You know you are in the presence of Black Girl Magic when every time words are spoken, clusters of gems are dropped and you realize you need a basket to catch them all. That's the experience I had when I interviewed three of the five founders of CurlFest, the world's largest natural beauty festival. Simone Mair, Tracey Coleman, and Melody Henderson can attest to the fact that the one thing that binds us all together as black women, is our hair. Whether it's kinky, curly, or coily, there is an unspoken connection we have with one another when we're in our natural state. We all have dealt with those difficult wash-and-gos, or the twist outs that didn't work out the way it did for that YouTuber.
Most importantly, we also know what it's like to feel the stares, or hear the negative comments in regards to how we choose to wear our crowns. The founders of CurlFest agreed that there was an undeniable need for a brand that empathized with the experiences of women of color. Melody, who acts as the design guru among the tribe, said, "It was really to fill a need, to fill a void. My background (career in marketing), my whole question was always, 'Why aren't we being seen, why aren't we part of the story?' And the five of us wanted to be part of that solution. How can we, as women of color, in our natural state, in any capacity, be a part of the story?"
Thus, the Curly Girl Collective was born.
The brand started with five women seeking to create a space for women of color to talk about their experiences with their hair, as well as others' perceptions. It was a judgment-free zone that they soon realized many other women probably need as well. Creative marketing consultant and freelance writer, Tracey Coleman, who makes up ⅕ of the Curly Girl Collective explained, "At first people (brands and press), weren't really interested just because they didn't deem it as important. And as the narrative has changed on what beauty looks like, it's a huge shift from when we started. You're seeing more women of color and women with natural hair in commercials and in movies and in leading roles and all over the world. That's when the media starts to listen, and we're a part of what's driving that."
"The media realized that this was an important story that needed to be told."
Tracey and her teammates have made it their mission to develop fun and unique ways to help multicultural women celebrate their natural beauty. The first CurlFest was launched in 2014, and in just four years, this tribe of girl bosses was able to take their at-home business and transform it into a staple event in the natural hair community.
The founders of CGC are proof that heavy is the head that wears the crown, even if that crown is a mane full of beautiful curls. Simone, who is also an award-winning volunteer, told us, "I think sometimes as women of color, we're kind of a double minority here and naturally have more to prove."
"We kind of have to work twice as hard as some of our counterparts, so there are challenges."
Despite these challenges, these queens are thriving honey, and they shared some gems with me that will help you flourish, too. I got to speak with these ladies more about their roots (both proverbial and natural), as well as how pursuing your passion can truly liberate you from the daily grind and ultimately allow you to develop a profitable business.
What is the secret to your success? How did your brand become so well known in what seems like such a short amount of time?
Tracey: The growth was interesting...there isn't some marketing campaign behind it, or a celebrity that's driving it, or something that happened that went viral. Honestly, it's the energy that people feel when they come to CurlFest and that feeling of appreciation and celebration of who they are. That comes through in what people say about the event to their friends and family, and what they say on social media.
One thing that we've learned is that you can market something all day long, but at the end of the day, it really speaks for itself. The fans actually drove the growth, they decided that they were coming back the next year. Every single year, they're telling their friends, and telling their cousins. It's a blessing not to have to have to market the event because the demand is there.
What do you think was the major turning point? How did you turn your passion into profit?
Melody: I believe that the passion and the profit actually are intertwined. I think we are where we are today because that passion never went away. There's five of us, and we are literally doing this around the clock: putting on something that can support the 30,000 people. But what's driving it is that passion. The turning point really came when brands started to realize that we were bringing them qualified leads.
It's not a commercial you're bringing to the masses. People are opting into CurlFest, people are looking forward to CurlFest for the entire year. So, knowing that from a brand perspective, when you start to talk about revenue and finances, we're telling them "This is your demographic and we're able to tell you what they need, we're able to tell you what's missing, and we're able to tell you how you can plug in."
When we had our first CurlFest, there were two brands on the lawn. So, now you fast forward to this year, it was in the mid-twenties. A lot of that is really based on fostering relationships, building a network, really holding true to what our brand is with no apology.
