We recently connected with Brittany Buchanan and have shared our conversation below.
Brittany , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
Starting Black Muva Convos was a risk I never thought I’d have the courage to take. At first, it wasn’t even an idea for a business or a movement. It was a personal challenge. My marriage had ended, my sense of self had unraveled, and motherhood, had completely consumed me. I couldn’t recognize the woman staring back at me in the mirror. That’s when I decided to do something just for me.
I created a self-love challenge on Instagram to hold myself accountable. It was raw; a space to explore who I was outside of being “Mom” and “Wife.” At first, I was terrified to post it. What if no one cared? What if people thought I was selfish? But I did it scared, sharing little pieces of my journey and inviting others to join me.
To my surprise, the challenge resonated. Women started participating, sharing their stories, and cheering each other on. Slowly, a small community began to form. What started as a handful of moms supporting each other grew into thousands, and then tens of thousands.
The real turning point came when I decided to host my first Self-Love Sip and Paint event. It was one thing to create content behind a screen, but stepping into a room full of strangers? That was a whole new level of vulnerability. I doubted myself endlessly. Would anyone show up? Would they feel connected to what I was trying to create? But something in me said, Do it scared.
The day of the event, my hands were shaking as I set up the room. But then, moms started arriving and the atmosphere turned into something magical. It wasn’t just a paint night; it was a space where women laughed, cried, and reconnected with themselves and each other.
Looking back, I realize that every step of Black Muva Convos has been a risk—posting that first piece of content, showing my face on camera, and inviting strangers into my life. But the rewards? They’ve been beyond anything I could have imagined. Today, this community of 40,000 moms is proof that taking risks, even when you’re scared, can lead to something extraordinary.
Black Muva Convos isn’t just about self-love—it’s about healing, connection, and creating spaces for Black mothers to thrive. And to think, it all started with one scared woman deciding to take a chance on herself.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m Brittany, founder and CEO of Black Muva Convos, a community and movement dedicated to empowering black mothers to prioritize their mental health, emotional well-being, and happiness. Before it became a space for over 40,000 moms, it was my personal journey of finding myself again. I am a proud mother of four, but after the premature birth of my daughter, who had to stay in the NICU for a month, my life completely unraveled. During that time, I navigated postpartum depression, the challenges of taking care of my three sons, and the end of my marriage. The weight of it all left me feeling unrecognizable, disconnected, and unsure of who I was outside of being a mother, a wife, and a teacher. I realized I couldn’t continue living solely for everyone else; I had to reconnect with myself.
This led me to start a self-love challenge on Instagram. At first, it was just for me. It was a way to hold myself accountable and rediscover who I was. I needed to find joy, purpose, and confidence outside of the roles I had been consumed by. To my surprise, other moms began resonating with my story. They saw themselves in my struggles and started participating in the challenge. What started as a personal act of healing quickly blossomed into a community of women supporting and uplifting each other. Seeing the power of this connection, I realized I had the opportunity to create something even bigger—a movement that reminded black mothers they deserve love, care, and fulfillment, too.
Today, Black Muva Convos offers a range of resources and experiences designed to help moms prioritize themselves. From Healing Mom Summer, a transformative self love picnic and self care events to workshops on mental health and financial literacy, everything we do is about creating safe, inclusive spaces where Black mothers can release, recharge, and rebuild. We also provide journaling tools and self-love resources to help moms process their feelings, heal, and reconnect with themselves. Our online presence is filled with motivational content, affirmations, and real conversations about the challenges and joys of motherhood and self-care.
What makes Black Muva Convos special is its authenticity. It’s rooted in my own story and a deep understanding of the unique challenges black mothers face. I’ve been there—feeling lost, overwhelmed, and wondering if there’s space for me outside of everything I do for others. Through humor, honesty, and connection, this platform has become a lifeline for moms who feel unseen or unsupported. I’m incredibly proud of the community we’ve built—seeing moms come together, form friendships, and reclaim their identities is deeply rewarding.
