Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Duren.
Christina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The Beautiful Brown Girls Brunch Club was founded in March of 2010. Moving back home after being in another state for over seven years was a bit scary. I was re-learning the city, and navigating how to find new friends.
Beautiful Brown girls was birthed from the void I felt trying to find my sister circle in a new city. Our social brunch events create a relaxed environment for women of color to network and create new friendships.
Over the last nine years, Beautiful Brown Girls has blossomed into so much more than a brunch club. It is a community made up of 26 chapters. Each one is a sister circle.
I believe that in order to build a strong nation, that’s what we need – sister circles and other strong communities.
Beautiful Brown Girls is proof of what can happen when you find your people. Not only can you bond over a delicious meal, but you can also become an agent for change in your community.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There were several obstacles and challenges along the way that were unexpected. One major obstacle that we overcame early on was how we would turn what essentially was a hobby into a business. Beautiful Brown Girls at the core was a fun monthly event that created a movement for women of color. As we began to grow we needed processes and procedures in place so that we had a solid foundation to scale up.
At times, we get so focused on the result that we forget about the work that is needed to yield the results we want. That work is not always “pretty”. I learned early on the importance of strategizing and putting the right team members in place to help us create a business that benefited women of color and grew the Beautiful Brown Girls brand.
Please tell us about Beautiful Brown Girls.
As a brand, we’re most proud of the community we have created. It’s a community of over 40,000 like-minded women who all have the same goal in mind of support, inspiration, and acceptance. We’ve seen hundreds of authentic and genuine friendships created through our monthly events.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well-positioned for?
We’re in a perfect moment for growth among women of color. With so many resources right at our fingertips, we now have the power to create the life we want and deserve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beautifulbrowngirls.com/
- Email: beautifulbrowngirls@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautifullyshaded/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautifulbrowngirls/
- Other: https://beautiful-brown-girls.mn.co/
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