We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meoshia Burgess a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Meoshia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

When I was 8 years old, I had a near death experience. I was hospitalized and basically the doctors had told my parents to call our pastor and family. That they would continue to make me comfortable, because they had ran out of test to do and all the ones they had performed already had came back negative.

So that night I prayed really hard with my mom. I was sleeping and I could feel something touch my shoulder, so I jumped up and this may sound crazy but it was a shadow like figure sitting on the end of my bed . All I heard was an old church song playing “ I can’t give up now” then I heard a voice say keep fighting, I’m not done with you yet. It’s work to be done . I have plans for you.

The next day my mom told the doctors that she wasn’t giving up on her child. That they had 24 hours to get a specialist or something in my room or she was going to have every news station and the president of the hospital up there. Within an hour a GI Doctor came in and listened to me and my parents and went back to my birth and looked at all my records. Within 24 hours I had a diagnosis and was put on new medications and was able to start the healing process.

After that I told my mom I wanted to make a difference while I was here in earth. I started designing clothes and speaking up more and here I am today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

To know Meoshia Burgess, is to know the true epitome of overcoming circumstances that would have left most broken. By facing her circumstances head on she has found the strength to not only change her life but the lives of others.

She started her business (Meo’s World) in 2015 after having a scare with death. Through her business, she inspires other youth to embrace and express their uniqueness through her custom clothing and shoes. Coming close to death caused her to realize that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. She wants to make a positive contribution to this world while she’s here.

She uses her platform to inspire the youth to be the change, and to use their voices to make change in their community.

In 2021 she became the youngest female ever to own her own Record Label called The Youth Messenger Entertainment. Through her label she uses it to allow young people to tell their story the way they want to. She wants them to know it’s ok to use music as a form of Therapy to Express themselves.

Meoshia is also a published author, Fashion designer, model, community activist and Talk show host of Let’s Talk With Meo. She also runs her own nonprofit. . She hosts events in the community, to give the youth a safe place to come and have fun. She also has a free community store and laundromat, where anyone in the community can come and shop for food, clothing, household items, cleaning supplies, baby products and more. She doesn’t ask questions or make them get referrals, all they have to do is contact her and she setup’s a time and date for them to come to shop. Meo wants to help take the stress off those in need. Although the goal is to relieve the burden of going without in a larger sense she wants people to find hope and to let them know there is a community of people who care about them with no strings attached. It’s not solving every problem they have, but hopefully it’s giving them a bit of hope to carry on to the next day and to connect them to someone else who can help in another way.

She runs her own teen groups where she speaks with teens about self love and the importance of good hygiene. The sessions last about an hour and half for 8 weeks and they meet twice a month. At the end of the 8 weeks the teens receive a love basket filled with hygiene items along with one of her custom hoodies or shirts.

Meoshia was crowned Ashanti Queen in April of 2019 at the African American Festival in Charlotte, NC, hosted by Mrs. Dianna Davis owner of Crown Magazine. Meoshia has been featured in over 35 magazine, including Savoir-Faire magazine model search hosted by Mrs. Daphney Grier in June of 2019 and she has walked in over 75 fashion shows. She is Runway Model and has walked in NYFW and Paris fashion week. In February 2024 she will be the youngest designer to have her brand walked in Milan Fashion Week.

She was giving the name Charlotte Princess by Mecklenburg County sheriff Garry McFadden. She was awarded teen of the year in 2021 along with Rising Youth Entrepreneur & Community engagement. She also received a proclamation Day “Empowered Youth Day” From the Mayor for December 11 in honor of her annual Empowered Youth awards. In January of 2022 she received the Mayor’s Alliance Mentee of the Year. Meo was also a 20 under 20 honoree. And now not alone does she have a proclamation in Charlotte, she just received a proclamation from governor Roy Cooper for the state of North Carolina

She was the Co-Chair of the CUC100LLC where she partnered with other organizations to bring change to the black community. She stepped down from that seat in September of 2021. She became the youngest grantee to receive a jumpstart grant from the city of Charlotte in 2019 and received 5 grants in total from the city of Charlotte before they stopped the program.Meo has taking a stand against Gun Violence, Bullying and Sex Trafficking and youth mental health. But her main focus is to encourage the youth to be the change.

Meo launched her Charlotte Princess Mobile Café and dropping her own coffee line in July 2022. By the end of 2023 she plans to have a teen lounge and learning center opened where youth can come learn a trade and have a safe place to play video games and have fun.

Meoshia graduated in May 2023 with honors and will attend Spelman College on a full scholarship in the fall. She plans to major in criminal and immigration law. With a minor in fashion. She also plans to one day sit on the Supreme Court- and maybe even become president of the United States. All while running her own business and nonprofit.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to inspire the youth to be the change. I want other young people to look at me and see a young black girl, who’s far from perfect fighting for her community.

I use my clothing line to inspire everyone to be their unique self, No matter what. I want them to know it’s ok to be different and not follow the crowd. It’s ok to not be half naked on social media, it a ok to speak up when you feel like someone is being treated unfairly. I want young people to know it’s ok if you want to stay home and study instead of going out to a party.

I want all young people to know that their voice matters. They can make a difference in the world.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I would have knew about the grants that the city offers to businesses and nonprofits that are out in the community putting in work day and night.

It’s so many grants out here that young people can apply for that will help them start a business or nonprofit you just have to do your research and ask questions.

You can’t ever be afraid to ask question.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlotte_princess_inc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084966198729&mibextid=LQQJ4d