Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Webb.
Victoria, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started Magical and Melanated beings with a mission to encourage holistic healing, cultural history and education, research, event connections, entrepreneurship, free marketing assistance, corporate bartering, job assistance, veteran connection, and overall community assistance while networking with like-minded individuals. It started off as a group in Jacksonville, FL (where my first charter is) and is now an up and coming non for profit that has worked with many businesses, attended as well as created local events, and connected many like-minded individuals in the people of color and indigenous minority circles that we encompass ourselves in a while still supporting our local communities in general. I too, have my own LLC, Adeshola, which is connected to Magical and Melanated Beings because we hold many popup events as well as healing circles that give local business owners a chance to promote, sell, and advertise their products in person and throughout social media prior to the event.
We also have done various community service volunteer events and support our local youth by encouraging entrepreneurship through their creative passions and our annual Miss Magical and Melanated Pageant. Our ultimate vision is for like-minded spiritual individuals of color; in the Jacksonville area to learn and grow from each other, have a mentor/mentee, volunteer, and build each other’s businesses and communities. How is it that we are perceived as the last builders on the block to build our community as one? We must learn to support each other and heal our communities; which is why this nonforprofit has this name. We take pride in the love we give to our other cultures and races but now it’s important that we work on ourselves first. My mother and grandmother always told me that. Magical and Melanated Beings is simply the workings of self and that requires healing and connection in our black and brown communities. I am living near Fulton and Cobb county; I am a nine years disabled Navy vet with a Marketing Degree, a mom, entrepreneur, and Navy wife to an active duty husband. I am also currently looking to build a charter here in Atlanta but I am still training my current board as my nonforprofit is still fairly new. We currently are working on finishing our website and putting all our content such as our podcasts, our social media platforms, and our events in that system and having our documents in one system as there is a lot of it. I’d give it til July (when our next pageant is btw). I coined the term for my nonforprofit “go to heal”. Working on the healing, walking up the hills, and for women, with their heels, to overcome all situations by facing every version and shadow of yourself; even if it is seen through someone else. They are a reflection of you. So, Go To Heal.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, not a smooth road at all. I’m trained in giving adequate and professional customer service and unfortunately others aren’t. Also, funding and community participation has been stressful. To pull a target market of all generations to sometimes support another generation or idea is sometimes a difficult task. We consider the target market and what the consumer likes but sometimes understanding what social media platform or platform in general in which the consumer likes this information to be received can be the issue. Participation, sharing, and media content is important in regards to gaining overall community support. Unprofessional situations happen; most times I just pray it’s a learning lesson for both parties. This is also why we created as a solution days to speak about it, podcast it, and created safe spaces to vent about it. Funding is a work in progress but we are excited for what is to come.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love helping the community, music, words, the arts, spiritual growth, and overall learning. How do I create these things without burning myself out? Build a team and bring in as many other equally and talented people with amazing businesses and careers to support! My current board members are in Jacksonville, FL but I will also annotate the current board positions. President: Harleigh Jean, Vice President: Monisha Gray, Secretary: Elizabeth Coleman Treasurer: Daneka Thornton, Head of Fundraising Committee: Cherise Gordon, Head of Volunteering Committee: Seat Open, Head of Marketing/Media Relations Committee: Calon Gibbons, Head of Communication & Events/Marketing Assistant: Chelsea Cooley, Head of Grant Writing: Seat Open, and Board Member/Head of Liaison Committee: Vanessa Atani.
I also am an excellent spoken word artist and writer in which I use my talents to construct appropriate CEO training as well as create podcasts, Zoom meetings, and attend local events. My family business, Adeshola, makes hair oils, body butters, alkaline nasal sprays, soaps, bath/foot soaks, and candles/candle wax in which are all-natural.
I believe the fact that I created a spiritual non for profit to connect like-minded melanated individuals throughout various communities to help us grow spiritually, economically, and mentally in all business entities and religious entities throughout our local areas is what I stand out for. My overall creativity and resilience through many trails to still happily and willingly give back to the community while knowing that my journey will not always be an easy one, happy one, or stress-free one but knowing that I will establish healthy boundaries and professionalism to learn from every adversarial situation.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
When I was younger, I was an honor student but not in the summer honey! I threw all types of parties when my mom was at work! Then I switched up when I entered the classroom; it was back to learning! I also went to a visual and performing arts school called Emerson, in Gary, IN which taught me a lot about the arts and strengthen my love in film, poetry, singing, band, dancing, and acting; in which I did acting and performed in plays at the school.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mmb_cdc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO8Wn31MVQj-C0WEtt3Q9LA