We typically see the glamour of what success looks like, but not so much the setbacks. With social media, everyone makes it look so easy. What have been some of the challenges that you've had building this business, and what are the ways that you've been able to overcome them?
Tracey: With that type of growth happening that fast, we had to learn really fast. We had to bring on other experts in other fields and people that could support us. We've learned that with the five of us, we all have full-time jobs. You realize that for us to maintain that and to support the growth of CurlFest that was happening so quickly, we had to tap into our village. Most entrepreneurs learn that as you grow, you have to expand to let people help you.
That's really any business, if you're trying to grow your baby, you have to let your village support that baby.
That's what we've done over the years to help us grow so fast.
What does it mean to the team to have so much support for CurlFest from black women?
Melody: A lot of times we don't realize the psychological things are happening because of how society is telling how us we should be. The fact that we're able to play a role in breaking down some of those barriers is amazing. We often marvel at the success of others wondering whether or not we also have what it takes to get into business for ourselves. Instead of being paralyzed by the fear of "what if", be empowered by it.
Turning your passion into profit IS possible. The Curly Girl Collective shows us that when you combine your passion with your drive, determination, and fearless forward progress, anything can happen. Make sure to follow the Curly Girl Collective on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and fly content from past events.
Featured image by Cincinart/Shutterstock.com
Tracee Ellis Ross is known for her quick wit, affable personality, and impeccable style as the co-star of the television mega-hit Black-ish. But what I love most about her, is her willingness to be outspoken on topics most important to her. The three-time Emmy nominated actress spoke withInStyle Magazine and dropped some major financial advice that anyone can use.
To me, one of the nastiest four-letter words is "debt"—it grabs ahold of you, and seems to to let go. From student loans to credit card bills and mortgages, debt is a part of life. And if we don't spend "smart", our financial woes will continue to pull us down. Ross says that learning this tip was her key to financial freedom:
"Spending smart is part of my motto in life...I believe that you can feel extraordinary in your life without spending tons of money. I'm a really strong advocate for living within your means and not trying to keep up with the Joneses, because then you don't have debt."
Additionally, Ross touched on the importance of establishing credit as an a rite of passage into the world of "financial maturity".
DFree / Shutterstock.com
You can't get credit without already having credit, and although it makes sense to only spend within your means, it is also important to establish your credit history early-on. That way, when you are ready to make bigger investments (like a car or home loan), you've proven that you are, in fact, credit-worthy. She shared:
"Part of learning how to be responsible with your money does require getting a credit card. If you just work with the cash that you have in your pocket, it's easier to know when that cash is done. Same with a checking account. People don't write checks anymore, but I do! Still, credit cards are really important in terms of financial maturity. I remember when I got my first credit card in college—I still have some of the credit cards from back then, actually—and I really gained an understanding of how it works. That's been important in my financial literacy as an adult."
The NAACP Image Award winner also gave some great advice when it comes to our ability to negotiate. As women, we've been pigeonholed into presumably not having this important skill, but Ross says if you know what you're worth, you need to speak on it. Demand your just due at the negotiation table. According to the award-winning actress, we can all support one another a little when it comes to learning his skill.
"Negotiating is a very scary experience because it requires a lot of courage and, to a certain extent, the willingness to lose the opportunity, which most people don't have the luxury to do. It's you saying, 'This is what I'm worth,' and as women, culturally, there isn't a training that supports us in that. That, I think, is what we are attempting to change from a systemic place. It's important to have a supportive group around you that you can use as a sounding board to be smart and creative in your negotiation. [Companies] might not be able to pay you in dollar amount, but maybe there's other ways you can be supported in the work that you do—like your travel expenses or something. There are a lot of ways you can negotiate."
As millennial women, our financial literacy is more important now than ever. We are increasingly starting more businesses than any other demographic, more likely to earn degrees, and are more often the breadwinners of the family. Tracee's advice should encourage us to start having conversations concerning women and financial independence. Tracee says that it's time to eliminate stigma surrounding these tough conversations, because in the end, knowledge is power. She said:
"Women's financial solvency, transparency, and the ability to have these conversations without being afraid are incredibly important things. We have to take the stigma away from it and actually try and make some change, and that will require us having knowledge."
