We recently connected with Nkoya Kidd and have shared our conversation below.
Nkoya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Warrior Nori Books is inspired by my eldest daughter Nori. Our mission at Warrior Nori Books is to empower brown children and remind them of their self-worth. When my daughter was 4 months old, we had our first experience of people saying “not so nice” things about her. It broke my heart as a mother. I felt small as if I could never protect her from the outside world. Then it dawned on me; I was fearful because I worried she would grow up and believe what others said about her. I began to ponder on how I could prevent this from happening. There it was the lightbulb idea: my daughter had to know who she was and be confident in her knowledge. Therefore, If someone said anything about her that did not line up with who she is, she would have the power to not accept what they have said or believe them. Yet, my child was not the only one who has had this experience and she would not be the last. It was my duty to share this revolution with other children through a fun and empowering book series. As confident as our children are in knowing 2 + 2 equals 4 is how confident they should be in knowing their self-worth and knowing they are perfect just as they are.
Nkoya, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I started writing children’s books as a small child. My kindergarten teacher would report to my mother that I talked a lot; yet, talkative children were great writers. My mother took her advice and bought me journals. I would write children’s stories and poems. As I progressed in my adult years I continued to write. entering writing contests and writing for self-enjoyment. Since becoming a mom I have been able to reconnect with writing. However, now I write to change the world.
Warrior Nori Books currently offers the first book in the Warrior Nori book series: No Crabby Comments Allowed and an Affirmations Coloring Book. Warrior Nori: No Crabby Comments Allowed includes a confidence-building activity at the end of the book that children can do alone or with a guardian.
Children who read Warrior Nori books will be empowered. Warrior Nori is a demonstration of who our brilliant young generation is. Our children are born confident and powerful, but once they enter the real world their self-esteem is challenged. I want to help children through my books connect back to their God-given inheritance: strength, beauty, intelligence, bravery and much more.
I adore children but I also aim to leave space for moms. It takes a village to raise children and a supportive community. At Warriror Nori Books we hope to raise funds to financially support moms with birth doulas and postpartum doulas and host quarterly mommy and me meet-ups so moms have a space to meet new moms and feel seen.
We forsee a beautiful creative writing space in the Chicagoland area in the near future, so Little Warriors have a place to sharpen their creative skills and be empowered.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Becoming a mom is like holding a full-body mirror up and constantly looking at yourself. It reveals so much that you are great at and many things you could improve on while also giving yourself grace of course. When my eldest was born, I was privy to watching her meet her milestones: holding her head up, grasping toys, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking. During this time my daughter couldn’t talk, so she couldn’t verbally encourage herself to keep trying to accomplish her milestones she just DID IT, naturally. They were such eye-opening moments for me. We were born with unwavering spirits. I began to wonder what happens to us that we get disconnected from that and how can we reconnect with it. Children are fearless; they don’t care if they have fallen they will get up and try again and again. However, even I have been guilty of falling down and not getting back up because of fear. I am in the process of learning to unlearn fear. To reconnect with my God-given inheritance that I was not born with a spirit of fear, and I can conquer anything that comes my way.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I entered 2023 celebrating the launch of my children’s book. We were off to a great start. However, days later I returned to work to find out I was laid off. I had just invested a lump sum of my savings into launching my book. I was beyond worried. Not even two months after getting laid off I discovered I was pregnant. I was home with a toddler, no job, and pregnant things did not look too promising. Yet, I stayed on the path of advertising my book, building my social media presence, and creating new products. I did not give up. I knew that when one door closed others would open for me. I was able to publish my Affirmations Coloring Book and graduate from Sunshine Enterprises where I learned how to better manage my business as a small business owner.
Contact Info:
- Website: warriornori.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warriornoribooks/
- Facebook: Warrior Nori Books