Today we’d like to introduce you to Malaja Owens Bailey.
Hi Malaja, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It wasn’t until my 30s that I started to realize and love who I was as an African American woman. I became obsessed with learning more about African American History and Culture and would often think of where I would be – could be had I only known more about our rich history than I was taught growing up. That was when I realized I wanted to make sure more, if not all African American youth were educated about their history. That became and still is my mission…
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road thus far has been an interesting one. We were awarded our 501(c)(3) status in December of 2017 and had a slow start. We were finally starting to overcome a lot of the initial challenges in 2019 and took a most amazing trip to Washington, DC. There we had the opportunity to take a larger group to visit the, then still fairly new, National Museum of African American History and Culture along with some other fascinating sites. We were gaining much momentum but then 2020 happened. Covid-19 shut us down and I was prepared to just give up.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We specialize in African and African American History centered travel. We want our youth to “Experience Our Culture.” We don’t want them to just read and report on the history but to also take quintessential walks through it. To be somewhat immersed in it. My proudest moment was having our beloved John Lewis give a nod to our work. I was able to even show him how he inspired our branding. I felt so blessed and empowered in that moment.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory was meeting Gladys Knight at Mt Moriah Baptist Church in the AUC (Atlanta University Center). I think she was doing a recording and somehow the Little Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Jr Choir director, Ms. Inez Mayfield, had us involved. It’s fuzzy, but I totally remember giving her my phone number, 696-1584. I walked out that church like a BAWSE!!! I also remember being so upset the following week because someone called and asked for me, but I couldn’t get the phone. I knew it was her, I just KNEW it, lol!
Pricing:
- Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams Fashion Event, June 25th, $25 Audience Tickets
- Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams Fashion Event, June 25th, $150-$200 Vendor Tickets
Contact Info:
- Email: TheVillage3C@gmail.com
- Website: www.TheVillage3C.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillage3c/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillage3C
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheVillage3C