If there’s one thing I want you to know, it’s that you are more than your titles and responsibilities. You deserve joy, rest, and fulfillment beyond the roles you play. Black Muva Convos is here to remind you of that and to support you every step of the way as you rediscover and prioritize yourself. Together, we’re creating a movement that empowers black mothers to thrive, not just survive, and I’m honored to be on this journey with you.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson I had to unlearn is the idea that you have to wait for everything to be perfect before you start. For the longest time, I believed that things had to align just right, that I had to have the perfect plan, the perfect setup, and the perfect confidence. If I had clung to that belief, I would’ve never hosted my first event for moms or created my self-love journal.
When I decided to host my first Self-Love Sip and Paint event, I was terrified. I questioned whether anyone would show up, if the experience would be impactful enough, or if I was even qualified to lead something like that. Deep down, I knew I had a vision that mattered. I decided to push past the fear and do it scared. I’m glad I did because the event wasn’t just successful; it was transformative. Moms showed up, shared their stories, and left feeling recharged and seen.
The same thing happened when I created my self-love journal. I doubted whether it was “good enough” or if anyone would want to use it. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, I put it out there, flaws and all, and it resonated with so many women. They shared how journaling helped them process their emotions, heal, and reconnect with themselves, just like it did for me.
Unlearning perfectionism has been liberating. It taught me that growth happens when you step out on faith and believe in yourself, not when you hold back waiting for things to be just right. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and trust that you’ll learn and improve along the way. Progress, not perfection, has been my motto ever since, and it’s a lesson I continue to live by every day.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
One of the most defining moments of my journey that illustrates my resilience happened in 2022, when my husband left and my father passed away, all within the same year. It was an incredibly difficult time for me, and I felt like my world had completely shattered. I was battling depression, struggling to find my way out of the overwhelming sadness and loss, all while trying to hold everything together for my four children.
When my husband left in 2022, it felt like everything I had built. My family, my sense of security, and the life I had envisioned was torn apart. The emotional weight of his departure hit me hard. I was suddenly a single mom of four, facing financial strain and pressure. It felt like I was drowning, and I couldn’t see a way out. As if that wasn’t enough, my father, who had always been a source of strength and support, passed away shortly after. His death compounded the grief I was already feeling, and I was left trying to process not just the end of my marriage but also the loss of someone who had been a pillar in my life.
That year, I found myself in a deep depression. I couldn’t shake the heaviness, and some days, it felt impossible to get out of bed or even eat. I felt lost. I was disconnected from everything I once found joy in, including my purpose and the work I had started with Black Muva Convos. There were moments I questioned if I could keep going, if I was even capable of moving forward with everything I was carrying.
But somehow, through it all, I found the strength to keep going. I leaned into the very practices I wanted to share with other mothers—self-love, self-care, and healing. I started going to therapy and journaling to process my feelings, and I took small steps each day to focus on what I could control. It was hard, but I kept showing up for myself, even when it felt like I had nothing left to give.
As time passed, I slowly started to rebuild. I hosted my first Self-Love Sip and Paint event, launched my self-love journal, and began to reconnect with my purpose. The pain didn’t disappear, but it taught me invaluable lessons about resilience and the importance of showing up, even when life is tough. I learned that it’s okay to not have it all together and that it’s okay to feel broken sometimes. What matters is finding the strength to rise again.
That year of loss, grief, and depression was one of the hardest times in my life, but it also became the catalyst for my growth. It pushed me to lean into my resilience and trust that even in the darkest moments, there’s light ahead. Today, I am more committed than ever to helping other mothers heal and prioritize themselves, because I know firsthand that we all have the strength to rise, even when we feel like we can’t go on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blackmuvaconvos.com
- Instagram: @blackmuvaconvos
- Facebook: @blackmuvaconvos
- Twitter: @blackmuvaconvos
