BLACK WOMEN DESERVE TO THRIVE, NOT JUST SURVIVE.
For our Magic supports Black women, providing them with self-care bags and guides containing beauty, wellness, and art products/services free of charge. Explore the breakdown of what we do:
-
For our Magic supports Black women, providing them with self-care bags containing beauty, wellness, and art products free of charge. Our self-care bags are filled with donated products and leftover supplies from non-Black-owned brands, as well as items from Black-owned businesses. Each bag contains an eyeshadow palette, lip gloss, candle or skincare items, luxury hair products, tea, vitamins, and an art print. We chose to deliver these items in tote bags, partly inspired by Erykah Badu's "Bag Lady" and as a reusable reminder to practice self-care. Our goal is to distribute two free self-care bag drops per year in the Twin Cities, MN area and provide discounted memberships/opportunities for community.
-
Black women are often the leaders, sacrificers, and backbones of social movements. However, they often don't prioritize their own self-care. (Note, we want to make clear that when we say women, were are including everyone who self-identifies as a woman, including transwomen, two-spirit folks, etc). Here are a few facts about Black women and mental health/self-care:
- According to the Office on Women's Health, Black women are more likely to experience certain mental health disorders, such as postpartum depression, than women of other races.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Black communities, resulting in increased rates of infection and death, which can lead to increased stress and anxiety.
- A study published in the Journal of Black Psychology found that Black women who practiced higher levels of self-care reported lower levels of anxiety and depression.
For Our Magic aims to provide extra motivation and support for Black women's self-care journeys. It's not just about products or beauty, but about the representation that Black women deserve frivolity and indulgence. We also strive to make access to mental health and wellness easier and provide tips for daily self-care practices and exercises that are free.
-
For phase two of For Our Magic, we hope to expand into providing free or discounted services/sessions to local mental health/wellness providers. In addition, we know that there is much waste in the Beauty & Products industry, with major brands “donating” abroad or throwing out products that will end up in landfills. According to a report by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), around 50 million beauty products are estimated to be thrown away each year in the UK alone, with many of them expiring unsold. This contributes to the waste problem in the beauty industry, which For Our Magic aims to address by using donated products and leftover supplies from non-Black-owned brands in their self-care bags, as well as purchased products and items from Black-owned businesses with eco-friendly and sustainable practices.We also plan to look into sustainable and eco-friendly bag printing options to minimize waste as much as possible. By doing so, we hope to make a positive impact on the environment while also providing support and self-care to Black women in need.
For Our Magic + Our Story.
It was the summer of 2020, during the quarantine in South Minneapolis, a week after the death of George Floyd. Amidst the mourning and outrage, Co-founder Safrat Shonibare Peck had an idea for a different type of donation drop-off, focused on the women who are often the backbone of movements. The pandemic had already necessitated hundreds of mutual aid and community donations for survival needs, but she realized that there was a lack of things focused on self-care. She called Leeya, the other co-founder, to discuss the idea, and together they brainstormed the original core idea of For Our Magic. Black and brown women deserve to thrive, not just survive.
With Safrat's social, networking, and organizational skills, and Leeya's illustration, marketing, and art direction skills, FOM quickly gained buzz and support, raising over $14,000 in monetary donations, valued donated products, and even national press coverage by GOOP. Leeya illustrated a line of products and prints that were sold on RedBubble for additional funds (also the totes of the free self-care bags). The funds went to purchasing Black-owned beauty and self-care brands such as Ivy’s Teas, Pattern Beauty, Black Girl Sunscreen, and The Lip Bar. By 2022, we had gifted over 70 free self-care bags, valued at around $250 each, to Black and Brown women in want.
NUMBERS:
For Our Magic started in 2020 as a mutual-aid, one-time fundraising initiative. However, we now realize that we have plenty of room for sustainable growth. In the three years since our inception, the demand for self-care and wellness among women of color has only increased. The following are the metrics from our phase one, during which we had limited planning and expectations. We are currently developing FOM into an official social enterprise and non-profit, and see these numbers as proof of our scalable potential.
Our phase one metrics were as follows:
$ Donations Raised
$5,000
No. Items Donated
340 QT | $9,350v.
Items Purchased
672 | $7,200
No. of Brands
15 | See List
Est. Bag Value
$250
No. of Bags Gifted
70
SUPPORT
We are currently in the development phase for the next iteration of For Our Magic, with a planned launch date of late 2023, just in time for the holidays. We are actively seeking additional corporate sponsors, brand partnerships, monetary and product donations, PR and team support, and new board members.
If you are interested in supporting our mission by sharing your own magic, please reach out to us!
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PHASE 1 PARTNERS & DONORS
POP-UP SPACE PARTNERS
RENDER FREE CO-WORKING MPLS
PRODUCT & SERVICES DONORS
PR & PRESS:
