Meet Anquette Devaron of Her Sticky Hope in South ATL

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anquette Devaron.

Anquette, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2014 Atlanta experienced a very bad snowstorm. The day before the snowstorm I had a dream that planted a seed that encouraged me to consider moving back with my family. The next day the snowstorm took place and I went to spend time with my family. While having a conversation with my mom she asked, “don’t you want to move back home?” At the time I was working as a Supervisor for a security company. Looking outside in you’d think everything was well. I mean I was 25 I had my own place, own vehicle, managing my bills, etc. But inwardly I was embracing so much.

I was growing and truly didn’t know how to identify what I was going through. Things I once desired I no longer wanted, I was seeking more for my life. Not just any kind of more but a purpose-driven kind of more. At the time I didn’t know it but reflecting on my journey this season was the start of my depression cycle. This would have been a great time for me to enroll in therapy in order to help me unpack everything I was processing alone. Back then therapy wasn’t celebrated so I did what most “strong,” African American women do! I kept going without creating space to truly identify, discern, and heal.

In the coming months, I attended my family reunion. During that time I connected with a few older cousins who were Airmen. Hearing their stories and the lifestyle the Air Force afforded them to live I thought to myself maybe that’s what I should do. I could enlist in the Air Force work in personnel, enroll in school and build my career in the Air Force.

That year, I decided not to renew my lease. I sold all of my furniture and I moved back in with my family, with the vision to enroll into the Air Force. While preparing for the ASVAB I was quickly was reminded of my fear of taking tests. I was determined to take this test and do very well. With that determination, I started researching organizations that could assist me with my test-taking skills (shout out to Literacy Action). During my time at Literacy Action, I began to receive more clues as it relates to my gifts. I was asked to deliver a speech that encouraged the student body. Now let’s be clear I feared and still get nervous when it’s time for me to speak in front of an audience. But I showed up and received a standing ovation.

Fast forward to a few months later I went to take my practice ASVAB and I did pretty well however I didn’t feel right about the decision. For the first time, I listened to that feeling and decided not to enlist in the Air Force. Can you imagine the disappointment I felt living in a culture that encourages independence and the pressure of needing to have it all figured out at this age back then!? I was 25 years old living with my family and my plan didn’t truly play out how I envisioned it. I started to discern ways for me to find my purpose. I thought to myself how can I find out what I like or what I’m truly passionate about. Go, VOLUNTEER, I thought to myself. I started to research volunteering opportunities and I came across a partnership with Young Adult Volunteers and DOOR (Discovering Opportunites for Outreach and Reflection) this partnership offered a year-long discerning program for young adults to serve while discerning their gifts and talents. This opportunity was perfect. I applied and I was accepted. I was so excited about this opportunity.

During my year of service, I was selected to participate in a Discern Retreat. During the retreat, we talked about entrepreneurship and how our pain connects to our passion & purpose. We did an exercise that encouraged us to explore our past trauma. This exercise showed us how those experiences could be used for good. I shared with my peers how I would receive negative messages on sticky notes when I was younger and how some of those words stuck to me in a negative way. I also shared how I used that pain to encourage others around me. As I grew older I started leaving sticky notes with encouraging words for my loved ones in order to encourage them.

From there the idea of Sticky Hope was birth. After leaving the retreat I worked on this idea but I hit a brick wall when I lost a very supportive and great friend. Before he transitioned I shared my vision with him. He would encourage me to keep going. After he transitioned, I faced another tough season. My intentional year was coming to an end and it was time for me to leave my year-long community. I had moving plans to transition from my community that year but that plan didn’t work. This caused me to move back in with my family. Moving back in with my family truly sent me in a space of go go go instead of sitting still and discerning my next move. Sticky Hope was placed on the back burner until I started to realize my triggers, insecurities, anxiety, and my depression cycle. I changed the name from Sticky Hope to Her Sticky Hope.

I began to acknowledge my emotions, insecurities, depression and I embraced my journey towards healing & wholeness. I began to use one of my love languages, words of affirmations, to start healing. I started sharing quotes that encouraged me and resources I found helpful on my journey via social media. I hashtagged the things I shared as #herstickyhope. From there I was invited to be on a panel to discuss mental health, shout out to #LoveMyRoomie. From that experience, I was asked to have a public conversation about singleness and all things millennial encouragement, shout out to Pulse Church and Billy Michael Honor Jr. That experience was a recorded experience. I shared the recording with my hopeaholic (The Her Sticky Hope Community) and from there they requested a Her Sticky Hope Podcast.

From self-awareness and a hashtag, Her Sticky Hope was born. Her Sticky Hope is an encouragement brand that provides encouragement through podcast conversations, digital content, and more. Our goal is to encourage our hopeaholics, to keep going the person they are becoming deserves it. This quote was inspired by my personal angel Bill Boney Jr. who encouraged me to keep going. I truly hope my journey encourages someone to keep going and to trust the process. Even if you don’t understand everything right now know it’s all working for your good. You have what it takes! Keep going the person you are becoming deserves it!

#herstickyhope

Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not. At first, I didn’t understand what I was being led to do! I questioned my ability to encourage others and so much more. Once I became more aware of myself, things began to become more manageable. But let’s be clear I’m still on a journey to evolve daily I am not perfect however I’ve found the courage to invite others along my journey with hopes to encourage them to show up and take up space.

Please tell us about Her Sticky Hope. What should we know?
Her Sticky Hope is an encouragement brand that encourages through podcast conversations, digital content, and more. We encourage our hopeaholics to keep going the person they are becoming deserves it. We specialize in Keep Going merch and we also partner with #TruthMoment Podcast to bring In Real Life Conversations to our communities. Shout out to my Creative Partner Mika Joi the Founder of #TruthMoment Podcast and Pazediv (pronounced Positive) Society aka P.S.

Our in Real Life Conversations take place via Instagram Live every other Sunday and In-person quarterly in Atlanta and Orlando. These experiences were created to connect, share, and grow. As a creative and brand pusher, I am most proud of truly believing in a thought, turning that thought into a hashtag, and from a hashtag birthing a brand that truly encourages others in a DOPE way. If you become a hopeaholic don’t be surprised if you are featured on our social with an encouraging message attached. If you are featured we truly hope the message blesses your life.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The encouragement and self-help industry is rising! As far as Her Sticky Hope I see major projects and collaborations in the next 5-10 years. I see retreats, books, an app, and so much more. Stay tuned.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.herstickyhope.com
• Email: connect@herstickyhope.com ; inreallifeconvo@gmail.com
• Instagram: @herstickyhope
• Facebook: Her Sticky Hope ; In Real Life Conversations
• Twitter: @herstickyhope ; @inreallifeconvo

Image Credit:
Photos in denim
University of Jamon Photos
Instagram: @Universityofjamonphotos

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