Welcome to My Life Raising Brown Girls NYC.
My name is Lyndia, and I am the mother and founder of My
Life Raising Brown Girls NYC (short name: Raising Brown Girls). I
am a Brooklyn native who believes deeply in the power of community,
intentional parenting, and raising girls (and boys) 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 from outside entities 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 My Life Raising Brown Girls NYC (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 my experience with 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 (Raising Brown
Girls) 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 look forward to connecting with you. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
"There is only one way to succeed in anything and that is to give it
everything."
-----Vince Lombardi