We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lavoughnda White a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lavoughnda, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
In 2016 I was on the way to a Washington D.C. school where I was teaching second grade at the time when a friendly-seeming young Black man approached me and said: “I just want to let you know that you’re pretty to be dark skinned.” It took me a second to process the subtext. My first response was a burst of expletives. Then I caught my breath. I looked him in the eye and said: ‘Nah, I’m just pretty. That incident stayed with me — and ultimately inspired me to create a social enterprise company that has been celebrated by Forbes Magazine for its efforts to combat colorism on all levels.
The mission of Nah I’m Just Pretty is to combat colorism through education, organizing, advocacy and affirming apparel. We envision a world free of skin tone discrimination and were dark skinned people are humanized, heard, seen and not marginalized due to having dark skin.
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?
Well my name is Lavoughnda White and I was born in St. Louis, MO. I moved around a lot and ultimately ended up finishing my middle, high school, and collegiate years in Michigan. I’m a graduate of Michigan State University where I received my undergraduate degree in Communication and received my MBA from Mary Baldwin University. I’m a service minded individual and I’m passionate about youth, advancing the black community, and community/economic development amongst other things such as basketball, the arts, and my family. I’m easy going and love to meet new people, travel, and always dreaming BIG that sometimes it scares me lol. I wanted to create a social enterprise company to use my revenue to fund initiatives and campaigns to combat colorism. As well as curate spaces to host local events to educate and increase awareness of the harmful implications that come with upholding systems that oppress dark skinned people. It’s important for people to understand that across cultures, dark skinned people are treated differently by design.
My company, Nah I’m Just pretty offers affirming apparel that’s focused on affirming dark skin and providing dark skinned people with a safe space to unpack their experiences with colorism and provides solutions on how to advocate against it. I also sell authentic, handmade merchandise from Cape Town South Africa which you can find on our site under our made in South Africa Collection. We offer backpacks, duffle bags, purses, and custom-made jewelry. No two pieces are the same. Additionally, we offer apparel for men as well from our Nah Just A King collection. This collection seeks to uplift men and debunk serotypes that are placed on black men such as being called a “thug”, “violent, or aggressive. You can find Hoodies and shirts from our Nah Just A King collection. Lastly, we’re launching a mentorship program for dark skinned middle school aged girls, along with coaching and speaking services next year. We’re excited to keep growing our business and providing quality products and services of value utilizing an innovative approach to combat and advocate against colorism.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn that it’s ok to not have it all figured out. Starting this business was truly a labor of love and is honestly my life story being expressed through apparel. I found it difficult to share my story with self-hate and how I wanted to bleach my skin. I wasn’t sure how to “say it” or create content that others could identify with. I started to get in my own way because I felt like I should know how to run a business, right lol. Then it hit me, Nike had to start somewhere, Google did, Oprah did and so on. They all had to start right where they were at and figured it out along the way. I had to learn that you get better by doing, trial and error and essentially failing, because even in failure there’s success. I would encourage anyone that wants to start a business to embrace the unknown, embrace fear, look it right in the eye and keep going. In the words of the late Aaliyah “If at first you don’t succeed dust yourself off and try again” because chances make champions.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
We have not yet become a profitable company, but I understand the investments and sacrifices needed on the front end to develop into a lucrative sustainable social enterprise business. I’m willing to invest all that I have to ensure that the mission of Nah I’m Just Pretty is amplified on a global level, and that we’re known for being in-service to our community, fighting the good fight to eradicate colorism. I’m confident that the value we bring to this market will produce revenue and fruit for us, so we’re enjoying the process of becoming. We can’t thank our VILLAGE enough for helping and always supporting our work as a business and brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nahimjustpretty.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nahimjustpretty/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imjustprettyhq/
- Twitter: @nahimjustpretty
Image Credits
Joseph Stegall