Founder, Author, & Curator of Safe Spaces for Black Women™
Klarisa Coulter
Curriculum Specialist, AHN Foundation
Kara Coulter
Research Assistant, AHN Foundation
Brittney Murray
Chief Executive Officer, Mogul Behaviour
Kelsie Lyn
Celebrity Hairstylist, With Love by: Kelsie Lyn
PhotographybyJML-AK
“FOR A BLACK WOMAN, A SAFE SPACE INCLUDES AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS FREE FROM HARM, ONE THAT VALIDATES, ENCOURAGES, AND ELEVATES BLACK GIRL MAGIC.” - ALICIA EXCERPT FROM SAFE SPACES FOR BLACK WOMEN
Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Alicia Nicole Magazine, a Safe Space for Black W omen ™ where Black women share information and their stories of validation, encouragement, and elevation.
As we embrace this new season of the Alicia Nicole brand, we reflect on the strength of Black women and our capacity to connect, inspire, and transform. This issue is dedicated to Black women ' s versatility and willingness to explore new ventures, even when they present challenges. We are showcasing thought-provoking articles, introducing our columnists, and sharing stories that celebrate being a Black woman.
Our cover story highlights the journey to safe spaces for Black women™. We also explore health and wellness, providing you with the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to navigate your own path.
At Alicia Nicole, our mission is to amplify Black women’s voices, spark meaningful conversations, and create a community where all stories matter. As you turn these pages, we hope you find a sense of connection, a moment of reflection, and most of all a reason to keep dreaming boldly.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Your support fuels our commitment to bringing you content that validates, encourages, and elevates change.
Editor-in-Chief
in this issue
This issue revolves around getting to know the team behind Alicia Nicole. Each section will provide a deeper understanding of why creating this magazine for Black women is important to me and the team. Whether you seek validation, encouragement, or elevation, you’ll discover it here!
PhotographybyBrittneyMurray
alicia nicole
PhotographybyJML-AK
February and March were exciting months for the Alicia
February
Our team decided to take down our original website. As I mentioned in Safe Spaces for Black Women™, it began as a platform for me to offer coaching services. After assessing our mission and the current execution of our business, we concluded that it was best to remove the website and concentrate on the rebuilding process. This initiative started with my photographer, Jamal-Akil, providing in-home photos. This, combined with the photos from Galentine’s in Luxe, captures the look and feel of the Alicia Nicole brand moving forward. Stay Tuned: There will be an announcement coming in our May edition!
PhotographybyKlarisa Coulter
March
Women’s History Month was the perfect opportunity for the Alicia Nicole brand to partner with Black women-led businesses for an afternoon of relaxation through various stretches in the form of yoga, led by Body Art Noire’s very own Ashley Reed. Toi Nichols from Motherhood Together provided us with a release by facilitating a S.O.U.L. Circle. The Flow & Flourish event proved to be the restoration that the ladies confirmed that they needed. One of my guests conceptualized the event perfectly:
“We had a great time. We laughed, we cried, we had delicious food, and we exercised. Great, comfortable accommodations. The partnerships that you collaborated with to create our experience were fantastic!” – Renita
I strongly believe that collaborating with sistas provides a collaborative approach to elevation. Sis, when you have the opportunity to support another Black woman, especially one with a small business, do it!
Flow & Flourish: A Wellness Affair (from L to R: Toi Nichols, Alicia Nicole, & Ashley Reed)
Nicole brand.
Get insight on the GenZ Team! Klarisa and Kara Coulter have made significant contributions to the Alicia Nicole brand with presentations, media, and research work as they also coninue with their Higher Education!
Hi, we are Klarisa and Kara! We are both undergrad college students at UCLA and UCR. Though we are devoted to our studies, working with Alicia Nicole and the AHN Foundation has provided us the opportunity to develop creatively and contribute to creating safe spaces for Black Women. Our mother has inspired us with her events to hold space for young Black women to also experience the same safe spaces
klarisa coulter (on the right)
kara coulter (on the right)
PhotographybyJML-AK
Hi loves!
Its’s Celebrity Hairstylist Kelsie Lyn, ready to take you on a mind visual tour of my signature love methods for healthy hair services. Now, I’m a woman who loves a good aesthetic. Pair that with passion, customer service, and industry and hair knowledge, you have a great recipe for an amazing salon experience. I believe that black women deserve the absolute best, from the place they shop and get their hair done to the style itself. Every detail counts, and this is what separates a good hair style from a great experience. We deserve love in every aspect of our lives and seldom receive it in the customer service industry. Products lined up like warehouse options, stylists who do not continue to educate themselves on what is new and important, messy and unsanitary booths with chairs lined with various hair DNA; these are the experiences that have occasionally been the norm for some of us. But what are these experiences teaching us about ourselves? Do we not deserve better? Do we not deserve to sit in clean, sanitized chairs? Do we not deserve for our products to be marketed in a more luxurious manner? These questions seem very silly when you look at them but are very relevant to the black woman experience. My desire is to change that experience, not only for my clients but for every client and customer who walks into my shop. I’m not here to do things small and minute, which is why I’m not always available at the drop of a hat; however, when I make time for you, I make time FOR YOU! That is the culture that I want to replicate in our society. That is the type of love and care I want everyone to experience because simply put...you deserve it.
