Meet Zarinah Lomax | CEO/Artist/Curator of The Apologues

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zarinah Lomax and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zarinah, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

My business is centered around people finding healing through fashion and art Growing up I experienced a lot of traumas. I was molested ages 5-8 and lost my father to the prison system at the age of 17. He is currently serving life with no parole for the last 23 years.

I lost myself because of my trauma but was always super into the arts and loved fashion. God changed my life at age 28 and I started a tv and radio show at the time called Talking the Walk, now called The Zarinah Lomax Show. In my 4th season in March of 2018, a family member of mine was murdered named Dominique Ogelsby at the age of 23 a few months shy of graduating from Penn State.

As a result, I became active in the anti-violence community. As I started interviewing families of slain victims on my show, I realized many families felt forgotten and unseen. I created The Apologues in October 2018 to promote within individuals and families who felt forgotten by using their own or communal stories empower survivors and co-victims to heal. I wanted to use all of the dope things about Philly such as fashion, music and art to do so we started with fashion and art exhibitions.

Art and fashion are very much in your face and therapeutic, yet so are the amount of people we are losing to trauma and violence physically and mentally and those that are trying to heal as a co-victim and survivor, so it paired perfectly.

It started just to give back but now I shifted it as a business and organization to expand the reach of those we can help advocate for through the arts and have expanded into 5 cities since 2022 telling the stories of thousands and helping thousands to heal and transform the way art and fashion is viewed in our community while combining it with therapy and community resources.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The Apologues is set apart because it is not just an art exhibition it is an experience. Here I curate spaces for those who are looking for hope to feel safe to heal because they see that their pain is felt by the others also exhibited and we create a safe space for them to tell their pain in front of others with no judgment.

Every art piece in the exhibition and everything created here is different because it is done as a collective of creatives who have lived through life circumstances like me, overcoming trauma through the genre of art.

Every piece is painted from the heart of the artist to heal another heart. The artists who paint for my organization as well as myself create through the lenses of past wounds and transformation creating an emotional connection to the families of lost loved ones and survivors through the paintings and fashion pieces. This opens the door for healing to take place and transformation in the heart of the receiver and community.

The fashion is then painted in a way for me to compliment what the artist creates and showcased collectively.

I am proud of this because this art has shaped the hearts of many in the community while building out the metamorphosis of my own. Everyone who comes through this space stays connected to me, the artist, community or each other. We have also been able to shape those who were without hope because of losing loved ones into artists and/or advocates of change by providing a platform for them to speak using the art received from the organization alongside them to advocate or skills obtained in the art therapy classes we offer building out our own Apologues community.

Additionally, I am excited that many have connected thousands to community and mental health resources offered and genuinely helped build out their healing journey whether youth or adults.

Lastly, I too have lost a loved one to violence. Seeing how Dominique’s life and my love for her, her mother and family has connected me to some of the greatest individuals because of the painful loss. Every story that comes through here a portion of my heart heals in a way for me to press forward and continue to grow and help others.

I got where I am by faith, God, family (my mom, siblings and friends), artists and community. This is not mine; this is a family of creatives who create.

Additionally, God has single handedly taken everything I experienced and shaped it so creatively to help change the world people and while helping and changing me. He also sent the people to help me physically or monetarily to build out this business and expanded to five cities and growing in less than one year and counting.

It has been one of the hardest experiences of my life because as an entrepreneur you are responsible for taking care of the people and the people sent to help you take care of the people. Every dollar and every door you gave to go towards no matter how you are feeling in that moment.

It is also hard because you experience a lot of betrayal, rejection and personal life sacrifices. The very thing that sets you apart may intimidate people and you have to be okay with people wanting that space, not wanting to involve themselves in your busy world and hearing a lot of no’s.

However, in every no I received, and everyone removed God has sent more and those who truly believe in my vision and working it with me and I am grateful. Everything and everyone have made me a better person despite the pain because I am able to love the people I am sent to help and build the business in a way they need despite what life may bring.

There are 3 big lessons I have learned. If you aren’t afraid and don’t need to stay in communion with God to accomplish it, move on because it’s not Him. Everything we are purposed to do we need God for and if we don’t check who this is really for because it should be about Him and those you are called to serve.

Second, trust God when you see the heart of those around you the first time. Our quick save you a lot of time, money and pain.

Third, find balance. Don’t work so hard for others and your business that you forget you deserve a life and family too. This work will be here when you return but your health and happiness is a necessity for longevity in the business.

The biggest thing that I want the world to know is that whatever your story is, don’t forget to tell the heart behind whatever business you start. Being an entrepreneur is not easy but if you keep your heart clean and allow life to be a lesson you will make it to the other side and see the fruit of your labor. Many start well but they don’t finish well. Let the way you end, and your legacy stay at the forefront of all you do, and you will never quit despite how hard things come at you. The world needs what you have and every piece of the story of how you get there. Live the example.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I come back so I have been all over the place and in between cities. I will say my favorite spot this year is Weezy’s ATL when there in town. I also love what they have going at Underground Atlanta. If you are an art person, then you should go.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have great mentors and supporters that have built me to where I am where I am totally grateful so I could not pick one person.

However outside of my mother Terry Kelly, I shoutout Jesus my Lord and Savior who leaves us the greatest example and roadmap to redemption that has completely transformed my life and the only reason I press forward is the Word of God “The Bible.”

Website: theapologues.com

Instagram: ZarinahLomax

Facebook: zarinahlomax

Image Credits
All images in portraits differ. The artists/fashion designers in that photo are as follows: Digital artist-Mike Doughty Painters- Desiree Norwood, Brittany Glover, Wendy Medley, Dain Bain, Ivben Taqiy, Antonio Schroeder, Exhibit Art Design, Zerbe. Fashion designer-Zarinah Lomax Assistant Designer-Danielle/Anthony Jefferson Photographers: Immortal Vision Studio, Desmond McKinson, Cj Wolfe, Terry Kelly, Ira Warren, Movita Johnson Harrell