NEWS & LIFE
Power in Numbers
S h e Co m m u n i t y C l u b u p l i f t s R h o d e I s l a n d wo m e n o f co l o r t h ro u g h wo r k s h o p s , we l l n e s s , a n d c a m a ra d e r i e By Abbie Lahmers
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A summer fundraiser in Providence spotlighted and supported multicultural vendors
Photo courtesy of She Community Club
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n a brisk October evening , a small group of women gathered around a bonfire under the full moon to hear their tarot cards read or have henna tattoos done, to laugh and indulge in baked treats together, enjoying the fruits of their creative peers’ labors. This first Community Moon Ritual hosted by She Community Club was also the first time many members had come together in a space like this, designed specifically for women of color to connect and share their talents. “Ever since I was young , I always imagined a space where someone who looked like me could have the access to express all aspects of themselves while also having community, safety, and people who looked out for each other,” says Manal Jakhar, a first generation Pakistani-American who founded She Community Club in 2020 as a network of women of color in Rhode Island. Seeing a trend in the surge of women of color, especially Black women, starting their own businesses before the pandemic and that these businesses were often the hardest hit in COVID’s aftermath, Jakhar wanted to forge a community around empowerment and holistic modes of healing. “I am one of the first females in my family to get a higher education, to live alone, be independent and make money as a creative,” Jakhar shares. “Honestly, it gets incredibly lonely, and I didn’t see a lot of spaces that gave women like us the tools and support to thrive in these environments while also addressing a lot of the mental health and other barriers we face as women of color.” Despite these barriers, Jakhar notes, she still sees her peers thriving in their creative and entrepreneurial pursuits. “Imagine what could happen if we started learning from each other?” This takes shape in a variety of in-person events like the Community Moon Ritual,
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