It's never to early, or too late, to learn the ins-and-outs of credit and financial responsibility. It's not only a good idea to learn as much as you can about these areas, it can also be the difference between trying to keep up with the Joneses and actually becoming one of them.
To read more financial tips from Tracee Ellis Ross, check out her full interview here.
Featured image by DFree / Shutterstock.com
Article originally published on July 13, 2018
From the Whoopis and the Denzels to the Lupitas and Donald's, every year we're doing like Issa does: rooting for everybody Black. This year is no exception.
Speaking of Lupita Nyong'o, she, alongside Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan, were announced as presenters this year. I, for one, can't wait to see her notorious red-carpet slayage. The three will be pulling double-duty on Sunday night as Black Panther has been nominated for Best Motion Picture, Drama. Arguably the biggest film of the year, Black Panther shattered the box office worldwide. And if this film wasn't a first for so many other reasons, it is also the first superhero movie to ever be nominated in this category: big ups to Ryan Coogler for this historic moment, which only adds to our Wakanda pride.
A still from 'Black Panther'
The Hollywood Foreign Press announced these other extended family members as presenters during Sunday's live telecast: Taraji P. Henson (Golden Globe Winner, Empire, 2016), Halle Berry (Winner, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, 2000), Sterling K. Brown (Winner, This Is Us, 2018), Idris Elba (Winner, Luther, 2012), Octavia Spencer (Winner, The Help, 2012), and Lena Waithe.
I often view The Golden Globes as the set up for what's to come during awards season, and if the nominations list is any indication, If Beale Street Could Talk should be on everyone's radar. Nominated for Best Motion Picture, Drama, Barry Jenkins also received a nod for Best Screenplay while Regina King is nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for the film. Regina is also nominated for Best Actress in a Limited-Series or TV Movie for Seven Seconds. Wins here are sure to be icing on the proverbial cake for Regina who won the Emmy last year for her role in Seven Seconds.
A still from 'If Beale Street Could Talk'
Despite mixed reactions and reviews, Green Book has been nominated for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, and Mahershala Ali has been nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture for his role in the film. This is the second nomination for Mahershala, as he is also the first Muslim actor to ever win an Academy Award. May the odds be in his favor.
One of the most recognizable directors of our time, Mr. Spike Lee, is also nominated for Best Director for the film BlacKkKlansman. While he's won several Emmys and various other awards, a major award for one of his films still eludes him. I'm willing to bet that his time has finally come with BlacKkKlansman, which is also nominated for Best Motion Picture, Drama.
A still from 'BlacKkKlansman'
The film also has another nomination to celebrate and that is the first nod for actor John David Washington. Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama (BlacKkKlansman), John David is obviously following in his father Denzel's footsteps. The apple sure doesn't fall far from the tree in the talent (and looks) department. But if you let him tell it, he gets it from his momma. Swoon.
The award nominations for television is stacked with melanin, too. Pose received a nomination for Best Television Series, and if you let Twitter tell it, it deserves to win. Multi-hyphenate Donald Glover has been nominated again for Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy for his role in Atlanta for which he took home The Globe back in 2017. Donald has previously won two Emmy awards, one for acting and one for directing the hit show.
A still from 'Atlanta: Robbin Season'
For you Homecoming fans, keep an eye out for Stephan James who is nominated Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama. This is his first Golden Globe nomination. Our girl Thandie Newton has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited-Series, or TV Movie for her role in Westworld for which she was nominated for in 2017 and actually won the Emmy for in 2018.
Black Panther also received two additional nominations in the music department. "All The Stars" featuring Kendrick Lamar and SZA has been nominated for Best Original Song. The win would be the first win for either artist in the movie realm. The blockbuster is also nominated for Best Original Score, and if they take home The Globe, it will be the first for a black artist since Isaac Hayes won in 1972 for the score for Shaft.
From the glitz and glamour, to the wins and the potential meme-inducing moments, I live for awards season. It will be interesting to see who wins, who gets snubbed, and who gives the most epic acceptance speech a lá Oprah.
The 76th annual Golden Globes airs on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, live from the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, on Sunday, January 6.
Featured image by 'If Beale Street Could Talk'/Still.
