Shania

I watched the brand go viral in the very beginning in 2016! So, growing along with the brand has been so wonderful; congratulations!

A pivotal moment for me was probably the #yourhairmatters movement that happened this past February. It was monumental for me because I had just released my second children’s book, which is all about celebrating and loving natural hair. I loved the satin collection and seeing all of the love for the Locs, curls, braids, and waves. It was so beautiful.

My favorite You Matter Piece would probably be the solid black hoodie I bought initially from the first collection. That hoodie meant so much to me because I had to save my money from my very first job to be able to purchase it. Kids made fun of me at school because I wore that hoodie out, but because I loved the brand and everything the movement stands for, I didn’t care. It made me feel special. It made me feel important. It made me feel like I mattered.

I’ve struggled with my mental health since I was a teenager. However, around this time last year, after losing my job, going into debt, and being forced to leave a career that I loved, my mental health reached an all-time low. I contemplated if I even mattered enough to be here anymore. Even though I had lost everything, I still had my creativity, as I love to write. I sat down and wrote words I wished someone had told me as a child. I wrote words filled with love, encouragement, and hope. Then, I turned those words into my first children’s book entitled “Dear Little Black Girl.” When I first published and released the book, I had gone through almost six months of nothing but bad things happening to me, so I didn’t expect much. Boy, was I wrong. Since releasing my first book, I’ve become an award-winning author; I started my own publishing company, published my second book, began touring schools, speaking with students, and hosting free community events for children to exist in a space filled with love and literature. That first book changed and saved my life, but now I get to bring light and love into other people’s lives, and that gives me all I need to keep going.

When tough times come my way, I let my pen talk. My journal is my sanctuary. Writing helps me process things better and assess what I can do to help myself. Another thing that I do to take care of my mental health is to take care of others, even if it is in small ways. There have been times when I was at my lowest, and just giving someone a compliment or purchasing a meal for someone else always lifts my spirit because it makes my heart full to see joy on the faces of others. It's like the domino effect when you smile, I smile and now look at us just cheesing.

As cliche as it might sound, please don’t give up. I know things get rough, but remember you are worthy, you are enough, and you are loved. If you think nobody is rooting for you, I promise to scream the loudest for your success, health, and happiness. Please be gentle with yourself and your mind because you matter, and we need more brilliant people like you here.

June 19, 2024
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