We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shawna Wells. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shawna below.

Shawna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

This is one of the hardest questions for me. In general, I think life is full of risks and everyday we make choices that take us slightly out of our comfort zone that force us to do things beyond what we consider as normal. I’ll share, though, that one of the defining risks of my career happened when I was graduating college. During my senior year, there came the point where it was time for me to answer the question “what’s next?” Many of my friends and classmates would be heading to Boston to start jobs since it was close and familiar. Me? I was going to Vegas, to play new cards and learn to be a teacher (pun intended). Earlier that year, I decided to apply to Teach for America and the powers that be not only accepted me but placed me in Las Vegas. The decision to go changed the trajectory of my life personally and professionally. It was uncomfortable and unfamiliar but I didn’t ask too many questions, I surrendered completely to my need to go and find out what might be there for me. I had to learn to, as Whitley Gilbert would say, “relax, relate, and release,” Relaxing into myself, relating to myself and the people around me and releasing expectations of what I thought “should” happen. Since then, I’ve taught hundreds of incredible middle schoolers, I’ve run schools, I’ve built two businesses, I’ve made incredible friends, I’ve fallen in love and I’ve seen the world. I’ve enabled my legacy through B is for Black Brilliance, Wells Coaching and Consulting, my family, chosen and given alike, so much life and so many more risks. That’s the thing about risks, the more you take the more you’ll have to take and I’ve gotten comfortable with doing just that!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For folks who haven’t heard of me, hi! My name is Shawna Wells and I’m into 90’s hip hop and roller skating was my favorite pass time when I was 10. I grew up (a little) and I now have the joy and privilege of being the CEO and Founder of B is for Black Brilliance. I’m in the business of legacy coaching and amplifying, cultivating and celebrating Black brilliance today and always. At B is for Black Brilliance we design and share engaging, well-written, beautifully-illustrated books and materials of real-life examples of Blackness as genius for caregivers, educators, and kids. In my work with Wells Coaching and Consulting, I work with executives to coach them in building their individual and organizational legacies.

I’m inspired to do this work by my ancestors. Our ancestors carry a lot of wisdom. Our lineages and legacies are inevitably connected to the people who came before us. They are the blueprint for so much of what we do or don’t do today. For me, they are consistently guiding me towards a life full of rest, creativity and the audacity and tenacity to attempt to change the world for the better. They’re always with me telling me to be fearless, that I’m brilliant and making sure I eat in that way that only elders know how. I think that it’s important to know that when we see our brilliance it can ignite new hope and possibilities. My vision is that my work can be a convener for people to connect with the brilliance of their ancestors while realizing that the same brilliance exists within them. I hope that they’ll be inspired and catalyzed to dream up new realities and narratives that reflect the brilliance they see.

Ultimately, we’re building a movement. This movement will awaken a more profound knowledge of Black creators and propel us to the center of conversations about who to trust with knowledge as leaders, innovators, and curators for generations to come all while sparking joy and unearthing new brilliance along the way.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Smiling at this question. I used to think that there was one way of doing things. I thought we all needed to strive for this level of perfection and that the destination was more important than the journey. I rushed through my 20s, often missing the brilliance and joy in the shared moments of humanity.

I’ve learned a lot by accepting challenges and trying new solutions. As a recovering perfectionist I am now a firm believer in the mantra, “things happen for a reason.” We encounter the lessons we are supposed to encounter and the world around us adapts as we respond. So, everyday I’m sharpening my skills, resting, and finding small moments of joy. When my daughter asks me a difficult question or someone cuts me off in traffic, I try to find the opportunity in the moment. It’s sorta like improv, you never know what will happen. Responding to each moment with “yes, and…” can rewire your expectations and ground you in the present moment. The truth is there is very little that is predictable in this world and there’s beauty in accepting the spontaneity of each moment.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I grew up in a world where I rarely saw Black people or Black brilliance in books, movies, or lessons. My school supplies often had non-Black characters displayed on them, and the heroes we talked about at school were rarely the same race as me. When I became a teacher in 2004, I was shocked to see that not much had changed from my childhood. I looked everywhere for books and stories about Black characters for my students to read and learn about Black brilliance in meaningful ways. Then, I was reminded of my own reflections as a child and young adult. There were very few stories about Black brilliance being told in my school. My experience matches the statistics: in 2017, only 11% of all children’s books featured a significant Black character which amounts to only 330 books—only 100 of which were written and illustrated by Black people. Further, only 2% of the characters on backpacks and school supplies were people of color. I knew it was time to educate our children differently.

When creating B is for Black Brilliance it was important for us to self publish because white publishers dominate so much of what our students and kids see and we wanted to disrupt that norm. That meant curating a team and product where Blackness was central. From the typography in the book to creating backpacks, lunchboxes and pencil cases, we wanted to create something of quality that reflected Black brilliance.

This process is easier said than done, though. There’s a lot that I didn’t know and still don’t know but I ask a lot of questions. I’ve learned to relax into my mistakes because I know that making mistakes is a part of the process.

One lesson that’s been a constant, though, is that there is a need for us as Black creatives to be able to access manufacturers that understand and value the work we’re aiming to do and the legacies we’re aiming to leave. We’re out to make this easier as we take more risks and can use our creative capital to build new ideas, concepts and products.

Contact Info:

• Website: bisforblackbrilliance.com
• Instagram: @bisforblackbrilliance
• Facebook: @bisforblackbrilliance
• Linkedin: @bisforblackbrilliance

Image Credits
Generation H Photography