Meet Malaja Owens Bailey | Founder/CEO, The Village Center for Culture and Character, Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Malaja Owens Bailey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Malaja, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work-life balance is extremely important. Especially in today’s times. I am a firm believer in the saying, “if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Even if you can’t work a job that you love, you still have to find ways to MAKE time to experience life and fulfillment. The Village 3C is my love work. I get chills when I walk into these museums, sites, and homes of our history’s icons. And the feeling I get seeing the kids’ eyes light up, or even tear up when they are learning and identifying is indescribable. It started as something we’d do part-time, but it has grown over time. The work itself is self-care and balance.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
At The Village Center for Culture and Character, Inc, or, TV3C, we learn history and culture through travel. We fill our excursions with history, outlets for artistic expression, financial literacy lessons, character building, and so much fun!!! The fun is a huge component as we find it helps our Explorers retain more. The road has not been easy, but we are buckled in and ready to continue the ride. Funding has been our biggest challenge. We have, unfortunately, learned some expensive lessons here recently as we are trying to expand our program. However, we will grow our organization to be the cultural exchange program we have set out to become. We are cultivating Global Leaders of Tomorrow!

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.
Where would we go in the city? Now if we were looking at the region I’d be quick to road-trip to Savannah, Birmingham-Selma-Montgomery, Al, Hilton Head, SC, or Chattanooga-Huntsville-Memphis, TN BUT since we are looking at the Atlanta area only I definitely START with the Herndon Home Museum in the Atlanta University Center. Throughout the week we’d visit the King Historic District, the Apex Museum, and even the Omenala Griot Afrocentric Teaching Museum to say hello to Baba Kevin. We’d spend a day downtown visiting, the Georgia Aquarium, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the World of Coca-Cola before we slip over to Old Lady Gang Southern Cuisine for an early dinner. We’d finish that day with a ride on the SkyView Atlanta Ferris Wheel. Throughout the week we’d do a mural stroll to get selfies; definitely hitting the Outkast Mural, the John Lewis mural, the Paul Robeson mural, and the March Ahead mural. We’d visit the Tyler Perry Studios and I’d remind her that the man who realized that campus once slept in his car. I’d want us to visit both the Fernbank Museum and Science Center, hopefully being able to catch a planetarium show and then head over to WHATEVER is showing at Illuminarium Atlanta. Then we’d shop and eat at Ponce Sitting market with an absolute stop at The Village Market Retail. Some other places I’d try to visit throughout out the week would be Atlantic Station, The Fox Theater, The Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and IKEA – yes IKEA. Restaurants we’d have to visit would include (but definitely not limited to) Slutty Vegan, Bamba Cuisine, The Busy Bee Cafe, Paschal’s, Desta, and Imperial Fez.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to Shoutout Mrs. Letitia Yvette Ruffin of The AfriTouch, LLC, and Mrs. Selentia Moore of The Big Dreams Project. I was almost ready to throw in the towel, but these two ladies wouldn’t let me. Just the names alone give me life. THE AFRITOUCH & THE BIG DREAMS PROJECT!!! What I heard was “BIG DREAMS GIRL!!! Get those babies to Senegal! Don’t give up!!! Wealth manifestations!!! Keep this project going!!!” They are going to be tickled, but they really gave and still give me that special energy I need to keep going. I am so grateful to have them in my life.

Website: www.TheVillage3C.org

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thevillage3c

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-village-center-for-culture-and-character-inc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheVillage3C

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillage3C/