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DomiNque Perry Shares Heartfelt Advice For New Moms: 'You’re Not A Bad Mom'
DomiNque Perry is undoubtedly a part of the new generation of Black actresses we love to see onscreen. From her current role as Aja in BET’s Diairra From Detroit to her unforgettable role as Tasha in the forever-rewatchable series Insecure, she’s become a culture fave. But what some people may be surprised to know is that she’s also a mom of a peace-loving six-year-old, appropriately named Zen. The Black Jesus actress shared that home life with her daughter is happily calm, and becoming a mother was the God-given addition that helped elevate her life.
When discussing how she sees her future, it’s full of ease. She’s planning for a career where she’s consistently given roles that challenge her as well as producing opportunities while leading a camp for children with autism; her daughter has high-functioning autism. It’s crucial to her to nurture Zen’s unique qualities and protect her natural rawness. “Once she gets older, we’ll tame that a bit, but not too much because I love the fact that she’s honest and says what she wants. Now, I speak up in places where I feel my voice needs to be heard. Life has made me want to speak up for myself.”
Today, DomiNque is working daily to build the life she envisions while keeping her daughter a part of all of her decisions. In this exclusive conversation with xoNecole, she walked us through how motherhood has affected her life and career, how she protects her peace while remaining authentic, and the role self-care plays in her parenting journey.
Photo by Jerome Shaw
Let’s jump right in! How has motherhood changed you?
Motherhood has changed me for the better. Now I know what it’s like to have someone love me unconditionally. I didn’t feel like I had that before. Of course, I had love for my family, but motherhood grants you this deep kind of umbilical cord love that, for me, is unmatched. She’s my best friend, and the way she looks at me makes me feel worthy.
Also, motherhood made me want to be better overall. I work to be healthier, and I make sure to do my wellness check-ups because of her.
I love that because, unfortunately, sometimes, you hear conversations surrounding women neglecting their self-care once they step into motherhood.
Yeah, that can happen, but you have to take care of yourself. A lot of people look at mothers as rundown or sleepy. And, of course, there are times where we’ll be tired, but being her mom makes me want to look and be better – because I have her watching me. I mean, I was tired before I had a child, that’s just life (laughs). You have to keep going.
Speaking of life, let’s get into your work life. Obviously being an actress is a unique career, but many women can relate to having to handle business while balancing mom life. How has motherhood affected your acting career and how you show up in the entertainment world?
As far as acting, it gives me a little bit more insight into deeper feelings that can come with different projects. I haven’t gotten too many roles that are outside of comedy, so I’m looking forward to that. But because I have a child and deal with another side of life, I’m able to go into roles with a different perspective.
But she never changed my grind. While I was pregnant, I was still auditioning. And right after I had her, I was back auditioning a month later. She’s come into audition rooms with me and everything, my daughter is a part of the journey. She hasn’t changed anything – just added to it.
Photo by Jerome Shaw
Another thing, you’ve been transparent and vocal about life and different things you’ve encountered throughout your journey. How do you keep the balance between protecting your peace, yet still keep your authenticity?
I don’t really have a balance with that, and that’s my problem. My mom even tells me in my personal life, I share too much. And sometimes, that’s how you get hurt because people can have a lot of information on you. But personally, I like to hear relatable situations. Because sometimes when we go through bad situations, it can just make us feel alone. So, I try to let people who go through ups and downs see I’ve gone through it, too. I try to maintain a level of secrecy, especially as a woman, but naturally, I’m just very real and raw.
By the way, I love the photoshoots you do together. What are some other feel-good activities you two do together?
Honestly, we have such a simple lifestyle right now because I’m not at the level I want to be in my career. I know later we’ll do a lot of traveling and businesses and everything. But as of right now, we like just being at home. She loves to be in her playroom. We do a lot of park dates. Oh, and we love music and dancing. I love the early 2000s, so her favorite song is "Touch" by Omarion. Because she has autism, she likes the same playlist of songs and that one is always on repeat.
You’re managing so much, it’s inspiring. If you could give one piece of advice to a new mom, what would you say?
I’d say – it’s okay. You’re not a bad mom. Don’t listen to what a lot of people “tell” you to do. Like breastfeeding, my body didn’t create milk, so I was under stress, like maybe I’m not a good mom. But it’s okay. Give yourself some grace. Know that you’re beautiful even if you’re going through postpartum or are stuck with things from childbirth or post-childbirth. It’s okay. Make some time for you. Workout. It’s okay. Whether the father is there or not, whether you’re single or not – give yourself grace. That’s the most important element.
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Feature image by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for BET+
Kirby Carroll grew up in VA but now calls Atlanta, GA home. She has a passion for creating content and helping brands grow through storytelling and public relations. When not immersed in work, you can find her sipping a mimosa at brunch or bingeing a new TV drama on Netflix. Keep up with her on social media at @askKirbyCarroll.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
Photo courtesy
When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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