Meet Mia Hall of Brown Girls Glow

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Hall.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in the projects, in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Brooklyn–East New York (referenced in Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point). My parents had me when they were teens, my family was on welfare, I was in a single parent household, the list goes on – basically the odds were stacked against me and I was what was considered an ‘at-risk’ child (thankfully, we are referenced as ‘at promised’ now.) Nonetheless, my family emphasized education and made sure that I was pushing myself to my educational and artistic limits. We had a large amount of books growing up in each apartment I lived in, and I was put in East New York Theatrical Workshop – a free dance program – when I was three.

This foundation led me to have a passion for learning, understanding of the importance of education and ability to excel in honors classes throughout my years in school. While in high school, I saw students who grew up in the same circumstances that I did, not so passionate about their education and I always wanted to know what made us different and how could I help motivate students that were maybe the first in their family to attend college or get an advanced degree, to have a passion for education as well.

I also played basketball in high school and was in the first class of students at PowerPlayNYC.org – an organization that empowers and educates girls through sports. That program gave me a vision and introduced me to the vast amount of careers in sports that did not involve playing them. It was the first time I saw women that looked like me in a corporate setting that were successful. I literally only knew of entertainers or people I saw on television. To see a Black woman as the Vice President of Basketball Operations over the Knicks was mind-blowing. This gave me an insight into another career path if my dream of becoming a WNBA player perhaps did not work out.

When I got to college at Hampton University, I tried out for the Basketball team and did not make the cut. I thought, if I couldn’t make it as a player, I would major in sports management. There’s much more to that story but that’s for another time!

Before my last year at school (my 3rd year because I figured out how to test out of courses and set my schedule in a way so I can save money by graduating in three years vs four), I was at my church and I heard our main Pastor, Dr. A.R. Bernard talk about the Harvey Fellowship. You had to be applying to one of the top grad schools in your major to even qualify for it.

It was at that point I thought to look into Ivy Leagues and apply to Harvard. Their education program looked like exactly what I needed to fulfill my desire to learn more about what motivates students.

I applied and four months later got in. In 2006, I graduated with my Master’s from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.

Fast forward to about two years ago, coaches of mine under Dr. Eric Thomas’ Game Changer’s program suggested I teach other young girls how to go from “the Hood to Harvard,” and that’s when I created ‘Brown Girls GLOW – Give, Lead, Own, and Write their destiny.’ I created an eight week curriculum for high school girls that I plan to make available online in the future. I have also encouraged Brown Girls to Glow through speaking engagements as I have spoken to hundreds of students over the past five years.

I also recently launched a podcast with my dad called ‘Parables from the Projects‘ where we inspire hope in the hood by sharing our stories as well.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all and I believe that’s what made me stronger. I moved to Los Angeles about a year and a half ago with no job and no place to stay until about a month before I arrived (thank you God, Ashley, Charisma, and Ms. Bowden). For four months, I didn’t have a car, nor a job, so I would take the bus and train and use my legs to walk to where I had to go. I was in the library looking for a job or at networking events, grinding looking to make something happen.

In month 4, I finally got a rental and kept that until a month after I got a job – in July right around my birthday thank God – then I started to finance a car (thanks mom.)

Brown Girls Glow – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Brown Girls Glow is a production company where young women of color can express themselves, dream big, and live to their highest potential. Under my umbrella, I produce content, consult, speak, host panels and events, and co-host a podcast.

I am known for producing content as I have been writing for the last eight years. The first professional publication I wrote for was Black Enterprise thanks to my mentor, Alfred Edmond, Jr. Also, my first editor there – Anslem Roque – really showed me the ropes. Since then I have written online and print articles for Slam Magazine & Bleacher Report (thank you Ben Osborne), ESPNW (S/o to Adena Andrews), The Root (Pervis), NBC BLK (Gabrielle Gambrell), and most recently Shadow & Act (Rhonesha Byng/Her Agenda).

I also helped produce content for Steve Harvey’s daytime talk show (Anna Kay Thomas) and am still working with his team to amplify his professional development content surrounding vaultempowers.com.

What I am most proud of is being able to share stories nationally of people that I’ve met locally that have been making major impacts on their community. Being able to inspire people by telling the stories of people who have inspired me has really been a highlight of my career.

What sets me apart from others is my individual story which I believe separates us all.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I personally believe that I am successful when I make a goal and I achieve it. If my goal is to wake up at 6am the next day and I achieve it then I believe I was successful for that day. I also believe that I am successful when I can elevate others. When I help someone else go to the next level mentally, financially, spiritually or in any type of way, I look for that marker as a measurement of success. Success is not my work compared to others but my work today compared to my work in the past.

Contact Info:

• Website: miahall19.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: mia_hall19
• Facebook: facebook.com/miasfullcourtpress
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/mia_hall19
• Other: youtube.com/miahallsmiles

Image Credit:
@Le_goolord, Kai Byrd

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