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

Hi Tangia, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am a Brooklyn native & I lived there until the age of 14 before moving to Virginia. Being from NY helped me to learn grit & hustle, but living in Virginia helped me to learn finesse. You need both to handle being a Black woman & an entrepreneur! Being from NY allows me to be everywhere comfortable. I mean it’s the melting pot! I can talk to anyone, anywhere and connect with them. My time in VA taught me that it’s ok to slow down & smell the roses. I’ll always be grateful for that because that NY state of mind will have you always in grind mode until you eventually burn out.
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.
The thing that sets me apart is that I love & give freely! Black Girl Hug is my love letter to the little girl in me who always just wanted to know she was safe when sharing space with other Black women. My statement apparel is the only way to relay that message when your’e in a room without having to speak a word. Black Girl Business Accelerator is my way of creating a community for Black women who want to grow & scale their businesses but don’t know how, who to ask, or where to start. It’s a way for others who have done it & genuinely want to help, to have a safe space to do that. Iv’e learned that everyone doesn’t have an agenda, and like me they just want to give freely. They just don’t know how to go about it, so I want to be that example.

I want the world to know that none of this is easy at first! Giving freely is not taught to us in school, or even culturally. But I’ve been blessed to see what it can do & how it affects our community when you give the right people a leg up. When one of us wins, we all win! Especially Black women.

If you struggle with sharing information, remember this….

You can’t take that shit with you! Release it and let the right person use it to create what God intended.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m Going to on a food tour for sure! Brooklyn NY West Indian food, Chinese food, and Pizza in Bed Stuy. Then we can head to SanDiego,Cali for Rhythm’s Chicken & Waffles. Lastly, hit up Nola for some beignets. No need for sites because we will be in a food coma!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Black women! Shout out to every single Black woman who gave themselves permission so that girls & women like me could do the same! Shout out to every Black woman who shows up for herself & her family everyday, no matter the circumstances. My mom, sisters, nieces, cousins, and friends. I love you Black girl 🖤

Website: Blackgirlhug.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/Blackgirlhug

Facebook: Facebook.com/Blackgirlhug

Other: Private Facebook group “Black Girl Business Accelerator”

Image Credits
Candace Brown, B Radiant Photography

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