Spark News

Mentoria discovered doula work in a roundabout way, after suffering from postpartum depression after the labor and delivery of her daughter, who is now five years old. On her healing journey, she searched for specific stories and representation from other Black women who had experienced and healed from postpartum mental health disorders. The stories she found were only mildly relatable, and Mentoria observed there was a massive gap in not only support and representation for Black mothers. Mentoria’s own path toward healing took multiple turns before she really found her way, and she hopes to be an educating advocate who can help mothers, especially Black women, avoid her painful journey.

Despite experiencing prolonged, severe postpartum depression symptoms after the birth of her daughter, she was reluctant to seek treatment beyond medications. But it was the representation of other Black women in the medical field that led her to take the steps she truly needed to take.  

When Jessica Andrews, owner of J’s Makeup Artistry, reached out to Hy-Vee in October 2022 to ask them about carrying her skincare and makeup line in their store, she got an answer she didn’t expect. “I went to Hy-Vee here in Manhattan, and I said, ‘What do I need to get into your store?’ I told them what I did, along with my credentials,” she explained. “And they said, ‘Jessica, we would love to have you in our store.’ I said, ‘Really, that easy?’ and they said, ‘It is that easy’,” she recalls.  

For Jessica, an entrepreneur who was used to working hard for her dreams, it had not always been easy. Growing up, Jessica spent a lot of time with her father, going to the gym and doing other activities with him. Although she thought of herself as a ‘tomboy’, she also had an early interest in the beauty industry. “I always wanted to be a model, but then I ended up doing makeup instead,” says Jessica.