reflect the target community.

Latched is making Black History in 2019 by being the only nonprofit in the state of Texas offering free in-home breastfeeding assistance and now expanding to have additional services to include a free diaper pick-up program and parenting classes.

Laticia Nicole – Author/Philanthropist

To know where we have been, who we are, what we came from is power. It is power for our mind and our strength and our life. As I sit here pondering on how I will make Black history it’s simply how I choose to live my life.

The songwriter says, “Let the life I live speak for me, may the works I’ve done speak for me, may the service I give speak for me.” I live this every day through the mission of helping women and girls conquer their fears, press through past hurts and failures, so they can be all that God designed them to be.

I empower others through my own testimony. I help others by promoting self-esteem and self-awareness that gives encouragement to all and allows them to embrace their true self in a positive way. The history of our ancestors and the fierce-less, beautiful, bold, women in business, faith, education, media, and more have allowed me to be who I am.

I am on a journey to make sure that every person I encounter understands their greatness and their power in God. I make history, by telling my story, HerStory, is what I call it.

It allows me to look at the “hers” and see myself in their story, I connect and build relationships so when it is said and done it is not about the things I bought but about the impact I made.

I am grateful for the opportunity to just be doing what I am supposed to, what I have been called to do. To make Black HerStory!

Visit LaticiaNicole.com.

Alicea Davis – Spoken Word Poet/Author

I will make Black history in 2019 by helping my community heal from the darkness in our history. As a spoken word poet and author, I use my words and life as a poetic example of a healthy way to process difficult emotions due to racism.

As a young Black woman, I will make Black history in 2019 by sharing powerful words that helped to heal my soul wounds from racism and discrimination. I will inspire our younger generation to get in touch with the resilience that lies within them without passing down the burden of bitterness or hopelessness.

I will make Black history in 2019 by showing the world the light in our community that goes unseen by the mainstream. I will dismantle stereotypes and the masses will be introduced to a strong and LOVING Black woman.

The country will know that I represent a multitude of Black women who are filled with dignity, compassion and hope. I have shared my racial healing message on television, radio, at corporate events, universities and schools.

I am often reminded that in spite of the weight of institutionalized racism and the history of slavery and Jim Crow laws, many Blacks desire racial healing and unity and I sincerely believe that we are on the verge of making more history, I perceive it is time for a community of unheard voices to demonstrate their courage to build more trust as a nation.

I will make Black history in 2019 by changing the course of history. In a time where we are divided, I will help to close the racial divide with understanding, truth and grace. I see the tremendous amount of good in my community and I will help the world to see it as well.

Visit AliceaDavis.com.

Aya de Leon – Writer/Activist/Educator

Black history is international history. This is especially important for people who are part of the African Diaspora in the Americas. In a 2016 study, 34% of US Latinxs from the Caribbean identify as Afro-Latino.

Moreover, we have seen a significant increase in the representation of Afro-Latinx folks in popular culture, and that’s only going to grow as more people push back against anti-Black racism worldwide and demand justice and visibility.

In 2019, I will make Black History by being the first to publish a novel about Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Not only does timing matter, but so does perspective. Book, SIDE CHICK NATION, sees the hurricane through the eyes of Dulce García, an Afro-Latina woman who was trafficked into the sex trade in NYC as a teen.

Her later experiences as a sugar baby and the girlfriend of a married drug dealer create a context for her understanding Puerto Rico’s colonial status as the long-term mistress of a controlling United States that takes what he wants from her, but leaves her to fend for herself in dangerous times of life and death.

The heroine not only fights through the hurricane for survival, family and love, but she also fights to find her voice as a writer. This means she will have to unlearn early lessons that everybody wants to sexually objectify Black girls and nobody wants to hear what Black girls have to say.

This book is the fourth in the Justice Hustlers series of heist novels. In addition to Dulce’s journey, her mentor, Marisol Rivera finds herself having to come out of retirement on two separate occasions, and do what she does best: steal back resources from unscrupulous rich White men who keep taking what doesn’t belong to them.

