Diversity. It’s been a hot topic in the workplace for years now—how to achieve it and how to hold onto it—yet despite all our talk of equal pay and confronting unconscious bias, the action is still greatly lacking. One industry that is taking the reins of the diversity conversation is wellness.
In fact, more Black womxn and womxn of color are taking their healing into their own hands and creating safe spaces, brands, and practices dedicated to wellness. And Maryam Ajayi is leading the way with Dive in Well—a space by and for Black womxn and womxn of color that is focused on soul-centered wellness, inclusion, equity, and justice for marginalized communities. She launched in 2019 with a series of intimate “Diversity in Wellness” dinners with leaders and influencers in the health and wellness space and it was an immediate success.
Ajayi tells Create & Cultivate that by centering the BIPOC experience, Dive in Well offers a glimpse into what the future of the wellness industry could be: one that is diverse, inclusive, and accessible.
“Through digital and in-person (on hold for now) experiences, we’ve created a space for open dialogue in which leaders can ask meaningful questions and create connections that effect change through concrete plans of action,” she explains. “We distill those insights into workbooks and workshops that empower individuals who believe in soul-centered wellness and justice for marginalized communities. We also extend that work into our work with corporations through brand partnerships, program curation, and consulting.”
Read on to learn more about Ajayi’s movement, how she’s ushering in lasting change in the wellness industry and beyond, and her biggest hope for the future.
Although the health & wellness industry has made some progress in recent years, representation is still not where it should be in 2020. Dive in Well ran a four-week online course called Pivot into Equity geared specifically toward wellness brand leaders on “building an inclusive wellness brand rooted in anti-racism, decolonization, and racial equity.” and you’ll be running it again next year. What do you hope white and non-Black allies take away from this course and how can members of these communities use this knowledge to enact real, lasting change in the wellness industry and beyond?
For me, Pivot into Equity serves two groups Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and White/White Passing folks. My ultimate hope is that BIPOC are empowered by the resources, knowledge and support that we provide, to create and grow equitable businesses that serve our communities. For White and White passing allies I hope they gain an understanding of their privilege, and learn how to utilize this privilege to make wellness more accessible to those who are most vulnerable.
The things we’ve experienced in 2020, COVID and all, have shown us the gross inequities people from marginalized communities face within the US healthcare system (that’s why we saw the wellness industry skyrocket, amongst other things). We can’t repeat past mistakes and leave people in marginalized communities behind.
I believe that the future of wellness will look a lot like what we’ve laid out in our curriculum—wellness that utilizes more inventive business models, and manages a healthy marriage between profitability and serving the community.
What is your biggest hope for the future?
My hope for the future is that Black women are protected, adorned with our sovereign birthright of abundance, and allowed to rest.
What has been the biggest learning curve since launching your business? What advice can you share for other entrepreneurs who are thinking about launching their own business today?
The biggest learning curve I’ve had to overcome was in truly trusting my intuition. It’s the moments when I have given my authority away and looked to others to guide me and help me grow, that I have struggled the most. Oftentimes female founders, especially Women of Color (especially Black women), are taught to betray ourselves and abandon what we know that makes us magical. This makes us doubt our intuition. My advice for entrepreneurs starting their own business is to truly remember how magical you are and to always trust yourself, your inner knowing will always guide you to your north star.
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
This year has been a year of deep inquiry and healing. It has made me reevaluate what truly matters to me, what life I wanted to live, the business I wanted to grow, and what I wanted my legacy to be. I truly had to find stillness and go within myself, and my ancestry, to face things that needed to be healed. I had to reimagine my life, and dream up a new future rooted in values that aligned with my true calling. Making these internal shifts and doing the work no one else saw was how I was able to align with my new version of success.
With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
My community truly inspires me! From other entrepreneurs, to artists, creators, witches, change makers, I am so inspired by the people I share my energy with. Also, there is nothing like getting out into nature and exploring the boundless beauty of mother earth that inspires creativity and fuels me with joy that keeps me motivated.
Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
I believe I was born confident then at some point let society’s conditioning take over. I soon forgot my own magic and it’s been a journey to reclaim it. It took a lot of healing around self-love, self-worth and self-talk—all things I still have to work on. But even looking back to just a couple of years ago I feel so blessed on how far home to myself I have come. I know it’s a journey so I even get excited to meet parts of myself that are still blooming into their magnificence.
My advice: for 21 days straight, before you do anything (even before you brush your teeth), look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself three things you absolutely love about yourself. Make sure they are all different. You’ll bring to light 63 ways in which you are absolutely perfect. This practice has been so profound in my confidence journey and I know it will be for others.
When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do? How do you remain true and authentic to who you are?
I am Taurus Sun, Cancer Moon and Libra Rising 3/6 Generator. Basically, I am a shark who can make magic happen. At the end of the day, though, I've got a big heart (I love love), and am constantly searching for balance. Not only do I love love, but I love cooking, tacos, giggling, traveling, surrounding myself with beauty. I don’t want for much more than to experience all that life has in store for me.
It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?
As Chance the Rapper says, I turn all my L’s (losses) into lessons. When I fail or miss the mark on something, I always try to sit down and ask my higher self and the universe, “What lessons am I supposed to learn here?” There is room for growth in every moment. Every moment is always teaching you something and you simply need to sit, ask the questions, and be open to the answers.
What is the #1 book you always recommend and why?
How to Read the Akashic Records by Linda Howe. The Akashic Records have been read for thousands of years from various world cultures from the Moors to Egypt to India to China. The Records are a dynamic repository that hold information about every soul and its journey through space and time. They are the energetic archive of Souls’ past, present, and future possibilities. The Akashic Records offer empowerment and transformation by lending us exactly the wisdom, guidance, and energetic support that we need in this lifetime. I love recommending this book to people as a tool they can use along their journey. Pro-tip: Using The Records for business is lit!
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now—what advice would you give yourself?
I would tell myself to never, ever, ever give up on myself.
Fill in the blanks:
The best career advice I always give is…
To find your life’s purpose and align the work you do to that purpose.
To be successful, you need to…
Be steadfast in your belief in yourself.
I turn bad days around by…
Turning on early 2000s music as loud as possible and dancing as long as I can.
Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
My resilience, unique perspective and commitment to my self healing.
The change I’d like to see in my industry is…
One that is diverse, equitable, and eradicated of white supremacy.
