Simona Noce and Nikki Osei of District MotherHUED. (Photo by Christina Sturdivant)
Until now, D.C. didn’t seem to have an organization dedicated to millennial women of color who are climbing the ranks in their careers or branching out as entrepreneurs, all while juggling children, companions, and non-stop agendas.
When searching for groups that they identified with, the options were scarce, Nikki Osei told DCist. She and her business partner, Simona Noce, found the likes of Georgetown Moms, D.C. Moms, and Mocha Moms, but they largely cater to either older or white women.
“Well, ok, let’s start it,” the duo decided two months ago, and they began conceptualizing what has become the new non-profit District MotherHUED. The goal is to provide support, guidance, and whole lot of pampering for moms “who need a break,” Osei said.
After having a baby boy with her high school sweetheart, Osei persevered through college at Bowie State University with the help of her then-boyfriend’s family—a critical support system for her success. After graduating college, she relocated to New York to begin her career as a fashion publicist. Seventeen years and a second child later, Osei recently married her sons’ father, and they’ve settled their family in Maryland.
Meanwhile, Noce, a graduate of Howard University, lives in D.C. and works as a film publicist and wedding planner while raising two boys under the age of two years old with her longtime boyfriend.
“Once we leave the workplace, we come home and we still have so much more to do and it’s just like when do we get time to decompress? When do we get time for ourselves?” Osei said.
In fact, the origin of MotherHUED was sparked by Osei and Noce’s desire to host a simple “Moms Night Out,” which was inspired by the film Bad Moms. The movie featured “women dealing with the pressures of trying to be the perfect mom—living up to the PTA expectations and things like that,” said Osei, who now works full-time as a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle publicist. “In my life, I don’t set out to be the perfect mom. However, I do have a 16 year old and he has his schedule—he has basketball and piano and practices—and then I also have a four year old who also has an itinerary.”
Photo by Christina Sturdivant
Last week, the pair launched The Mom Loft, the first of many quarterly (or potentially monthly) events hosted by MotherHUED. The first iteration also served as the organization’s launch party, and it completely sold out.
About 50 women received massages, manicures, and headshots by a professional photographer. They shopped from local, mom-owned, and black-owned clothing and beauty brands. They ate home-cooked food by Noce. And they drank a lot of fruity alcoholic beverages.
“This is not a professional event,” Osei said ahead of the party. Instead, she said, conversations would be more along the lines of “‘did you trip over a big pile of legos today?’ Let’s vent about it over wine and champagne!”
But with a side business in addition to her full-time career, Osei also acknowledged the value of networking. “The best way for you to get those creative juices flowing is to be surrounded by women who are already pursuing similar endeavors.”
So whether discussing diaper rashes or business plans, the women took a breather in a “judgement-free zone,” which was decorated with framed reminders like “Memories will last—a clean home won’t” and “Motherhood is tough, my darling. But so are you.”
And Osei and Noce’s biggest message: “Ain’t No Hood Like Motherhood.”
Brandi Chantalle, a local poet, author, and teacher, spoke to that theme. “She looks like she has it all together even though she really doesn’t,” Osei said, adding that Chantalle would “impart some words of wisdom and inspiration for moms that may be feeling lost, that may be feeling tired, that may be feeling overwhelmed, and just need that extra push to let them know you’re not alone in this.”
From battling nursing and stroller woes to managing marital hiccups and social media fame, Chantalle, mother of two-year-old Zora, talked about the stresses that came with a role she’s desired all her life. “I felt very affirmed in [Zora], I wanted to give everything to her, I did not want to let her down,” she told the group.
Chantalle says “sisterfriends” keep her focused in life. “What I recognized is that I needed a tribe, and it really does take a village,” she said, describing women who act as prayer warriors, business partners, babysitters, and essential components to her life.
She summed up her message—and District MotherHUED’s—when explaining the need for safe spaces. “[Moms] need people who we feel like we are going to have our best interest at heart, and are genuinely looking to hold us [up].”
You can learn more about District MotherHUED via Facebook.
