modern day mona lisa

for years, I was told I wasn’t pretty enough; I wasn’t thin enough; I wasn’t smart enough; I wasn’t white enough; I wasn’t rich enough; my hair wasn’t straight enough.

I hated the gap in teeth. I refused to smile. I hated school. I was constantly being teased. I hated all the comparisons to my sisters. I hated being told I wasn’t good enough.

And here I am. A 22 year old about to receive her degree in Communications. A 22 year old CEO. Here I am loving myself unapologetically in every form - from the kinky coils in my hair, to the melanin skin & the gapped smile on my face.

Here I am starting my own business and loving myself unapologetically regardless of everything & everyone that has brought me down physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Here I am - finally happy. And no one can take that away.

Let me tell you something real quick. When I started out Malaika Apparel, I maxed out my credit card and struggled so hard trying to maintain a balance between taking care of myself physically, mentally and emotionally.

These past four years have been nothing short of that.

Struggling to make ends meet while trying to get this degree and do something I love doing.

This was worth the wait. Standing there as a black woman pitching my VERY BLACK business was something I’d never expect to see myself do.

I know this shit doesn’t happen often to lil yungins like us. I’m still in awe.

like, 2016 is the year of the celebration of my unapologetic blackness in every single form.

We are gonna stay lit asf.

On that note, stay tuned for very BIG, very BLACK and very AFRICAN changes for Malaika Apparel.