Meet Shange Jaara Lilaa | Empress, Creator, & Wholistic Wellness Advocate.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shange Jaara Lilaa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shange, what do you want people to remember about you?
I love this question so much! Thank you for asking. I often think about my legacy and I desire it to promote wholistic wellness through creativity, spirituality, and connectivity.

Creativity is freedom, inspiration, and healing. Whether expressed through art, curated sacred spaces, building houses, businesses, teaching, or writing, creativity ignites passion and allows us to feel closest to our most divine selves. Spirituality fortifies the mind and body. It serves as a compass that provides clarity about life’s journey. Connectivity to self FIRST, is being aware of who you are, why you are the way you are, what your power is, and having the confidence to express that in your own unique way. Connection to self and others offers an opportunity to uplift the community and raise the vibration of the world.

My legacy will inspire people worldwide to heal themselves internally so that they can fulfill their divine purpose and encourage others to do the same. I will accomplish this by leading by example.

I want to be remembered as someone who practiced what I preached, who talked the talk and walked the walk authentically. I hope to be remembered as a woman who knew the importance of knowing, healing, and loving herself first. I have to be remembered as someone who loved to laugh, dance, sing, travel, eat amazing food, expand my education, use my hands to build, and serve as a warrior uplifting those in my community.

I desire to be remembered as an indomitable spirit who loved the underdogs, misfits, rebels, black sheep, underserved, and overlooked.

I aspire to create a legacy based on good character, integrity, and respect, honoring myself and my lineage—those who came before me and those who will come after me. I pray that people remember me as a woman who valued knowing the history of myself and my ancestors, so that I could fully utilize the sacred knowledge embedded within my blood to claim my birthright of joy, pleasure, wisdom, adventure, freedom, self-trust, abundance, and prosperity to pass on to future generations. Yeah, that’s about it lol.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always been a lover of art, with music and movement being my first passion. My mom tells a story about me as a baby, crawling to a table in our living room, pulling myself up, and shaking my little body to the rhythm. My dad couldn’t stand it and would tell her to make me stop, but she found it cute. One day, my dad saw me shaking my little body and he popped my butt. I cried for a minute but then got right back up and started dancing again. This is the story of my spirit: a relentless desire for freedom of expression.

I find pleasure in many forms of art and creativity, including ceramics, gimping, hairstyling, painting, singing, acting, theatre, making self-care products with herbs, writing, sewing, jewelry, and digital creation. These outlets allow me to express myself authentically. This passion led me to create Rebel Assemblage. I’ve always been a rebel, and despite many attempts to suppress it, I finally embrace myself. It took years to accept that I don’t look, dress, think, or behave like everyone else—and that’s my superpower.

Assemblage means a gathering of things or people, and it perfectly describes my journey. Merging the things I love and creating spaces for others to explore their passions in the name of healing is my mission. I’m proud of my continued motivation to build my business. I strive to be genuine and REAL; the journey has not been easy, and I am still growing through challenges. Much of my struggle involves reprogramming systemic beliefs like “You have to be an employee for the rest of your life” or “As a Black woman, you can’t successfully build, maintain, and scale a business.”

I’m learning that I don’t have to subscribe to anything that keeps me stagnant. My freedom begins with educating myself on what was intentionally untaught, such as financial literacy and the history and evolution of business. Surrounding myself with individuals who are further along their business and spiritual journeys help me overcome challenges.

A lesson I’ve learned is that while I have more work to do, many people remind me of the impact I’ve already made just by being myself. This makes my heart smile and helps me practice patience. While my goal is to expand worldwide, I know that my current experiences are shaping me into the person and businesswoman I am destined to be.

What I want the world to know about me is that I am not for everyone and I honor that. My heart is with women—especially Black women and youth—because I am a Black woman, raised by Black women, and surrounded by Black women. We are powerful and it’s BEEN time for us to lay down the weight of the world, focus on getting clear about what we desire, and existing in that unapologetically. My goal is to inspire myself and my community to be well in all areas of life, even when the journey feels challenging. Challenges can be a blessing. Sometimes growth requires facing ourselves, crawling through the mud (shadow work) to receive the lessons required to fulfill our divine purpose (light work).

