Welcome to My Life
Raising Brown Girls NYC.
My name is Lyndia, and
I’m a Black woman, a mother, a founder, and a Brooklyn native who believes
deeply in the power of community, intentional parenting, and raising girls who
know exactly who they are. I am also a single mother raising two beautiful daughters,
Tereya “Rae” and Ny’Asia “Ny.” They are my brown girls, my greatest loves, and
two of the greatest sources of purpose in my life.
Why “Brown Girls”? I chose the words “Brown Girls”
intentionally. To me, they represent more than a color. They represent identity,
culture, representation, visibility, belonging, and the beautiful diversity
within our communities. Representation matters. Identity matters. And the
way we speak to our daughters today can influence the way they speak to
themselves tomorrow. Raising Black and Brown girls requires intentionality. We
want our daughters to understand their history while knowing that their history
does not limit their future. We want them to see beauty within themselves. We
want them to develop confidence without apology. We want them to understand
that their voices matter. And we want them to grow up surrounded by people who
affirm them, challenge them, protect them, encourage them, and believe in their
potential. That is the heart of Raising Brown Girls.
My journey into
motherhood did not happen according to a perfect plan. I became a mother with
my oldest daughter, Tereya, at 20 years old. Her father and I experienced
challenges that ultimately led us to end our relationship when she was two.
Although he has lived in another state for much of her life, over the years we
were able to develop a respectful relationship that ultimately grew into a
meaningful friendship.
I became a mother a
second time with my youngest daughter, Nyasia, at 27 years old. My experience
with my youngest daughter's father has been difficult. We were once engaged,
but eventually I made the difficult decision to walk away for my own peace of mind
and for the well-being of my children. Co-parenting has presented its own
challenges, and developing a cooperative relationship continues to be a work in
progress. I never imagined I would become a single mother twice. But life
doesn't always follow the blueprint we create for ourselves. I've learned that
an unexpected chapter does not mean the story is over. It simply means we have
an opportunity to write the next chapter differently.
The idea for Dear
Diary: My Life Raising Brown Girls began with encouragement from a friend
and former coworker who believed my experiences could help other mothers. What
started as a personal blog has become much bigger. It became a place where I
could tell the truth about motherhood. A place where I could talk about the
beautiful moments and the difficult ones. A place where I could discuss single
motherhood, co-parenting, faith, relationships, education, health, wellness,
bullying, peer pressure, entertainment, family life, and the everyday realities
of raising two African American daughters.
Most importantly, it
became a place where mothers could feel seen. Because sometimes
motherhood doesn't require another opinion. Sometimes you simply need someone
who understands. Someone who will listen. Someone who can say, “You are not
alone.”
My Life Raising Brown
Girls NYC is evolving beyond my personal diary into a community-centered
platform for mothers, parents, caregivers, educators, mentors, and allies who
believe that Black and Brown girls deserve to be celebrated, supported,
protected, educated, represented, and empowered. I chose the words “Brown
Girls” intentionally. To me, they represent more than a color. They represent
identity, culture, representation, visibility, belonging, and the beautiful
diversity within our communities.
Our Mission
My Life Raising Brown Girls NYC exists to
celebrate, support, and empower families raising Black and Brown girls through
storytelling, community, education, representation, and connection. We create
space for honest conversations while celebrating our girls’ joy, brilliance,
culture, beauty, resilience, and limitless potential. Our mission is simple: to
make motherhood feel less lonely, help our daughters know their worth and
identity, and empower the next generation of confident, culturally grounded
women.
We’re not just raising girls. We’re
raising them together.
Our Vision
We envision My Life Raising Brown Girls
NYC growing from a personal blog into a platform, community, and movement that
creates meaningful opportunities for Black and Brown girls and the families who
raise them. Most
importantly, we want every girl who encounters this community to see herself
reflected and know, “I belong here.” Because she does. Click here to learn more about our Mission and Vision.
I look forward to connecting with you. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.