Inspiration From a Friend
It’s hard to decide how far back to start the origin story of Soulful Colour. It should be documented though, right?! Here it goes.
I was inspired by a friend of mine, Nicole ‘Coco’ Viera, who is a force in the matrix. A fabulous educator, speaker, singer, and more. She inspired me to go back to school. After seeing Coco do amazing work with young people and young adults and working alongside her, I decided to go back to school.
Returning to School
I qualified for the Second Career program and enrolled in the accelerated Child and Youth Worker program at Humber College. The accelerated stream was my only option since Second Career only covered two-year programs, not three-year ones. My goal was clear: I was determined to be of service to young people and families, so I set a personal standard, I would graduate with nothing less than honours.
I’ve always had a natural ability to connect with young people. I believe it’s because I stay in tune with my inner child, allowing me to relate to them on a deeper level. I respect their importance and treat them with the consideration they deserve, and that really makes a difference. Young people can sense when you’re being genuine. If they think you’re not authentic or find you uncool, they won’t take you seriously, and they certainly won’t listen to what you have to say.
In my 20s, my friend at the time, Lorraine (LA Wade) and I ran a summer camp for young Nubian children. We had a blast, taking care of them, organizing activities, going on trips, and just having fun. This experience was a foundational moment for me, setting the stage for my eventual return to school. It’s funny how life works out; back then, I never would have imagined going back to school after graduating from Humber the first time.
When I returned to Humber, graduating with honours wasn’t just a goal, it was a promise I made to myself. I connected with others in the program who shared that same commitment. We formed study groups, supported each other, and bonded over our shared ambitions. Two of those friends, Rosina and Rachel, stayed in touch with me for a while after we graduated. I know I could call them up to this day and it would be like old times. They were really were a great support to me during that time.
One class that left a lasting impact we discussed vicarious trauma and the importance of self-care for caregivers. The professor asked us to share our self-care practices, and when someone mentioned colouring, a light bulb went off for me. I remembered how much I loved colouring as a child. In that moment, I decided to reclaim that simple joy. Colouring became my way to quiet the noise and relieve the pressure from the program, group discussions, and the high expectations I placed on myself to excel.
Turning Passion Into Reality
Who said colouring mandalas is calming? Not me. Futuristic landscapes, detailed flowers, dogs, cats, swear words, penises. OMG! I went to a dollar store and picked up an Easter-themed children’s colouring book. Loving the simplicity but didn’t like that images were on both sides of the page, the paper quality was poor, and there were no Caribbean or African people, people that looked like me. I started searching for colouring sheets and books that had diversity and depicted us in a positive, non-stereotypical way, showing everyday life. I couldn’t find anything that had swag, that really resonated with my lived experience, culture and Caribbean heritage.
That’s when I decided I was going to create my own. I told Rachel about my idea and the reasons why I wanted to do it. As a gift, she got me a self-published colouring book by a creator from Vancouver. I took one look at that book and it solidified it for me. I could be a colouring book creator too.
Pt. 2 coming soon…