Today we’d like to introduce you to Amiana Patterson-Woods.
Hi Amiana, We are so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Attaining Midwest Black Girl Recess started when I attended a Black Girl Recess held in St.Louis, MO, over the summer by NZinga Medley. I participated as an attendee and instantly knew I would continuously be a part of this. I am a girls girl, and I loved getting together while promoting healthier lifestyle choices and networking. I left that day saying, “This was amazing and fit the vibe I love to give.” The following day, while on Facebook, NZinga expressed the desire to have someone take over Recess as she felt the vision she had for it needed to be fulfilled completely. There are no coincidences, and I saw NZinga’s post exactly when I should have! I immediately told her that I would love to step into the role and carry it on. I stepped into the role once decisions were finalized and agreed upon on both ends. I decided to brand this movement Midwest Black Girl Recess as I am from Illinois and wanted this women’s empowering movement to be inclusive to both sides of the water. Within doing so, the first annual Midwest Black Girl Recess was conducted in early June of this year and welcomed over 100 women for a day of fellowship, fun, and healthy lifestyle activities. I am excited about what the future holds.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
So far, it has been a smooth transition and journey! Networking and marketing are both lanes I ride in often; however, with Midwest Black Girl Recess, I was able to expand my experience and knowledge in both networking and marketing thanks to Elizabeth Donielle PR Marketing Agency securing multiple platforms to promote the event, such as Fox2News, KSDK5, and Hot 104.1.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Midwest Black Girl Recess is orchestrated for black women encouraging healthy lifestyle choices with activities such as Double Dutch, Line Dancing, Yoga, Walking, Zumba, and Hula Hooping. MBGR goal is to provide a safe space for black women to thrive, network, and enjoy each others company while intentionally taking time for self and health.
I am excited for what the future holds for us!!
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
I think taking on Midwest Black Girl Recess was a risk within itself. I had never conducted events of this magnitude or taken on a role in this way. So it was a risk to me because although I believed in the vision and believed I fulfilled the vision, I was taking the risk of putting myself out there to a community that did not know who I was in this way. Putting my finances into a new venture and making sacrifices to ensure success is always a risk. But, it was a risk welcomed with so much love and outpour from the community that it will always be worth it to me!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/midwestblackgirlrecess
- Facebook: Facebook.com/midwestblackgirlrecess
Image Credits
iDex Photography & Multimedia
