“Being one of the five Black women in the design program of my year has taught me a lot about myself, the design industry & how important it is to be surrounded by people that are like you. When I look back at the past three years of being a designer, I realize that there were certain things that I needed to grow as an individual & creative.”
Read More“In 2016, I had just barely wrapped up my first year at the university of waterloo. I chose to attend this university for a lot of its selling points about their co-operative programs seeing that the two other universities I was accepted into did not have the same opportunities for my program. BUT another reason I chose waterloo because it was the furthest from my home. And it was important for me to go to a school that was far away from home because home is where a lot of traumatic events in my childhood took place starting as early as 4 years old.”
Read More“Becoming your own boss can be inspiring and empowering but the road to get there is often tough. Do you choose to stay in your part-time job that overworks you or do you take the leap of faith to make it on your own? Neither choice is easy, I've done them both and I want to let you in on my story of how I overcame those obstacles and got to where I am today.”
Read More“I’ve always believed that if I kept my head down, stayed out of trouble, got good grades, and was overall a “good” kid I would have no problem making it in this world. Good grades get you a good job which leads you to good pay, and comfortable life, but it seems to only be for “Whites-only”. I have always felt overlooked because of my skin and being a Woman of Colour doesn’t help my situation. In fact, it seems to have worsened the treatment I’ve experienced lately.”
Read More“My whole life, I’ve faced a self-proclaimed downhill battle with my hair. I refused to see the beauty in my natural curls and I did whatever I could to hide it so I wouldn’t have to directly deal with it. This past year, quarantine forced me to come to terms with my hair and over the last few months, I’ve developed a much healthier relationship with it. I feel so empowered to finally talk about my hair on a public platform and pose as an example of how personal growth journeys cater so much to self-love.”
Read More“I grew up in a predominantly white neighbourhood and went to a predominantly white school. When my best friend moved to Ottawa in grade 5, I became the only Black girl in the grade. I never got a chance to express my blackness because there was no one else who was Black!…I do wish I had more Black friends growing up. This definitely made me think about my future children and how much I want to make sure they grow up around other Black children. They will know that they are beautiful because I will tell them every day. I will show them how to take care of their hair and tell them that it is okay to get darker in the summer, it’s beautiful…My babies will appreciate their blackness from the start.”
Read More“Growing up my hair was a fiery orange colour, the envy of so many grown adults and few of my peers at school. My mom was accused of dying my hair when I was just 3 years old, accused that she had an affair with a white man, and was repeatedly asked if I was her daughter. In short, these kinds of accusations and questions persist even today (although to a lesser degree today).”
Read More“Artists see you as an outlet; a sense of purpose, but I see you as an instigator. This world is meant to stand still but you dip your hands into our silent oceans and beat them until waves crash against the rocks and force the winds to shift and the boats to change course…Every act of creation is an act of destruction; a sign of rebellion; a sign of constant change”. Read of Azia’s poem and submission for The HerStory Collective, Dear Creativity.
Read More“Your feelings are justified, baby…I completely understand that it’s frustrating, especially when you are trying and it seems like nothing is working out. Always remember that it is okay to take a break and to have a regular self-care routine.”
Read Nicole’s letter to the women who are tired of being strong all the time. Prioritize your self-care, sis.
