Meet Crystal Perry of Melanated Pearl Corporation in South

Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Perry.

In 2014, the Georgia Department of Corrections released a report that revealed 1 in 13 Georgian are in some channel of the state’s correctional system, either incarcerated, on probation or on parole. In August 2018, that alarming statistic continued to ring in the head and heart of Crystal Perry as both of her brothers were arrested and incarcerated within five days of one another. While Georgia was being heralded for its prison reform practices, thousands of Black women and girls were silently enduring the trauma of Black men and boys repeatedly removed from their schools, homes, families, communities and lives. These opposing realities led Crystal Perry to launch Melanated PEARL to provide life hacks, motivation and support called “Black Girl Pearls” to the women and girls whose male family members are being funneled through the school-to-prison pipeline at alarming rates. The term “Melanated” acknowledges and celebrates the melanin with which Black people have been blessed. “PEARL” functions as both an acronym (Passionate Engagement Activist Resisting Limitations) and a symbol of the strength and resiliency black women possess to withstand oppression, abuse, denial, pain, deception, poverty (the list is endless) and turn these obstacles into something priceless and beautiful. “Melanated PEARL”  represents Black women and girls who take on the hardships of life and transform them into success.

Great, 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 most significant obstacle was becoming “21st century capable”. The way businesses and organizations educate and train employees to advance along their career paths continually changes. Staying stifled in old practices and fixed mindsets can cause businesses to languish. So, despite twenty years’ of activism and professional work, I realized that if I was going to fulfill the organization’s mission, I needed additional skills. This led me to enroll in a Masters program in Digital Media and Writing, which has helped me develop the necessary skills  required to launch Melanated PEARL: website design, technical writing, social media and digital design methodologies.

The next hurdle was deciding the type of business Melanated Pearl Corporation would become. With such a compelling and complex problem to solve, there  are so many different avenues we could take. How do you select which path to take? Also, learning to work with a diverse group is motivating and exciting but requires effective communication, organization and goal setting. During this first year we have focused on brand recognition. As we enter our second fiscal year our approach to content strategy will consist of a core strategy with recommendations on four key components:

• Substance: What content does our audience desire? What messages does the content need to communicate to our audience?

• Structure: How is content best prioritized, organized, and displayed?

• Workflow: What are the optimal processes, tools, and human resources required to support content development?

• Governance: How are key decisions about content and content strategy made?

This aren’t easy items to address, but addressing them is critical to execution.

Melanated Pearl Corporation – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from others?
When society discusses the impact of incarceration in the black community it is almost exclusively focuses on the challenges faced by the incarcerated, not those they leave behind – many of whom are Black women and girls who have to build and navigate a life on their own. I launched Melanated PEARL to provide solutions and support faced by these Black women and girls who were dealing with the repercussions of that dreadful 1 in 13 statistic. Not satisfied assuming that the conversation about the impact of their relatives’ incarceration on the lives of black women and girls was occurring, I committed myself to ensuring that both conversation and support were available…by building an organization with that as its core mission.

In the age of social media, many women, especially younger ones, find themselves comparing their own lives to those of the people they follow on Instagram, Twitter, and even LinkedIn. This behavior drives unhealthy competition and preoccupation with how their lives appear on “the ‘Gram”. At Melanated PEARL, we endeavor to change this dynamic by providing Black women and girls a place in the social media landscape that holds space for them to show their lives as is – unfiltered and raw. With Melanated PEARL, Black women and girls can seek advice, share stories of triumph, promote products and services, and assists in keeping black dollars in the black community; specifically promoting black women business owners.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I have two. The first happened this past June. I was able to purchase a commercial vehicle and officially! This vehicle allowed the Melanated Pearl Corporation to operate as open a mobile “pop up” as well as provide transportation services as needed.

Second, in preparation for the content development I traveled to Accra, Ghana, July 3-July 10, 2019. I experienced something magical! Even though it was my first time there, so deeply I felt that I had been there before. I noticed that people were helping each other. If they don’t have, they know someone who does. That made me realize that nothing is impossible when we work together.  Even if the money wasn’t made in one particular shop or by one specific person, everyone seemed to share the same, singular goal – keep the money flowing through our pockets, and within our community. Several people guided me as I walked and searched and shopped. I was surrounded by “strangers,” yet I felt safe and protected. I am a true extrovert so I stopped to talk and engage with my people! The women were beautiful and powerful. The busy sounds of the city seemed to cheer me on. I was overwhelmed with a profound sense of peace and belonging.

I visited Elmina Castle and found strength and confirmation of my mission with Melanated PEARL.  People often say we are the descendants of those who chose to survive, which I know is more than true but as I picked up the earth and I listened to our ancestors in the waves and the wind, I chose a different perspective: we are the descendents of those that refused to die. It had always been a dream of mine to visit Ghana and by sharing the experience, I was able to demonstrate to the Melanated PEARL audience, that if I could realize that dream, so could they. The message certainly resonated! I received so many emotional, positive responses from the Melanated PEARL community.

Using the Melanated PEARL social media platform that has been established over the last year, I was able to share my experience in real time educating, uplifting, and empowering other PEARL Girls to be proud, confident, and resilient. It had always been a dream of mine to visit Ghana and by sharing the experience, I was able to demonstrate to the Melanated PEARL audience, that if I could realize that dream, so could they. The message certainly resonated! I received so many emotional, positive responses from the Melanated PEARL community.

I invite people to join the conversation and/or purchase Melanated PEARL merchandise by visiting us at www.melanatedpearlcorp.agnesscott.org or via Instagram @melanated_pearl, Twitter @MelanatedPearl and Facebook @MelanatedPearlCorporation.

Pricing:

• Melanated Pearl Apparel (Adult Sizes – Small-XL $20/ 2XL-$XL $25)
• Melanated Pearl Jewel Pads $8 per pack (Pantyliners- Heavy Overnight)
• Donations Accepted via PayPal and CashApp

Contact Info:

• Website: www.melanatedpearlcorp.agnesscott.org
• Phone: 6783152181
• Email: melanatedpearl@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanated_pearl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPCPEARLWorld/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelanatedPearl
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/blackgirlpearls/

Image Credit:
Photographer: Crystal Perry, Queen of the Selfie

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