Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Stewart.
Hi Jessica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
How did I get started? Tired. No, really, I was tired mentally, physically, and emotionally. Tired of watching people of color be left out of the conversation when it came to healing, mental health, and self-care. More specifically watching the impacts of the colonization of healing practices in the mental health industry. These impacts often resulted in Women of Color being de-centered when talking their struggles. My identity as a Nigerian American woman, born of immigrants played a role in my passion to honor diversity and the whole person as a licensed mental health professional. I sat with people of color who were aiming to find healing from racism, workplace stressors and vowed to honor the reality that there is more than one way to heal other than just therapy. I believe in therapy, I am a therapist, AND for some they need more. They need resources that include community and education.
Therefore, in 2019 Beauty in the Balance LLC was created to offer workshops, support groups, training, consultation, retreats and more that centered on the experience of women of color and their healing journeys. In January of 2020, our first event was launched that looked at re-envisioning self-care for WOC. Weeks later COVID-19 sent the world into lockdown requiring us to change the way we offered our services but keeping the same mission and vision. Since then we have narrowed our focus to continue to provide the WOC community and education that helps them to heal from workplace stressors and race-based traumas.
Healing transforms communities, cultures, and generations. For those who have come before us, it cost them something to re-center themselves. This is why liberation practices remain a high value for us. At Beauty in the Balance, we believe that: Healing is your right AND your act of resistance.
Alright, 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?
We faced a variety of obstacles personally and professionally. So smooth will not be a part of our story when we describe our journey. The pandemic changed the way we envisioned the year and the schedule of events we had planned. Our focus is community and we had to pivot on what that can look like. That coupled all of us continuing to witness the violence happening to black and brown bodies in 2020 while people of color were expected to continue to show up at work impacted our focus. We could no longer offer this general mental wellness space for women of color, but we leaned into assisting those who are navigating race-based traumas in and out of the workplace. Lastly, when you share identity with those you are advocating for, you feel it a little differently when aiming to support others. Learning ways to avoid burnout and compassion fatigue had to become built into the structure of what we do. In addition, we learned to be mindful, to be forever learners and to continue using the tools that we are offering others.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are known for our workshops and events. What sets us apart is our intentionality to offer courageous spaces and we don’t want to just have the information thrown at you but we want to help you in live time learn strategies that increase self-awareness, healing opportunities, and connections. Many workspaces offer burnout prevention activities; however, they rarely touch on identity-based expressions of burnout and culturally responsive strategies to move forward. I am most proud of my commitment to branding from a place of authenticity. In a world that centers algorithms, numbers, and performance based on the masses, it is easy to lose sight of the mission and vision and who you are in the process. Even it requires pausing, we are committed to accountability, collaboration, and authenticity in our branding strategies.
What were you like growing up?
I am the middle child of five (two older sisters and two younger brothers). Can you tell? Do I give middle child energy lol? Personality-wise, I have always been seen as an advocate, deep feeler, or stated by others “wise beyond my years”. I am really close to my siblings and always cared about how they were feeling and what was going on in their lives. I liked listening to others. Becoming a counselor was no surprise to anyone around me. I also regularly got in trouble speaking up on behalf of my siblings which is not something you do as a younger child of Nigerian parents. However, feelings and fairness were always values I held. I held an interest in arts like poetry and drawing. But, surprisingly, as an introvert, I also deeply enjoyed spending time with others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beautyinthebalance.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautyinthebalancellc
Image Credits
Rikki Brew, Envisioning Freedom Photography
