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ALICIA NICOLE

5th Annual Relax, Release, & Restore Retreat Update

SCENTS & HEALING

WHAT’S NEXT FOR SAFE SPACES FOR BLACK WOMEN®

PAGES

Editor-in-Chief

Alicia Coulter, MPH, MSW

Art Director

Klarisa Coulter

Photography Jamal-Akil

CONTRIBUTORS

Alicia Coulter, MPH, MSW Klarisa Coulter Founder, Author, & Curator of Safe Spaces for Black Women™ Curriculum Specialist, AHN Foundation

alicianicole org alicia@alicianicole.org/ IG @alicianicoleexperience

FROM THE EDITOR

DearSis,

In2023,IbeganthelongandcomplicatedprocessofsecuringthetrademarkforSafeSpaces forBlackWomen®.Iknewthen,beforetheretreats,beforethemagazine,andbeforethe expansionoftheAliciaNicole™Experience,thatBlackwomendeservedaprotectedplacethat belongedtous.Aplacebuiltwithintention,depth,andculturalunderstanding.

Whatmanypeoplewillneverknowishowchallengingthatjourneytrulywas Thefounderof SafeSpacesforBlackMen®initiallyownedthetrademark Tomoveforward,Ihadtonegotiate directlywithherwhilemaintainingaclearvisionofwhythisworkmatters.Itwasnotsimple.It wasnotautomatic.Itwasnotguaranteed.Itrequiredpersistence,legalguidance,emotional labor,andunwaveringclarityaboutthemission.

Thatnegotiationbecameaturningpoint.ItaffirmedthatthemovementIambuildingisnot onlymeaningfulbutworthyofprotectionatthehighestlevel.Securingthetrademarkwas neveraboutownershipforbranding.Itisasafeguardforourcommunity.Itensuresthatthe phraseSafeSpacesforBlackWomen®cannotbemisused,coopted,ordilutedbyindividuals orinstitutionsthatdonotunderstandtheemotional,cultural,andspiritualresponsibility connectedtocreatingsafetyforBlackwomen

Thistrademarkstandsasadeclaration:thatourexperiencesareworthyoflegalprotection, thatourstoriesandourhealingarenotavailableforexploitation,andthatwhatwecreatefor Blackwomendeservesthesamerespectandpreservationasanythingelsewithimpactand intention.Ididnotobtainthistrademarktokeepsomethingawayfromothers.Iobtaineditto preservesomethingforus.Aswemoveintoanewchapterwiththemembership,withour communityofferings,andwiththecontinuedevolutionofSafeSpacesforBlackWomen®,I carrythishistorywithme.Itisareminderthatourworkisintentional,prote care.

Alicia Nicole

Withgratitude, Editor-in-Chief

in this issue

ASeason of Gratitude forBlackWomen

This month, everypage is an offering.Athankyou.Amoment to honorthe brilliance, softness, leadership, and resilience of Black women.This issue centers on thewayswe care forourselves, the communitieswe build, and the spaceswe deserve.

TheThankYouWe RarelyReceive

Areflective piece that acknowledges the unseen laborand emotional depth Blackwomen hold everyday.Agrounding reminder that ourpresence is powerful andworthyof care.

You Deserve Room to Exhale

Alifestyle andwellness feature that explores simpleways to create rest and ease in ourdailylives.These practices remind us that restoration is a right and not an afterthought

YourSoftness MattersToo

Agentle affirmation of emotionalwellness.This section centers the importance of softness, boundaries, and intentional care forBlack women.

The Future of Safe Spaces forBlackWomen®

Apreviewofwhat is next forSafe Spaces forBlackWomen® and howthe membershipwill deepen theworkalreadyunderway. Presentedwithout urgency, onlyclarityand intention.

Scent as Healing

Aspecial feature on the role of scent in grounding Blackwomen and restoring confidence.Areflective piece inspired byyourpersonal journeywith fragrance as a form of healing.

Sisterhood in Practice

Short communitystories, quotes, and captured moments that speak to the strength and safetyBlackwomen find in each other.

ANote to OurCommunity

Aclosing reflection that honors everywomanwho has been part of this movement and prepares readers forthe next chapterof Safe Spaces forBlackWomen®.

Safe Spaces for Black Women®: A Movement That Protects, Restores, and Belongs to Us

By Alicia Coulter, MPH, MSW

Photography by Klarisa Coulter

Safe Spaces for Black Women® began as a very personal decision It was a commitment to create a place where Black women could gather without pressure, rest without guilt, and exist without fear of being misunderstood

It was never meant to be a moment. It was always meant to be a movement From intimate brunches to restorative retreats, from workshops to healing conversations,

Safe Spaces for Black Women® has grown into a community that reflects the richness and complexity of who we are. It demonstrates our courage, our softness, our leadership, our exhaustion, and our joy. It reflects the truth that Black women deserve consistent care, not occasional relief

What makes this movement significant is not simply the experiences. It is the intention behind them Every experience is created with respect for Black women's emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs. Every space honors our voices, our boundaries, and our stories, and reminds us that we deserve safety that is not conditional.

The work has expanded, but the foundation has remained the same: Validation. Encouragement. Elevation.