Kelsie Lyn
Celeb Stylist / DK Goddess Loc Master
Hair & Makeup Artist / Natural Hair Specialist
www WithLovebyK com (http://www withlovebyk com/)
Handle: @WithLovebyK
Each edition will feature a sista that our Alicia Nicole magazine has selected for a spotlight.
SPOTLIGHT
Scarlet Shorter is an Innovative IT Leader, Systems Integration Expert, Fashion Entrepreneur, and Wellness Advocate.
She does not limit herself!
Let’s see what else Scarlet has to share:
I am a dynamic and results-driven professional with over a decade of experience in IT leadership, database administration, and systems integration. My passion for fashion design and holistic wellness complement my work. I thrive in high-stakes environments, driving transformation through strategic innovation, technical expertise, and human-centered leadership.
Tech Leadership & Impact
Throughout my IT career, I have led cross-functional teams, managed multi-million dollar technology initiatives, and delivered measurable results:
• Led Agile teams of up to 15, improving project timelines by 25% gh cloud perational AWS, and Master, urity + dge with a tions that
Entrepreneurship & Sew Pearlfect Designs
As the founder of Sew Pearlfect Designs LLC & Pearlfect Wellness, I channel my lifelong love of fashion into creating clothing that celebrates every body type. Inspired by generations of women who sew, I created Sew Pearlfect to provide custom, standout styles that make people feel confident, comfortable, and radiant. Sew Pearlfect is more than a brand it is a lifestyle rooted in self-expression, self-love, and holistic wellbeing. Through luxury fashion and curated wellness offerings, I empower clients to shine from the inside out. “You can be Sew Pearl-fect.”
Mission & Values
Whether I manage enterprise IT systems or curate wellness-inspired fashion, my purpose is the same: to inspire transformation I believe in fostering inclusion, building strong communities, and enabling people to become the best version of themselves through technology, style, and self-care.
Thank you for sharing your Black Girl Magic, Scarlet! We are sure those who have met you did not know how much of a powerhouse you are!
Connect with Scarlet: email info@sewpearlfect.com, Phone: 256-929-5134. Facebook and Instagram @SewPearlfectDesigns
By Kara
LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT
FASHION FROM KARA COULTER!
Hey everyone! My name is Kara (care-uh), and I am pleased to welcome you to the fashion corner! Before reading further, consider this question: How would you define your style in one sentence? If you do not have an answer, that is okay because you might be evolving your style. However, if you have an answer to that question, let's go a bit deeper. As a young woman, finding a style that emulates my age group has been much more experimental, but that is the life of fashion. I have learned that I love an elegant style with more of an ethereal look but versatile enough to be worn in many different spaces; this is my style defined in one sentence. This will be some of the many topics that we will be diving into within the fashion column. From understanding high fashion, statement perfumes, and learning about mixing metal jewelry all of the passions I have in fashion will be discussed right here in this page. I hope that you will enjoy this page and learn about fashion and style. Let's have some fun because in my world fashion has no limits!
Coulter Photography by JML-AKL
THE MOGUL CONER
Hey There! I’m Brittney Murray, the CEO and branding mastermind behind Mogul Behaviour where we don’t just build brands, we craft legacies. As a brand strategist, photographer, and creative powerhouse, I help entrepreneurs turn their vision into a visual and strategic masterpiece that attracts dream clients, stands out in the market, and drives revenue.
In The Mogul’s Corner, I’ll be sharing insider branding insights, strategies, and tools to help you level up your brand whether you’re launching, scaling, or revamping. Expect expert tips on personal branding, content repurposing, brand photography, and the mindset shifts that separate thriving entrepreneurs from the rest.
Want personalized branding advice? Book a complimentary consultation here or explore branding solutions here. Let’s make your brand unforgettable!
Click the link for a special gift from me to you, Sis! 5 Branding Mistakes Holding You Back- And How to Fix Them
Workplace abuse isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s the silence the exclusion, the withheld opportunities, the microaggressions disguised as 'just feedback.
��
You’re constantly undermined or dismissed.
�� You’re given more work but not the recognition.
�� You experience microaggressions daily.
�� You fear speaking up because of retaliation.
�� Your mental & emotional health are suffering.
"Being the ‘strong Black woman’ at work shouldn’t mean suffering in silence."
When they tell you, 'It’s not that serious' or 'You’re being too sensitive,' they’re not just dismissing your experience they’re trying to rewrite your reality.
�� Trust your feelings. Your discomfort is valid.
"Professionalism' has too often been weaponized against Black women. Our tone, our hair, our very presence can be labeled as 'intimidating' but it’s really about control.
You belong in every room you enter.
Excerpts from Safe Spaces for Black Women by Alicia Coulter,
MPH, MSW
You don’t have to shrink to survive. You are not required to endure toxic environments to prove your worth.
Document everything
Set boundaries & enforce them
Seek community & support
Know your rights
Leaving doesn’t mean losing it means choosing yourself.
Sometimes, the best way to protect your peace is to walk away and build spaces that truly value you.
Want more strategies on protecting yourself at work?
Read Safe Spaces for Black Women™ & join our next event on April 24 to discuss workplace rights & safety! Save the date!
