By Gibron Rahim

INSPIRATION for a business venture can come about quite unexpectedly. That inspiration can be even more profound when it leads us to embrace our heritage. Moreover, that same passion can extend to inspiring and empowering people around us. Dr. Colleen Bovell’s drive to inspire others includes her recently launched business My Melanin Creations and goes beyond it.

A resident psychiatrist by profession, Colleen told the Pepperpot Magazine that she chose the name “My Melanin Creations” for two reasons. Earlier this year, as part of the International Decade for People of African Descent which is being celebrated from 2015 to 2024, Colleen decided to participate in the Miss Emancipation Queen 2018 Pageant. She explained that, during that period of time, herself and the other delegates participated in classes that taught them about their history, culture and heritage. “You accept that that’s your history and that’s your culture but we never do anything to raise awareness,” she related.

As part of the International Decade, Colleen decided that she would raise awareness with African-inspired clothing and jewellery. “People normally say you can only wear it [during] August but there are lots of stylish ways to wear the African print materials and not just the traditional thing that people are accustomed to,” she pointed out. “I’m just raising awareness of our history and our culture and I hope to inspire people.” The other reason for Colleen’s choice of the name relates to a book she wrote after participating in the pageant. Her as-yet unpublished manuscript bears a similar name. “I’m just waiting on finances to publish,” she said.

There is much variety in the pieces that Colleen creates. She related that the first pieces she created when she started were bows to be worn as earrings. She wore the pieces and was often asked where she had bought them. “I also designed two dresses and two skirts and, [as] part of the unique design, I had bows on them,” she recalled. Once again, she was asked by people she encountered where they could get pieces like those. She related to them that the pieces had been designed by her and sewn by her seamstress. They would then ask if they could also have pieces with the same design. She would reply, “It’s my unique design and I would be happy to share it.”

After she realised that people liked the pieces she was designing, Colleen started working on other creative projects in the same vein. She created pieces from designs she herself liked and then wore them. When people would ask and express interest, Colleen would take orders for pieces.

While Colleen’s profession and her creative venture may be different, they are related in a keyway. “In life the more you know, the more you realise you don’t know,” she said. “I always had a love for fashion.” She explained that she has multiple interests including learning new languages, travelling and volunteering. “For me, they’re always related because I’m the same person and these are things that I like as my hobbies,” she pointed out. “My profession is my profession but the other things I do, these are hobbies [and] these are things that I always loved.”

Colleen was really encouraged to pursue her interests on the side by the “Confidence Becomes You” course she took with Dr. Sonia Noel. “There was just this extra push and this extra drive from that class.” One of Colleen’s goals is to get her business to the point where she can help other persons. She related that even if it is just to create a small job for one person, perhaps a student to create pieces on the weekends, she would be happy with that outcome. “It helps other people too,” she affirmed. She related that she has taken note of the “I Can” project launched by Christine Profitt in Agricola.

She plans to contact Profitt about partnering to provide a weekend job for a person in need of one.
Owning a business is empowering according to Colleen. “It brands you,” she said simply. “I would say I am my product.” She explained that, when she tells people the story behind the founding of her business and enlightens them about the International Decade for People of African Descent, they gain knowledge. Additionally, “It is empowering personally for me because once I add value to myself I am then able to add value to others,” Colleen noted.

Colleen also has a keen interest in becoming a motivational speaker. She recalled that she had been part of a spelling bee and debate competitions back in school. She would always be told that she spoke well. “But I never really used it,” Colleen said. However, after the Confidence Becomes You class, her interest in the area of motivational speech was awakened. “We see a lot of negativity and there’s always need for the positive to spread,” she stated. Seeing that she was making a difference in the lives of others due to the responses she received after events she spoke at, Colleen realised that she needed to do more. “I need to go out there and get the word out, whatever I have to inspire persons I need to get it out there.”

The word “creations” in My Melanin Creations means that she will continually continue to create according to Colleen. There will be various products coming out of My Melanin Creations including handbags. Most of the materials she will be using will be African prints. Her book will also be coming out at the appropriate time. Colleen’s advice to budding entrepreneurs is, “You don’t have to be great to start but you have to start to be great.” She elaborated, “If you just sit with the idea and you never get started, you will not know how people will respond to it [and] you will not know if it’s going to be successful. You just have to start.”

My Melanin Creations can be found online at https://www.facebook.com/My-Melanin-Creations-295331297974960