This year, I have introduced the next chapter of this movement. Safe Spaces for Black Women® will now include a membership that deepens and sustains the work more consistently. It will not replace the retreats or gatherings. Instead, it will strengthen what we are already building

The membership will offer structure, community, and care that do not depend solely on a calendar. It will give Black women ongoing access to the resources, conversations, and support that help us stay grounded in a world that is often unaware of our needs. It will be a continuation of the mission to protect what belongs to us

This issue of Alicia Nicole Magazine is a reminder of why Safe Spaces for Black Women® exists

It is a reminder that every Black woman deserves a place where she is heard and held It is a reminder that our collective wellness is worthy of protection and investment. It is a reminder that our community is powerful when we gather with intention.

Safe Spaces for Black Women® is not only a trademark It is a responsibility It is a safeguard for our emotional and cultural labor. It is a home for women who spend their lives pouring into others. It is a movement that honors the fullness of who we are.

A new chapter is here Our space is expanding. Our community is growing.

And this work will continue to stand in truth, clarity, and care.

Safe Spaces for Black Women® was created for us

Safe Spaces for Black Women® Membership

A Community of Validation , Encouragement, and Elevation

Why the Membership Exists

Safe Spaces for Black Women® was created to give Black women consistent care, grounding, and protection. Our retreats, gatherings, and wellness experiences revealed something important. We deserve a community that meets us regularly. We deserve support that does not depend on a calendar. We deserve a protected place to land.

The membership is the next chapter of this work. It is an intentional home for Black women who want space to grow, reflect, rest, and remain connected through a community that understands them.

Monthly Wellness and Leadership Lessons

Members will receive monthly audio or written lessons created specifically for Black women. These lessons will address boundaries, capacity, clarity, identity, leadership, and emotional safety. Each lesson will offer grounded insight that can be applied immediately in real life.

Tools for Clarity and Growth

Members will receive practical tools that support both personal and professional development. These resources will include support for pricing, time management, boundaries, and strengthening decision-making. Each tool is designed to be easy to use and rooted in cultural understanding.

Quarterly In-Person Experiences

Members will gather for quarterly experiences that center on luxury rest and intentional care. Each gathering is designed to restore the mind and body through curated conversations, grounding practices, and environments that honor the needs of Black women.

Priority Access to SSFBW® Pop Ups and Retreats

Members will receive access to early notifications, private invitations, and priority registration for SSFBW® events and retreats. These invitations offer a quiet and intentional way to stay connected to the experiences you have come to expect.

A Protected Community

The membership includes access to an exclusive community designed for quiet connection. This community is not public and does not require performance. It is a supportive and grounded space where Black women can gather with truth, clarity, and care.

How Scent Healed Me

Ifyou are part of myInstagram community@alicianicoleexperience,you have seen me share myscent pairings often. Myrelationshipwith scent changed aftermotherhood. Before I had children, I loved bold andvibrant fragrances.Afterbecoming pregnant and laternursing, I stepped awayfrom them. Mybody shifted, mysenses shifted, and the scents I once enjoyed no longerfelt familiar.

Fora season, Iwore no fragrance at all.When I returned to scent, I movedwith intention. I chosewarm, gentle notes that helped me breathe more deeplyand feel grounded. Scent became more than an accessory. It became a source of calm, clarity, and confidence. It helped me prepare mymind and steadymyemotions before stepping into theworld.

This is one of the reasonsJo Malone London is so deeplyingrained in mybrand It is not onlyabout luxury It is about the healing theirscents have brought and continue to bring Theirfragrances support the grounding practices that keep me centered, present, and connected to myself

ForBlackwomen, scent can act as a sensoryanchor. It can quiet the nervous system, soften tension, and guide us backto a place of innersteadiness. Scent is a small choice, but it carries a powerful truth. Healing beginswhenwe give ourselves permission to pause and breathe.

Hey Sis: With Alicia Nicole

In this episode of Hey Sis! With Alicia Nicole, we are joined by Toi Nichols, Founder & CEO of Motherhood Together & M.O.R.E. Mothers. What began as a personal tragedy evolved into a call to create space for women navigating the complex terrain of motherhood, grief, and self-reclamation. This conversation is not just about loss. It is about what rises from it.

With vulnerability and vision, Toi shares how she transformed sorrow into structure, isolation into intimacy, and silence into voice. She speaks about the courage it takes to hold space for others while healing in real-time, and the spiritual depth required to mother while mourning.

Together, we explore:

What it means to release expectations and identities that no longer serve us

The quiet ways grief reshapes our sense of self and purpose

Why softness is not weakness but wisdom

How sisterhood and storytelling can restore what sorrow tried to steal

Toi’s story is one of sacred becoming. Through her leadership, Motherhood Together has become more than a platform; it is a sanctuary for women to be fully human. To grieve. To grow. To gather.

This episode is not about polished answers or performative healing. It is an offering for anyone who has ever wondered how to keep going. Toi reminds us that healing is not a destination. It is a choice. A practice. A possibility.

You can listen, subscribe, and learn more about the Hey Sis! With Alicia Nicole Podcast @ alicianicole.org/listen!