Today we’d like to introduce you to Omisaro Rhymes.
Omisaro, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Originally from Alexandria, VA, I have always been an advocate for women’s wellness and self-care. One of the first groups I created was a mentorship program for teen girls called Muronji. Muronji, as explained to me by my friend of the same name, roughly translates to mean traveler or to be free. I wanted to assist these teens in being free in their expression. The program consisted of dance as an outlet and discussion of different topics. As my life continued, I realized I needed to reconnect with the needs of women to find my place. I had completed my B.A at Howard University in Afro-American Studies and like many college graduates was not working in any seemingly relevant fields. I was developing lots of retail management experience through which has become invaluable now.
I decided that I would return to school and travel as well. I attended Clark Atlanta University earning my M.A in Africana Women’s Studies. This is where I met two wonderful professors that helped shape my current path. Dr. Daniel Black showed me how to infuse spirituality into anything. Under his instruction, I could see the importance of spirituality in the survival of Black people and more specifically to me, Black women. I was able to take a course at Georgia State University with Dr. Layli Maparyan who gave me the language for my vision through her book, The Womanist Idea. Eventually, through my own spiritual development and understanding and the support of my family, I was able to create a program for women called Moods, Moons, and Magic.
As a family, we created Yeye’s Botanica to make spiritual supplies more easily accessible to our community. This is where all that retail management experience became useful. Once established, we realized there was also a need for increased education and spiritual development. We began providing classes to the community and I began offering workshops for women.
Influenced by Queen Afua, Dr. Maparyan, and Iyanla Vanzant, Moods, Moons, and Magic became the flagship program of my company Higher Grownd7. Higher Grownd7 aims to provide products and services that help people place spirituality at the center of their lives. Moods, Moons, and Magic (M3) teaches women how to do this through African traditions, metaphysical tools, and self-development.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of the major challenges was continuing forward after the death of my mother. She was always supportive and encouraged me to go for whatever I could dream. I came to Atlanta to be closer to her. After she passed, I had to find inspiration and motivation all over again. In M3, we say M3 saves lives. It was sisterhood that helped me get out of bed every day. Once M3 was established, these women continued to save my life with their stories of triumph, their beautiful minds, and magical abilities. There is nothing like a mother dying. It is crippling. It is lonely. It is destabilizing. Only through a purposeful life could I have overcome such a loss.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Higher Grownd7 and Yeye’s Botanica – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Higher Grownd7 offers a line of spiritually charged washes to help cleanse and balance one’s energy along with special herbal tea blends. We also offer workshops for spiritual development. We are known mainly for Moods, Moons, and Magic which currently has 52 graduates. These women made time for themselves and did the self-work to improve their lives. Many of them have started their own businesses or improved businesses they already own.
The next program is Grieving Our Mothers which is for women who are dealing with the death of their mothers. This has recently been expanded to the loss of fathers as well. Higher Grownd7, along with Yeye’s Botanica, also hosts the Healers Fest, a festival for persons seeking spiritual growth, guidance, and healing. It is an opportunity to connect practitioners of different traditions.
Yeye’s Botanica is the premier spiritual supply store in the Atlanta area. We are most proud of providing a welcoming atmosphere to practitioners of African traditions and making items easily accessible. We are a family owned business that supports entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for others to grow.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like that people from everywhere can come to Atlanta and grow. What I like least about Atlanta is the food. Thankfully, I’ve found a few gems that I enjoy.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4960 Covington Hwy, Suite 4
Decatur, GA 30035 - Website: www.highergrownd7.com www.yeyesbotanica.com
- Phone: 770-694-6180
- Instagram: @highergrownd7 @yeyesbotanicaatl
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