I am a person who genuinely loves and cares. I’m not about to fake the funk with nobody. I enjoy supporting people on their journey, hearing their stories, learning from them, creating with them, and witnessing them excel. I offer a one-hour virtual confidential session called Rebel Connect, where people can express themselves, create life maps, discuss creative endeavors, sing a song, cry and laugh. I am open to holding sacred space for those who need it and are ready to receive it.

I want the world to know that my Nourishing Hair Oil is back! After taking time to focus on myself during my travels, I am excited to resume creating my products. Those interested in learning more about the benefits of my hair oil can visit www.rebelassemblage.com/nourishinghairoil and subscribe to the newsletter for updates.

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.
If my bestie were visiting me in my current tropical location—because Black women deserve to experience the joy that international travel brings too—I would plan an incredible itinerary for us. We would stay in a private luxury villa by the beach that includes a handsome chef, and when we desire to expand our taste buds—and be seen—we’ll dine at a restaurant called Spicy Coconut. We’d also attend karaoke night at A Taste of Cahuita restaurant, where the owner, Doria, provides delicious Rondón and cider drinks. We’d spend the evening at a lounge featuring Reggae Music and Afro Beats. I would arrange for us to enjoy a sound healing session, a full-body massage, and a molecular hydrogen treatment with some fantastic practitioners I’ve connected with. My bestie and I would go on a history tour of the land because I believe it’s important to be knowledgeable and pay homage. I would also hire a medicine woman to show and teach us about the sacred healing plant medicines on the land. I’d schedule a photoshoot in the forest or by the beach to capture the memories. Then we would connect with local artists (dancers, painters, musicians, and storytellers) to explore and learn. We’d grab some ATVs and ride through the jungle to see the views and harvest some fruit. We would go zip-lining because, YOLO!! I would hire a driver to take us to the waterfalls, and we’d immerse our entire bodies in the healing waters. I would purchase journals so that we can write down what comes up for us during our adventure time! The remainder of the time would be dedicated to rest because, in my opinion, humans often overlook the powerful practice that is stillness. That’s my idea of a perfect getaway!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely! I have a whole tribe who has supported me throughout my journey. First, I want to give a shout out to God, because the Almighty continues to bless, protect, and encourage me to fulfill my divine purpose. Next, I want to honor my ancestors of the highest vibration, whose stories, wisdom, love, and guidance inspire me daily.

I must also thank my father, Gary Russell Sr., who transcended in May 2022, and my beautiful mother, Eunice McCullough, who served as a portal for me to have this human experience. A special shoutout to my music teacher, Ms. Leona Lowery-Fitzgerald. As a young rebel who did not listen to anyone, she helped me cultivate my voice and never gave up on me.

I am super grateful to all of the women who have uplifted me throughout the years: My family (Grandma, Aunts, Cousins), Linda Cameron, Raquel Martin, Team Donte (an insider), my Rites of Passage Clan, and LC Frazier. I also want to acknowledge those who have transcended but continue to inspire me tremendously: Mamoo, Jack, Martha J. Autry, aka Grandma Peaches, Ms. Thelma Roane Boyd Nash, Kenneka Jenkins, Korryn Gaines, Priddy Jackson, and all the Black youth and women whose lives were tragically taken.

Last but never least, I want to express my gratitude to IFA for guiding me, granting me clarity, and providing access to amazing Ìyánífás and Babalawos. Please be sure to check out Iya Za’Yn Muhammad at The Wellspring Natural Living Center online and Oluwo Jahsun Fakolade Edmonds at Idin Kaa IFA Temple online.

Website: https://Wwww.rebelassemblage.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebelassemblage

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-mccullough-5748bab9/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rebelassemblage