Founder, Author, & Curator of Safe Spaces for Black Women™
Kara Coulter Klarisa Coulter
Curriculum Specialist, AHN Foundation
Research Assistant, AHN Foundation
Dear Sis,
Can you believe the summer is almost over? I do not know about you, but I have been taking time to enjoy time with my family before fall sets in. In this edition, I am even more unbothered and becoming. I decided to continue the Unbothered & Becoming series after listening to a much-needed message (I will share more about that in the article).
If you are connected with me on Instagram or LinkedIn, you will see that a lot has changed. I am choosing to live Safe Spaces for Black Women™ out loud. When I shared this with a community member, she said, “Black women deserve it.” I agreed with her and told her, “My brand also deserves it.” I believe curating spaces where Black women are safe is a calling on my life, and I refuse to put the mantle down. If that means I must make myself uncomfortable, I will do just that!
Sis, do you believe you deserve to be safe? Free from harm? One thing I have found in creating these experiences is that women sometimes think they are elevating me. That is quite the contrary; these spaces do not elevate me, they elevate US. Each experience is created by a Black woman (and my team) for Black women. My passion for providing validation, encouragement, and elevation for Black women goes beyond what you have seen.
Stay tuned as we move into the upgrade dimension of the Alicia Nicole™ Experience.
Alicia Nicole
With love and intention
in this issue
Welcome to theAugust edition ofAlicia Nicole Magazine.Amonthlyreminder thatvalidatesyourgrowth,we encourage rest, and evolution is onyour terms
Here iswhatyouwill find inside:
Unbothered and Becoming (Part 2) Ourcoverstoryreflects onyou becoming thewomanwho knows her storymatters.Wewill focus onyou not shrinking but elevatingyourvoice in spaces regardless ofwhat others might think, say, ordo.
You have the Right to Rest –Especiallyon theWeekend Sixsteps to useyourweekend as a bookend toyourweek. Sneakpeek, I have been talking about this in my broadcast channel on Instagram and on LinkedIn
We also share past and upcoming events andworkshops.
Manythings are brewing thatyouwill notwant to miss.
This issue is forthewomanwho desires validation, encouragement, and elevation.
You are in the perfect place to elevate!
Alicia Nicole™ Presents…
This October, Blackwomenwill gatherin the desert foran experience that transcends rest and redefines restoration.The 4thAnnual Relax, Release, & Restore Retreat returnswith unmatched intention and elegance, hosted at the fabulous JWMarriott Resort in Palm Desert.
Surrounded bypalm-lined serenity, cascading pools, and breathtaking mountainviews, this four-day, three-night retreat is more than aweekend getaway; it is a declaration.Asacred space where softness is honored, sisterhood is prioritized, and everydetail is designed to nourish the mind, body, and soul
From private Oasis cabanas to soul-stirring conversations, this retreat is curated forthewoman who gives everything and is nowreadyto receive.
SPACE IS LIMITED. LUXURYIS GUARANTEED.YOUR RESTORATIONAWAITS. OCTOBER 9–12, 2025 | PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA TO LEARN MOREAND RESERVEYOUR PLACE,VISIT: CLICKHERE THE RETURN OFREST:AN INVITATIONTO RESTORE
RELAX RELEASE RESTORE R TEAT
Recently, I sat across from a consultant who asked me a question I was not expecting.
“Who
is the woman you have become?”
I paused, but only for a moment. The answer rose to the surface with ease. Confidence.
Not the kind of confidence the world markets to us. Not the confidence that is only based on titles, achievements, and applause. A steady confidence that comes from me knowing who I am, mind, body, and soul. This did not come easy for me, especially after I lost my identity.
This confidence has been earned. In 2021, I took the entire year to process my professional experiences that equated to workplace abuse. This time became a season where I was required to choose myself, even when it was not the easiest choice. It came through learning to release expectations and relationships that no longer felt good to me. It came through listening to my body when it said, “Rest,” and honoring my spirit when it asked, “What do you need?”
This is what rest has taught me: growth happens when you take a moment to sit down and rest. Sometimes, it looks like slowing down. Sometimes, it means walking away from what feels familiar but no longer feels right. Sometimes, it requires creating space to breathe.
