Black makers matter - Ayanna Warrington of The Black Girl Co.
Being Black is about constant innovation for survival, physically and emotionally. It’s about reinvention, switching and pivoting. So is entrepreneurship, so it’s no surprise that many of my friends moonlight with side hustles they’re deeply passionate about.
I’m honored to share the stories of the black superhumans in my circle. Stories like these aren’t told nearly enough. Give them the love they deserve.
There are some people in this world who radiate their purpose so clearly. For Ayanna Warrington – creator of Dallas-based The Black Girl Co. – connection is key.
Ayanna Warrington, creator of Dallas-based The Black Girl Co.
Ayanna and I first met as coworkers, joining the same early-career rotation and development program. Just as I was wrapping up the three-year process, Ayanna was getting started, and by then – there were more than a dozen new college graduates in our department trying to find their footing in their jobs and a new city. Ayanna took it upon herself to plan get-togethers monthly for our growing group. As I think about my early career, I often think about that cadence of lunches, happy hours and special events we celebrated together and how they weaved the melody of friendships, work experiences and relationships that have come to be the Dallas I know and love.
When Ayanna left the company to pursue an awesome new opportunity in consulting, the music died within our cohort. We had each fostered deeper relationship with one another, but the pure, authentic passion for unifying our group was missing. I’ve felt honored to stay in touch with her over the years, and in true Ayanna fashion, she’s kept the invitations for the lunches and brunches coming. With each of our touch points, she’s challenged me personally and professionally to think differently about my worth, my skills and the power (and importance) of showing up as a Black woman in business. Whether she knows it or not, I’m grateful for advice and reminders of what’s possible.
Earlier this year, I was excited to receive a new kind of invitation to join an event for The Black Girl Co., a community of more than 250 people where Black women from all backgrounds can support one other and navigate life’s personal and professional challenges together. Recently, she and I exchanged notes on building The Black Girl Co. and how her group is responding to the challenges of 2020.
NB Makes (NB): When did you start The Black Girl Co. and what was the need you saw in the community that you hope this work fulfills?
The Black Girl Co. meet up in 2020.
Ayanna Warrington (AW): I’d spent less than 48 hours in Texas before deciding to move from Maryland to Dallas in 2015. Fresh out of college, I was eager to explore a new city and experience the transformative growth that happens when you leave everything you know behind. My first year in Dallas was harder than I expected. My life revolved around work and I struggled to build a network of peers outside of the office. I felt isolated and disconnected from the greater Dallas community. As the excitement of being in this new place quickly began to fade, I turned to something familiar – volunteering. For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about the betterment of women and minority communities. I began pouring my time into several organizations focused on this demographic, like The Connect Dallas, WiNGS for Women and Families, and Girls Inc. The more I volunteered with these organizations, the more I got plugged into the Dallas network. The more I felt at home. I started the Black Girl Co. because I know my experience transitioning to Dallas is not unique. As a woman of color who is new to the area, it can be hard to find your “home”. It can be even harder to find a space where other women who look like you are connecting and thriving.
NB: For you personally as a creator, what prepared you to put this project into the world?
AW: It took me two years to form The Black Girl Co. I kept thinking I needed everything to be perfect before I started the community and began sharing my views with the world. I wanted to have a detailed five years business plan. I wanted all my content and events planned out. I was so focused on the planning that I kept delaying the implementation. I had to learn that it’s okay to start small! I still have grand plans for The Black Girl Co. and where I want it to go in the future but, I’ve realized I don’t need to have every detail ironed out before taking a leap of faith.
NB: I completely resonate with that! Everything big started somewhere, and those gains don’t happen overnight. Speaking of growth, when you’re starting a new project, it can be hard to define success or tell whether what you’re doing is gaining steam. That’s something I’m struggling to gauge for NB Makes. What does that look like for you?
AW: For me, traction means successfully providing opportunities for young women of color to connect, share their stories, and empower one another. Our last in-person event was a self-care workshop where our attendees opened up and got vulnerable with one another. It was incredible that so many women of color, who didn’t know each other, felt like The Black Girl Co.’s community was a safe space where they could be their authentic selves. Even outside of our events, I’m overwhelmed by the number of our community members who have forged solid relationships with one another, when they were strangers just a few months ago.
NB: With all of the issues of 2020, creators are being forced to adapt and reach people in different ways - including virtually. As a group organized around connection, what does that look like for The Black Girl Co.?
AW: Honestly, we’re still figuring this out. We know that even after the pandemic is over, our world will never go back to our previous ideas of “normal”. We’ve hosted a few virtual events and collaborated with other organizations that provide inline programming. Right now, we’re focusing on becoming a more digital community that can provide online resources and forums in addition to events.
The Black Girl Co.s’ “Black Girl Diaries” series on Instagram shares members’ experiences with overt racism and micro-aggressions.
AW: The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is calling for people across the country – and the world for that matter - to unify and have candid conversations about race. I’ve been following The Black Girl Co.’s “Black Girl Diaries” series, where several women share their personal stories and experiences with racism. How did the idea come about and what has the response been to the series?
Many black people first experience racism at the hands of those they trust - teachers, bosses, friends, co-workers. Ironically, these are the same people we’ve recently seen reposting #BLM stories instead of reflecting and owning up to times when they’ve been racist. The Black Girl Diaries originated as a way to reinforce that yes, we appreciate non-black people educating themselves on black history, donating to black organizations, and joining the protests. But we also need true allies who do the hard work of identifying times their words or actions have wounded instead of uplifted the black community.
The response to the series has been positive, but also disheartening. I’m glad black women have this platform to share their experiences, but also wish for a world where there were a few less “this happened to me too” posts in the comments section.
NB: As it relates to BLM, what is your hope for the movement and how is your work contributing?
AW: My hope for BLM is two-fold. First, I want to see true legislative change that holds police officers accountable for preserving the lives they’re sworn to protect. Second, I want to see more non-Black allies acknowledging areas where they are ignorant and doing the work to self-educate on topics that are important to the Black community. The Black Girl Co. is working to collect resources that black communities can use to reach out to their own legislators and demand change. We’ll also be sharing resources that black or non-black people can use to stay informed on current events.
NB: How can we get involved?
AW: Our next event is scheduled for late-August. We’ll be sharing the details on our IG page within the next few weeks!
Engage with the Black Girl Co. on:
Instagram | @theblackgirlco
MeetUp | https://www.meetup.com/The-Black-Girl-Co/
Website & blog | theblackgirlco.com
Email | theblackgirlco@gmail.com