We recently had the chance to connect with Alicia Coulter MPH, MSW and have shared our conversation below.
Alicia , we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
Yes, my decision to advocate boldly. for Black women has placed me in a position where I must be an entrepreneur. Unfortunately, corporate America does not protect Black women from harm. I have found that our experiences are ignored even when scientific data confirms what we say is true.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My brand, the Alicia Nicole™ Experience is a brand that was developed from tradgedy to triumphy. I know this sounds like a cliché, but I can confirm this cliché is a reality for me. The brand has elevated from a cliché to luxury events, a book, a magazine, a . podcast, and a community of Black women that express their appreciation for the safety the brand gives them.
The Alicia Nicole™ Experience curates luxurious Safe Spaces for Black Women™ that provide Black women with validations, encouragement,
The events are luxurious and provide the ladies who attend with sisterhood, education, and intimate access to luxurious brands like Louis Vuitton, Jo Malone London, and Nordstrom, just to name a few.
I have curated these beautiful experiences since 2022. Because the women who. attend my events are high value, I must go beyond the luxury aspect and insert education. Not 1+1=2 type education, but education that is selfish and self-centered,. focusing on holistic health that encourages boundaries and self-preservation,.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
This question is fascinating and amazing to me. The answer is PEOPLE. People break the bonds between people, and people restore them.
That may sound weird, but that is how I see it. My biggest hurts have happened at the hands of people whom I have called friend and sister. In the same breath, I have established relationships with people that I call friends and sisters who have restored my viewpoint of others.
Experiencing this, I navigate relationships with people with caution while trying to remain positive and hopeful.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
When I developed the Alicia Nicole™ Experience brand and wrote the book, Safe Spaces for Black Women.
After surviving workplace abuse, I knew I needed to heal and that healing would come from being in shared space with Black women. That is when I developed my brand and my first branded event, Relax, Release, and Restore Brunch™, held in the wine cellar of a luxurious beachside restaurant in Los Angeles County.
The following year, I hosted the same event in the restaurant’s bar area, with over 35 Black women in attendance. The 2nd Annual Relax, Release, & Restore Brunch™ became more than a brunch; it was the space I chose to release my book, Safe Spaces for Black Women. The boldness I had to display to deliver a book and brunch showed me the power within me.
The development of my brand and the execution of my bestselling book assured me that I was not the damaged goods that corporate America tried to make me believe I was. These actions confirmed my power through validation, encouragement, and elevation.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I am absolutely my authentic self in public. I sometimes believe this is why my brand has not expanded further. I refuse to trauma bond or shrink. My goal is to validate, encourage, and provide space for Black women to elevate. I refuse to reiterate the traumas and negative experiences that plague our hearts and minds.
Shrinking is also not an option! Impostor Syndrome does not reside in my headspace. I navigate professional spaces with the same confidence as others. There is no need for Black women to shrink; many of us have more education and experience.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am doing what I was born to do. In 2021, I was fired from my job, and although our nonprofit secured a grant, I had no clue what was next. What I did know was that I never wanted to work for corporate America again! Since 2021, I have developed a for-profit, a nonprofit, and a lifestyle brand. Life is not just about our professional growth. I have grown as a woman inside and out. I am more attracted to the woman that I have become throughout this time of self-elevation and am excited to continue on the path that I am on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alicianicole.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicianicoleexperience?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciacoulter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SafeSpacesForBlackWomen/
Image Credits
Jamal-Akil Marshall
