Meet Nadia Reese | Educator and Creator

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

Hi Nadia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a child, I lived in a household overflowing with creativity and chaos. I’m the third oldest of eight kiddos, so there was always “something’ going on in the Reese household. My mother, Shirley, was and still is a gifted creator. From sewing and crocheting outfits to decorating homes and creating wigs for alopecia clients, she was consistently doing and creating. Like her, I found myself wanting to create something, but in a different way. I wanted to create opportunities to share my joy. I found joy in learning, reading, mail, and stationery.

I would oftentimes create a classroom in the living room, authoring activities, and eventual report cards so that my siblings could see their progress. I was able to create using what I believed to be the best companions, paper, and pens. Eventually, and along the way to completing my teacher certification, I discovered fancy journals, planners, stickers and so much more goodness that I came to know as ephemera. I was even more enamored.

Fast forward to 2019, I decided to launch a blog so I created a website. I wanted to share my stationery, snail-mail, and “unchef” journey, so I coined the name Curated Monotony, which I felt reflected the storied meandering I was doing at the time. Then, the pandemic hit us all. I was already beginning to lean back into my love of sending and receiving mail, so I created a goal to send 100 letters and/or postcards globally. My hope was to be able to spread a little sunshine, one mailbox at a time. I met my goal within a few months. I also began to create stationery cuties to make available for my newfound followers on social media. Eventually, I launched a themed stationery club called The Paper Pal Club, where I design themed stationery products to send to subscribers monthly. The Paper Pal Club turned one year old in July.

I continue to connect with the amazing men and women in this community, growing and learning along the way. I look forward to this next chapter of growth for Curated Monotony.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Currently, I am running Curated Monotony, my online stationery shop, and The Paper Pal Club, while also serving as the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Specialist for grades K-8. Balancing these this first, second, and third shift has been challenging, but joy-filled. Becoming an educator was my second career choice. I always dreamed of becoming a librarian who dressed as Phil and Lil’s (Rugrats) mom. I made the incorrect assumption that librarians sat around and read books all day, occasionally stopping to check books out to others. When I was better educated on their role within the different spaces they are employed, I decided that being an educator would be a better fit.

The transition to the classroom was a direct and natural path, but when I entered into my senior year of undergrad I questioned my next steps. I thought that I would need to serve in a capacity beyond the classroom (eg. education policy) and I decided not to apply to my dream graduate program at the Peabody School of Education at Vanderbilt University. Instead, I received an offer to apply for a job back home in Atlanta at the Posse Foundation. By the time I moved back home in prep for the interview, I knew that I just needed to reconnect with my core self and skillset. I wasn’t destined for a life beyond the classroom just yet, so I shared with the hiring Director that I would plan to stay on board for a year before going back into the classroom. Surprisingly, she appreciated my honesty and straightforwardness about my professional goals and hired me to work for that year. I had the seemingly uncommon experience of being transparent about job interviews with schools and leaving as needed to participate in these interviews. In the end, my Director knew about the job offer I accepted at a local school serving refugee and immigrant families before I did. She thought it was the perfect next step and it absolutely was.

I am very proud of staying true to my core self, despite the feelings of uncertainty that clouded my judgment in my senior year. I come alive in the classroom and appreciate having the opportunity to participate in the edification of our young learners. No journey is absent from tensions and/or unyielding roadblocks, but I am so thankful for the experiences and lessons I’ve had along mine.

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 have been enthusiastic about discovering little-known gems in and adjacent to the city. I would recommend the following: Shopping and dining- Krog Street Market
Relaxation and Retreat- Chateau Elan
Handmade- The Beehive
Excellent Tea Experience- Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Teaparty
My Fave Coffee Shop- ChocoLate
Good Reads w/ Teacher Discount- Little Shop of Stories
Thinking Fun- Scavenger Hunt at Oakland Cemetary (use Cluetown guide)

Website: www.curatedmonotony.com

Instagram: @curatedmonotony

Twitter: @ReeseCares

Other: Paper Pal Club via Patreon– https://www.patreon.com/curatedmonotony?fan_landing=true