Fighting Anti-Blackness: Loving Ourselves with Daily Practices of Self-Reflection with Nadia Brigham

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“But in this time and this moment in our society, where we are being not only discounted but dehumanized in a way and at a level that I’ve never seen in my life… In this time into this space, I feel the need and I feel called to remind us of who we are and how we are and how we made it to this place. Done this before, and none of it will change who we are if we’re intentional.

There is a message that I’ve unearthed yet again ’cause I’m not the first one, that needs to be re -broadcast to our community so that we can remember, and so that we can practice and live in the daily practice of self-love and mitigate against all of those messages, all of those ways in which we are told that we are nothing or that we lack.”

—Nadia Brigham

As an intellectual activist, Dr. Nadia Brigham has possessed the ability to recognize the patterns of injustice from an early age. She tells stories from her early life, highlighting pivotal moments that sparked her passion for social justice.

She reflects on her journey of completing her dissertation research exploring the ways power is wielded through language and narratives that dehumanize Black people, and how the emotionally difficult process of making meaning of the ways anti-Blackness is transmitted to individuals and throughout our social systems led to the surprising yet purposeful emergence of “Radiant & Rising”, a collection of interactive healing tools for Black people to engage in the daily practice of self-love while combating internalized anti-Blackness.

In explaining the five affirmation themes of Radiant & Rising that are designed to foster daily reflective practices for combating and unlearning anti-Blackness, whether you are Black or not, Dr. Brigham’s storytelling emphasizes the need to counter the lies embedded in anti-Black messages and reaffirms the worthiness that Black people have always had.

Meet Nadia

Nadia Brigham stands as a luminary force in the realm of racial equity, leadership development, and community engagement, with a sterling career spanning over 25 years. As owner of Brigham Consulting, Radiant & Rising, and Accelerate Equity, Nadia has steered countless organizations towards transformative change across diverse sectors, including philanthropy, grassroots initiatives, and youth-serving agencies.

Her unwavering commitment to fostering equitable outcomes in areas such as education justice, health equity, and family economic security has cemented her reputation as a strategist of notable caliber. Central to Nadia’s ethos is the cultivation of agency and action, propelling leaders and organizations from mere awareness to tangible, impactful, and transformational change. She fearlessly confronts manifestations of internalized and organizational anti-Blackness, illuminating pathways to healing and liberation both individually and institutionally.

Through powerful community engagement strategies, she fosters authentic relationships that celebrate the full spectrum of humanity, laying the groundwork for profound organizational transformation and stakeholder empowerment. Nadia’s academic pursuits are equally formidable, and she has a Ph.D in Sociology specializing in race relations and power inequalities. Her groundbreaking research delves deep into the complexities of socio-culturally transmitted internalized anti-Blackness, offering critical insights and actionable strategies for dismantling systemic barriers.

Beyond her consultancy work, Nadia’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through her role as co-owner of multiple ventures aimed at driving societal change. From co-founding Grand Rapids’ esteemed GRNoir Wine & Jazz lounge to spearheading Accelerate Equity, a pioneering business accelerator supporting Black entrepreneurs, to Radiant & Rising, a line of interactive healing tools for Black people to engage in the daily practice of self-love while combating internalized anti-Blackness, she epitomizes the intersection of innovation and social impact.

Nadia’s illustrious career trajectory includes a distinguished tenure as a program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, where she stewarded nearly half a billion dollars in investments towards community transformation via racial equity. Her academic credentials include a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Administration.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Nadia remains deeply rooted in family and community. She is the devoted spouse of her childhood sweetheart, Shatawn, and cherishes her role as a parent to three remarkable children and two grandchildren, with whom she shares a legacy of love, resilience, and unwavering faith.

As a founding catalyst of the Urban Core Collective, a board member of the Black Impact Collaborative, a board member of Northern Initiatives, and the UP Biz Partnership; and a dedicated advocate for diversity, racial equity, and inclusion within the Michigan Wine Collaborative, Nadia Brigham continues to leave an indelible mark on the landscape of social justice and transformative leadership. Her visionary leadership, coupled with her boundless compassion and unyielding commitment to equity, heralds a brighter, more inclusive future for generations to come.

Name Drops, References, and Resources from Nadia

Nadia mentions her mother, the elders in her life, including her grandmother, her father, her brother, her husband, her sisters, her children, and extended family and friends.

She also names Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, W.E.B. DuBois, Patricia Hill Collins, Charles Mills, Ta-Nahesi Coates, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Sherrilyn Ifill as influences.

More from Nadia

“This sociopolitical environment serves as both an challenge and opportunity for how we address racial equity. Victories- the level of liberation that has come from writing, reflection, and living into the ways of being that are affirming and humanizing; developing strategies and tools across our biz that are impactful; and I’ve also learned how very entrenched racism is and how difficult and slow-moving change is. So, in the meantime, we have to be human to ourselves.

I would offer encouragement and motivation for leaning into liberation of the mind, body, and spirit. But also a sense that this is both science and art that has to be practiced daily.”