Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Mel.
Hi Melissa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Having relocated from Connecticut to California in 2018, I never imagined I would have started a business, formed a non-profit, and hosted three conferences…all in four years!
In September 2020, I launched The WoMi App, the first native directory app for (Wo)men & (Mi) nority-owned small businesses. Being a solo founder juggling full-time work is as isolating as all the articles say it is! To foster community & amplify fellow founder journeys, I began hosting IG lives with WoMi founders. I met LaGina on Instagram through a mutual business sis Elisa Molina, founder of COVEDOZA.
As a creative artist, podcaster, radio host, media personality & solo founder herself, LaGina & I connected on our mutual WOC-centered missions & entrepreneurial journeys. LaGina signed up for the WoMi app, and I joined her virtual accountability day and community The Us Space, intentional innovation spaces for women-led teams to work & thrive! With LaGina’s support, guidance, and friendship, WoMi won a pitch competition, a $5k grant and hosted an entire virtual conference!
Naturally, LaGina was a speaker & moderator at WoMi’s She Will Shine conference. An integral part in the BTS that helped this dope experience happen, she jokingly mentioned we’ll be having a conference of our own soon. Later that summer, we hosted the first annual Melanin Minds Mental Health Conference during Minority Mental Health month in Houston.
Having connected with so many attendees, experts & practitioners who were so grateful for the space we created, we realized BIPOC mental health was a mission far beyond a one-time event. We hosted our 2nd annual Mental Health Conference this July, hosted a two-city Mental Health + Art Road Trip, filed for 501(c)3 status, and received our first grant with the Houston Health Foundation!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not all co-founder relationships work out. LaGina & I didn’t meet in person until 18 hours before the first Melanin Minds conference! We’ve developed a friendship & genuine sisterhood that allows room for humanity, fuck ups & lots of laughs. I couldn’t imagine doing this work alongside anyone else – our dynamic is unmatched, and what caught the eye of Rihanna when we were named a Savage X Fenty Game Changer Duo.
As women of color founders creating space in systems not built to properly support & see BIPOC communities challenges only mean the work won’t stop. From venues taking issue with our name to potential partners being triggered by our Black & brown mission, even platforms that attempt to sensor conversations around cannabis – we’ve faced some pretty blatant but thoughtful decisions in just our first year and a half.
We aim to always operate in gratitude & grace, and our communities have met that energy tenfold. Tech is going to do its bullshit, as are flaky funders & bill collectors. I always try to remain grateful that I *get* to do this work, be affirmed in its impact & do so alongside a co-founder who sees & supports me through it all.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Melanin Minds provides mental health resources that educate, amplify & create accessible spaces for personal & professional development within BIPOC communities. We are taking actionable steps toward collective advancement under our 5 pillars: Holistic Healing • Mindset Shifting • Aligning • Nutrition • Relationships
Our flagship event, the Melanin Minds Mental Health Conference, hosted 35+ BIPOC speakers this past July! In its second year, the 3-day weekend featured yoga, sound healing, self-care panels & stress-reducing workshops at the Houston Texans YMCA, plus a takeover of All Real Radio for kickoff & recap.
This past fall, we hit the road for a Mental Health + Art roadtrip that highlighted melanin artists, small businesses & community resources. We partnered with Goddess Gifts Studio & the WoMi app to host an art show, two small business marketplaces, & an intimate sip & paint in Downtown Los Angeles this September. Then in October, we partnered with Pigment International & Black Fine Art Month for an art show & interactive panels hosted in Hyde Park’s Connect Gallery.
As part of the Houston Health Foundation’s Health Equity Grant program, we’re excited to bring more resources & spaces to BIPOC communities in Houston, virtually, and across the US centering *our* holistic mental health journeys. We’ve launched an Ambassador Program aiming to highlight melanin experts, practitioners, and creators breaking stigmas around mental health. We’re always on the lookout for sponsors, board members & advisors!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
It takes a ton of self assurance & persistence to find a balance between reaching out without fear, and not forcing an ill fit. YOUR community & tribe are out there, ready to meet you where you are and help you thrive without judgment, envy or ulterior motives. Know that you are the bomb, even as you learn & fuck up. Surround yourself with people & opportunities that affirm that!
Contact Info:
- Website: melaninminds.org
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://instagram.
com/_melaninminds - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/@_melaninminds
Image Credits
Nicholas Jackson, Melanin Minds Media Team @mrngjthesniper