Visit AyadeLeon.com.

Tesa Colvin – Publishing Consultant

In 2019, I will make Black History with the launch of my TV show ‘Message to the Masses’ with Tesa, which will highlight business owners and authors who are making a difference in communities with their services.

I will continue to help my clients to write and publish bestselling books that help them secure TEDx Talks, be featured authors at the NAACP National Convention and Cosmo, have their books considered to be made into movies and more!

I’ve helped over 80 authors get their books published and I generated $100k in my business in 2018 alone. I will continue to help authors write, publish and promote books that transform lives and give readers real results.

Lynetta Carson-Owens – Natural Stylist/Educator/Author

In 2019, I will encourage and support Black women who have decided to wear their hair natural and redefine beauty on their own terms.

For those who are not quite sure I will be a bridge and a lamp post that lights the way. No longer will they try to fit into the beauty box created by mainstream society.

I will use the gift in my hands and the passion in my heart to empower them to let go of all they have seen and been taught about beauty from childhood. What they once knew will be replaced with the image of beauty they see in the mirror and the reflection they see of themselves in each other.

Together we all will remind the world of the forgotten beauty of the natural woman with afros, twist outs, locs, braids and more. I will take the knowledge and know-how that I have gained over the last twenty years as a natural hair care specialist and educate the sisters, mothers, aunties and grandmas who still don’t quite understand the point of this “natural thing.”

I will teach them about the inevitable affects chemicals have on the body, the mindset, and self esteem.

I will introduce more professional Black women to the beauty and professionalism of their natural hair. I will teach the little sisters to see their own beauty when everything around them encourages them to look outside of themselves.

In 2019 I will remind women of color of their natural beauty and in turn they will reflect that beauty upon the world.

Visit TheBossomingLotus.com.

Bola Sokunbi – Founder/CEO Clever Girl Finance

As a young Black woman graduating from college and seeking financial awareness, I found myself struggling to find financial resources I could relate to. All the popular content at the time was by people who looked nothing like me with backgrounds that couldn’t be more different than mine as a woman of color.

Despite this, I made it work and made myself financially aware by leveraging these resources, teaching myself to invest and eventually saving over $100,000 in a few short years.

Fast forward several years later, I’m now a proud Black female founder empowering women of color to achieve financial independence. However, in 2019, I’m still being asked if Black women care about their finances and I’ve even been told my focus on women of color is gimmicky because all women have the same privileges in America.

That being said, my goal to make Black history in 2019 is to provide financial awareness at scale to Black women like me, empowering them to achieve the financial success they deserve and set the stage for their children to succeed.

Financial education makes all the difference and we are more than capable of achieving financial success.

Visit CleverGirlFinance.com.

Tiffiney Cornish – CEO of TC Creatives: Branding & Design studio

In 2019, I will make history by helping 20 Black woman business owners build and launch e-commerce brands that will generate six figures in the first year.

As the CEO of TC Creatives: Branding & Design studio, I work with new and pivoting business owners to help them compete in major markets. Through strategy and education, I work with these business owners to create a strong foundation for their brand so that they can succeed at launch.

Black women are the highest growing segment of entrepreneurs. However, many lack the funding, resources, and business mentors to be able to profit from their businesses successfully. In 2019, I plan to take a particular interest in these businesses to help bridge the success gap between Black woman business owners and that of other segmented groups.

Because many Black entrepreneurs come from working-class families, they have a limited understanding of business processes, money management, and branding instilled in them in their early childhood development years. Whereas, other groups are taught these things early, thus able to capitalize at a much higher rate.

Through consulting, a podcast, and business services, I plan to break down the barriers of “not-knowing.” Helping Black women owned businesses will have a positive impact on the community, my larger goal.

With more successful companies starting in the community, our community economics can grow, keeping money earned in the community. Moreover, by having more examples of successful Black-owned businesses, we can foster an environment that encourages our children to aspire to open their own companies for the benefit of the community.