Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Agnew.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Julia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m coming out of a very dark moment in my life. Battling a lot of burdens alone, that have been weighing heavy on my heart for about four years. I’ve had support, I’ve had lack of support. Recognizing that no matter what was going on, I had to always do what was best for me. Walking, talking, and living in my truth is not for anyone else’s understanding. As I was dealing with continuous legal issues, losing relationships between family and friends, and finally losing the career that started bringing me out of my dark place, I had to reflect on the situations that shaped me to where I am today. I hit a low point in life. I lost my faith, values, and worth from within. I even watched my loved ones who were still around, cry over me for almost committing suicide.
I then found myself asking God ‘why’ everyday and my running thoughts, consistently telling me, “This is not it.” I had to dig deeper and let go of the insecurities to figure out, when did I put so much doubt in myself? When did I stop believing who I am? When did I no longer understand who I was as Julia Sheree Agnew? I guess you can say I was having trouble with identity issues. I knew who I was, but I wasn’t accepting of who I was at the moment. I doubted who I was as a black woman. Not for long though, I was recognizing my toxic behaviors, the triggers around me, and demanded a change; demanding change for the best of me. Letting go of the expectations that others was going to do for me and do things like me. I knew that was an expectation holding me back as well. I began addressing my past, owning my shit, face some ugly truths. I was on a path to break the generational curses within my family. Boy, let. me tell you its a bumpy road. I continued to educate myself on my history. Slowly but surely, I appreciated who I was in MY own skin.
Following, came me shooting my shot in everything. I wanted to let go of fear and rebuild my faith. I really had to step out my own way at this point. Especially if I wanted to let go of all the insecurities. I had/have to be BOLD in all my moves. This all I have, and I don’t say that lightly. I don’t say it with embarrassment, I say it with pride. I’m fighting for my livelihood. I’m fighting for my dignity, I’m fighting for my well being. Lastly, I made it a priority to embrace every moment. Accept the beauty of all things, especially MY beauty from within. That’s how I came to where I am today and the creation of Black, BOLD, and Beautiful. I was capable of doing anything, I put my mind too. This was the beginning of me understanding, I had a bigger purpose. I was the process of discovering my journeys purpose. I still am, all while implementing every selfcare strategy I can, for the best of me.
Has it been a smooth road?
Excuse me, but I did laugh reading this question. Then I thought to myself, if no one hasn’t experienced a struggle, boy are they lucky because I don’t know that feeling. I’m not even trying to be funny. The amount of struggles I have face just within 30 years, way me down. I try hard to bury the burdens, from not being financially stable, bouncing between careers, trying not to become homeless, because at one point I was and no one had a clue. I was losing trust in everyone, unable to leave a toxic relationship, losing my faith. A child of God, a preacher’s grandchild, a woman of her word, was losing her faith because she felt alone. I apologize because, as I type, I keep circling back to the thought of a person who hasn’t struggled. When you find them, I’ll have my paper and pen ready to take notes. My health was even at risk… and I continuously trying to figure out how was slipping into depression.
So Nope, it hasn’t been a smooth road and I would never sugar coat like it was. I did that before. I was covering up, happy with being happy. I was that strong friend, that wasn’t getting checked on. I wasn’t speaking up about anything I was feeling. That was a struggle within itself, if I’m being honest. Because, when I was coming into the light and stepping into my purpose, no one was still around and I felt alone even more. However, the difference was, I would not allow it to have me slip back to a point I didn’t want to go. I brush off the hurt, of having lack of support. I started ding everything I needed to do for myself, by myself until I was able to build a team. I started surrounding myself around those who would enhance my growth. I began changing the conversation. I started evaluating situations and environments. I weighing the pros and cons of everything. The hardest thing I had to do and maintain was blocking the negativity. Most importantly, I had to stand in MY TRUTH!
We’d love to hear more about Black, BOLD, and Beautiful.
I started Black, BOLD, and Beautiful when I was transitioning into a new life. Yes, I’m going to say new life, because God saved me. He picked his broken child up and assured me that I have more time. I took the cliche of birthdays and allowed my self to be reborn and shed all of the past on my 30th. A full-blown naked shoot too. Exposing it all, the most fun I had in years. They were photos for me, so when I look back… I can definitely speak on the growth and past journeys with no shame. That was the day I fully stepped into creating BLACK, BOLD, and Beautiful. On that day, I understood fully who I was as a BLACK QUEEN. At that moment I understood what I was capable of anything, and it was then that I made damn sure I would never forget, that I am beautiful. When you hear the Black, BOLD, and Beautiful brand name, I want everyone to feel like that, transitioning out of a hard time, discovering their purpose, and understanding you are not alone.
Black, BOLD, and Beautiful is a brand that encourages and advocates truth and understanding purpose by implementing self-care strategies through digital and media productions. Black, BOLD, and Beautiful’s goal is to bring motivation to the most purposeful creative. Everything starts with you. Taking care of you first ensures a better outcome for your brand/business. All strategies provided by Black, BOLD, and Beautiful can be implemented both ways. Black, BOLD, and Beautiful also offers podcasting and photography services. The Black, BOLD, and Beautiful Podcast has segments where I (Ms.BBB) can share some of the stories that have shaped me through the situations to get to where I am today, provides all self-care advice from experts in various lifestyle fields, and collaborate creatives for better opportunities. Black, BOLD, and Beautiful Photography is an outlet to work with creatives to enhance who they are as a brand and their businesses by building a confidence relationship. BBB photography provided headshots, lifestyle sessions, product/business sessions, and event sessions.
What I believe I’m most proud of about Black, BOLD, and Beautiful at the moment is that I’m bringing you along, on the journey of building the brand. I have never allowed people in on my life, the way that I have, since I started Black, BOLD, and Beautiful. It’s a great feeling. I was looking for happiness. This is it. This is keeping me going. It’s opening up bigger, better, and more opportunities than I ever could imagine. Honestly, Black, BOLD, and Beautiful has directed me back into my true passion; media broadcasting. I guess you can say that’s why I wanted to focus on digital and media productions as an outlet as well. And I have been doing a damn good job dropping content, even when I have to step back and reevaluate. I am allowing myself to fully utilize getting back Into the game. You will see me and TV, hear me on your radios, and not just my podcast show, but others too. When you do see my face, and you ask yourself, how did I get here. The credit most definitely will be due to Black, BOLD, and Beautiful.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
The best thing I love about Philadelphia is that they’re so many talented individuals, like myself. It’s a city full of creatives from artists, musicians, poets, dancers, entrepreneurs… you name it, Philadelphia has it. The downfall about the city, everyone is in competition. If others could see life as less competitive, then they would see the beauty of working together.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: _ms.bbb_ and _iambbb_
- Facebook: @
iamBLACKBOLDBEAUTIFUL
Image Credit:
Photos by Ms.BBB, Sherine Tate, Bel Shots, and Ardell McDuffie
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