Wellness Revolution

In our society, the stigma surrounding utilizing mental health services and prioritizing self-care hinders us from accessing services or creates shame if services are obtained. This drives people to wait until they are in crisis to access services and creates higher rates of self-harm behaviors and clinically-significant diagnoses.

Heart 2 Heart removes stigma through its unique approach to mental health. As a holistic wellness center, it is rooted in the integrated and complementary treatment of the whole person with a combination of services including yoga, meditation, therapy, and medical support provided by a nurse practitioner. A holistic approach supports not only a client’s mental health but also considers the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of wellness.

Our customers are everyone. We serve ages 5+ across the life span with all races and gender expressions accessing services from Heart 2 Heart. Demographic research shows our mass appeal is to women ages 24-35, but recently our age range has shifted to older clients.

We have demonstrated metrics of success by the increase in client base and organic community recognition through news articles, speaking engagements, TV segments, and a top "20 under 40" for southern Indiana business magazine. We have hit our short-term revenue targets, which allowed for reinvesting into the business.

With a huge lack of diversity in the baby product industry, we are on a mission to make sure that families of color around the world have access to inclusive, representative products. A lot of toxins, parabens, and alcohol are currently found in baby products which strip the moisture out of ethnic hair and can be harmful in the long run. We are providing a healthier alternative.

I provide easily accessible representation via our products. Our products reinforce to children of color how important, smart, talented, creative, and beautiful they are. They are also high in quality and provide a healthier alternative that caters to a untapped market of baby hair and skin products formulated specifically for ethnic hair and skin. There is an entire aisle in most stores that is dedicated to adult and kid ethnic hair. Yet, in the baby industry it is falsely assumed that one-size-fits-all when it come to skin and hair. Some of the ingredients in kid products can’t be used for babies and toddlers. Thus, we we have created products that are 100% natural and benefits 3a-4c infant hair.

We have chosen first-time parents between the ages of 25-44 (median age of 44). and their families and friends, as the two most attractive segments to target. These segments are the most desirable because they usually have high levels of disposable income, and they tend to spend it heavily on their first child. Many expecting parents like to reward or pamper themselves with nice gifts when they are pregnant. The parents are used to having fashionable clothes and accessories, and it is totally consistent with their purchasing patterns that this would remain unchanged once they get pregnant. We are also targeting retailers and daycare and educational centers.

In the last 30 days, we have a post reach of 23K, engagement of 1.5K, and 770 clicks to our website. Our store is currently in the top 14% of traffic of stores that launched the same week. We launched on Mother’s Day 2021, and to date we have made a little over $5,000 in sales. All of our inventory has been paid in full, so it is all profit. We have been featured on WLKY and WDRB as well as on radio WLOU.

When we think about the incredible resilience and sheer unflinching will of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian people throughout the Americas, we are invigorated but also saddened, because such responses are necessary. That necessity has caused us to de-prioritize and sometimes ignore self-care and mental health. It’s often hard to focus on rest and process the daily trauma of institutional racism we experience in all facets of our lives. In particular, as the country and world at-large grapple with the new urgency and energy surrounding the #BlackLivesMatter movement, Rosa Rebellion recognizes the burden of traversing historic and contemporary oppression and marginalization. These fights often come with very little appreciation and almost no reprieve. Oppression is relentless and so are OUR advocates, community ambassadors and activists. But, we all need rest.

REBEL + REST is a thoughtfully curated retreat space that encourages activists, educators, and community advocates of color from across the Americas to rest, rejuvenate, and restore. This dynamic experience provides intentional space to exhale and commune with like-minded people as they explore healing practices that respond to the ongoing trauma of Black, Latinx, Asian and Indigenous bodies, the political pain surrounding people of color, and the grind of systemic racism. REBEL+REST extends support and empowerment to those navigating systems of oppression and using their voices and platforms to dismantle systemic racism. Participants are invited to take part in active exercises that help them both individually and communally learn to rest and protect their peace, in the midst of our national collective resistance.

REBEL + REST aims to support BIPOC community advocates, activists, and creatives working on the front lines of racial equity, community healing, and social justice. Our key audience are folks who may be serving at a grassroots level and/or disrupting from within corporate spaces. While the retreat in its original state offers an all-paid experience for community leaders who typically do not have the resources or time to create space for rest and reflection or seek wellness practitioners, we also partner with nonprofits and companies to offer a customized REBEL + REST experience for their internal BIPOC team members. We aim to help heal the impact of microaggressions, racism, and isolation experienced by people of color.

REBEL + REST was launched at SXSW in 2019 where we hosted more than 150 folks throughout the full day of the activation. With plans to launch the program in its full vision in 2020, we pivoted (due to Covid-19) with the help and partnership of lululemon, bringing to life 2 virtual retreat spaces. This $65,000 partnership allowed us to host 2 retreats for over 125 activists and community leaders in more than 22 states, 36 cities, and 3 countries (US, Canada, and China). The two day retreats were fueled by the voices of world-renowned yoga instructors from Black Girl in Om, meditation coaches like Manoj Dias, the voices of activists like Rachel Ricketts and Dr. Peniel Joseph, art therapists, plant therapists, musicians and more. Likewise, each attendee was offered the chance to meet one-on-one with a mental health therapist of color for a FREE session. The response and feedback we received from attendees, practitioners, and lululemon was overwhelming and excites us for what is possible when we are able to safely gather in person.