I have spent the last three years curating Safe Spaces for Black Women™ that embody that same truth. Spaces designed for Black women to rest, restore, and remember themselves outside of the titles and the demands placed upon us. Spaces where you do not have to explain your joy, your exhaustion, or your dreams. Where you are allowed to arrive as you are and be held in that simplicity.
The Relax, Release & Restore Retreat was born from this vision. What started as a brunch in the wine cellar of The Strand House evolved into a brunch and book release, which in turn became a weekend retreat at the RitzCarlton in Palm Desert, a space designed for Black women like you and me who give so much of themselves to everyone and everything else.
The evolution of the Relax, Release, & Restore Experience is exactly what it needs to be, a safe space for Black women™.
Not an escape. It is a recalibration. It is a place where you do not need permission to be soft, to prioritize yourself without guilt, and to choose restoration as an act of resistance.
This next season is calling us to be intentional. To release the weight the world places on us as Black women. To honor the version of ourselves we have outgrown while stepping fully into the woman we are becoming.
Becoming is not about striving. It is not about performing. It is about elevation. It is about trusting your intuition, honoring your needs, and creating space for your becoming to unfold without rushing the process.
Becoming is fluid, in small, intentional ways. And I want this issue, and everything connected to it, to remind you that you are allowed to choose yourself.
To protect your peace. To create softness where you once struggled.
Because when you choose yourself, everything else begins to shift.
I'm Speaking
Safe Spaces for Black Women™ is more than words to me; it is a way of life. I create them, I desire them, and I wrote a whole book about it.
I am taking my research on the road and presenting at the Black Girls in Social Work Conference. Stay tuned for more information!
Announcing Alicia's Podcast Return
After a much-needed hiatus, the “Hey Sis! With Alicia Nicole” podcast returned on Tuesday, July 8th! This season, we are celebrating the power, presence, and purpose of Black women who are shifting culture, building legacy, and creating space for us to rise.
We have changed the format, and I am excited to introduce it to you here first!! Each episode, I’m sitting down with phenomenal women doing impactful work in their own way, on their own terms, to empower our community.
In this episode of Hey Sis! With Alicia Nicole, we are joined by Candice Williams, M.Ed., a passionate career educator, content creator, model, and devoted mother who has mastered the art of navigating life’s transitions with grace and intention. With over 21 years of experience teaching high school English across four states, Candice shares what it means to stay grounded while embracing change. From Kansas City to Los Angeles, Texas to Maryland, her journey is filled with lessons on identity, motherhood, and creating joy wherever life takes you.
Candice opens up about balancing her many roles: educator, blogger, influencer, model, and proud parent of two thriving daughters, while finding time to honor herself in the process. Together, we explore:
· What it looks like to create a sense of home , no matter where life takes you
· How motherhood and career have reshaped her definition of identity
· The power of choosing joy and living fully while juggling multiple roles
The importance of community and creating space for women to be seen and celebrated
This conversation is an invitation for every woman who has ever questioned who she is becoming during change. Candice reminds us that joy is not found in perfection, but in presence.
You can listen, subscribe, and learn more about the Hey Sis! With Alicia Nicole Podcast @ alicianicole.org/listen!
August: Summer Fundrais
Partnership with Kendra Scott & Online Fundraiser
The AHN Foundation had the honor of partnering with Kendra Scott for National Nonprofit Day! We are thankful for the partnership and opportunity to spread brand awareness. We also hosted a virtual fundraiser for our community members who could not attend.
We are proud to announce that in two hours, we raised over $1,000! These funds will be used to provide Safe Spaces for Black Women™.
August: Health Educatio Classes
Our partnerships are growing, and we could not be more excited. We have expanded our healthcare navigation classes program this month! We will be hosting two webinars in September: information is coming soon.
I AM MORE THAN MY WORK: I AM A WHOLE, WORTHY WOMAN.
Where will I intentionally bring my light and influence this month?
Affirmation Cards
MY PRESENCE TRANSFORMS SPACES AND UPLIFTS THOSE WITHIN THEM.
How will I honor myself beyond my professional role this month?
I DESERVE REST WITHOUT GUILT, JOY WITHOUT APOLOGY, AND LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS.
Where will I speak boldly and with purpose this month?
