Black History Month Spotlight

It's Black History Month and a time to celebrate. There are so many who have made an impact in shaping our culture and who we are as Black women. From great male and female history makers to the wonderful people in our lives who have made an impact on the adults and women we have come to be. We know Valentine's Day typically gets the spotlight as the main event for the month. However, we wanted to acknowledge the holiday in a slightly different way.

Instead of all the focus being on loving a significant other like a spouse or partner, we wanted to focus more on self-love. Part of that self-love is being intentional with how we take care of ourselves. We wanted to take a moment to highlight a few products that we enjoy using to support our goal of having a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Each product comes from a Black-owned business, and what a perfect time to show support to others as we show how these products help us in our personal self-care goals.

Like so many of you, we love a good graphic tee or sweatshirt, especially ones that have a positive and empowering message. When I saw the sweatshirts at My Pride Apparel, I didn't wait to place an order. With so many options and powerful statements being made, I grabbed one, and my daughters did too. I love the fact their focus is to have products that are “meant to make statements and allow you to speak without ever having to say a word…” I can see the pride my daughters feel when they wear their shirts.

Now, you know we're from Chicago, and when we saw the Chicago based company Chic Shirt Shop, we grabbed our “Homegirl” tees for the upcoming warmer weather. The shirts spoke to us for obvious reasons, of course, but the options don't stop there. They have sweatshirts, bags, and other items for the cool Black girl in your life.

Who doesn't love a good manicure or a pedicure? This is a favorite self-care ritual, and there's something about selecting your color and seeing the final result that just feels good. When I heard about the Black-owned business Jesse Monroe Nail Care, I was intrigued. This was my first time hearing about a nail care line owned by a Black woman. Her company is named after her late grandmother who could not wear nail polish because of the chemicals that were in them. This led Kalina to create a toxic-free polish for all to use. The line has some cool colors and some even cooler names. The colors I'm currently wearing are Nightcap and What The Fudge, and there are others in my new collection I can't wait to try.

As much as our physical bodies enjoy the pampering it gets from self-care, we also recognize the importance of showing love and caring for our spirit. Taking the time to reflect, meditate, and pray is a big part of our daily lifestyle. When pastor John F. Hannah released the book Just Pray: How a Life of Prayer Grows Unshakable Faith, I preordered it immediately. This book is great for teaching us how to use the best tool we have to help fight the overwhelm that often tries to deter and distract us from reaching our fullest potential and God-given destiny.

We don't think you can go wrong with any of these products. Not only would they support you or a friend in the pursuit of great self-care, but you will also support some great businesses who offer wonderful products for others.