Black History Today: Monika Mathews, mentoring and empowering Young Queens

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Black History Today, an annual series created by Marcus Harden in honor of Black History Month, pays tribute to the living legacy of Black history in our community and beyond. Check back every day in February as we recognize the people actively shaping the future.

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By Amanda Williams

QueenCare is a luxury skin care shop, handcrafted and sold in Columbia City, Seattle. On the shelves you’ll find oils, creams, and scrubs with aromatherapy fragrances such as lavender, mango, and vanilla. The ingredients, are high-quality, natural, and are designed to heal your skin as well as uplift your mood. 

Shopping at QueenCare is an experience beyond the “one-click” version of shopping I’ve grown accustomed to. The shop slows you down and invites you to engage with the community that helps make and sell the products. Engagement is key because QueenCare is more than a store. It is a training ground for future entrepreneurs. They are the Young Queens, trained and mentored by Life Enrichment Group-founder Monika Mathews. 

Life Enrichment Group was founded in 2003 to provide guidance to students of color in Seattle. Monika’s bio describes the mentorship programs she offers as “holistic experiences for young people”. She doesn’t just tell students what they can be, she offers opportunities to show them their own potential and develop self-confidence. 

The Young Queens of Seattle, King County is a personal development program. The program teaches middle and high school students of color about self-care, entrepreneurship, and a variety of life skills. The girls participate in a series of business workshops aimed at building economic empowerment, and they create, market, and sell skincare products, which they sold at community markets until the QueenCare store opened in December 2018.

Though I learned about Monika through the Young Queens program, that is just the beginning of what she offers. Her program, Know to Grow, makes college and career preparation a reality by taking students on trips to experience different parts of the country. Students can see the culture of a city and colleges while taking a series of college prep workshops. Her next two tours will be a So-Cal experience touring colleges in southern California, and a down South experience, touring Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs). 

All proceeds made through selling QueenCare products benefit these programs as well as Life Enrichment Group’s Scholars Project and Youth in Business programs.

Selling high-quality, natural skincare was an intentional choice. Monika wants to model what taking care of yourself looks like, especially for future entrepreneurs. It’s not all about working hard and making money. It also includes being mindful of what you put on and into your body. It means knowing how to take a break to indulge in self-care.

“Indulge. Engage. Uplift.” A small reminder printed on every QueenCare label, from Monika Mathews and her young queens, to our community. And a small reminder of why Monika Mathews is making Black history today and every day.

Amanda Williams is a teacher, a mom, and the author of the Hey Black Teacher blog, offering inspiration, support and resources for Black educators.