Hidden Gems: Meet Mayah Simone of Fruit of May

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayah Simone.

Hi Mayah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born to write. When I was seven, I conducted my first interview with neighborhood friends. We were all playing in my parent’s backyard. I took this as an opportunity to not only ask my friends, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, but to also jot down their responses on a small reporters notebook.

I didn’t realize I was fulfilling my life purpose until years later. It’s funny how that behavior as a child felt so natural to me. It’s even funnier how my friends thought nothing of it too.

I grew up in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. As a child, my parents instilled the importance of education in my mind. What they didn’t know was that I am a natural truth seeker. Either I was going to find journalism or it was going to find me.

As a student, I always made the honor roll. I researched everything. I enjoyed taking frequent trips to the library. I also loved writing short stories and poems. Writing helped me freely express myself. It helped me make new friends. It helped me escape to new worlds. It even helped to heal me spiritually and build my self-confidence.

Writing has opened many doors for me. By writing about things I’m passionate about, including the Black experience in America, I’ve been accepted into Meredith College and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. I continue to fulfill my dreams. Today, I’m the founder and Editor-in-chief of Fruit of May, a lifestyle publication that promotes self-love, self-care, and inner peace for women of color.

I launched this site to create projects I’m passionate about, to share my truths, to write about my experiences, and to connect with others just like me. I write to inspire and empower my readers to live passionately, heal unconditionally, and grow spiritually. I opened up my space for other writers to share their stories too. Their articles can be found online at www.fruitofmay.com and featured in our new publication: Embrace your powers (Issue One).

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Life is hard, but eventually, things will work out in your favor. I have so much faith in myself, my abilities, and God. If things don’t happen how I want them to happen, I know that it will be worth it in the end. Starting and maintaining a business isn’t easy. Especially if you wear many hats. But once I shared my passion with others, they have been supportive.

As you know, we’re big fans of Fruit of May. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are based in Raleigh, NC. We promote self-love, self-care, and inner peace for women of color. Our team consists of four individuals including myself.

I, Mayah Simone, am the founder and editor of Fruit of May—a digital lifestyle publication that celebrates Black women storytellers. My team and I are undoubtedly in the business of helping Black millennial women transform their suffering and realize their full potential through the written and spoken word. Digital content producers include Lekisha Anderson, Tamarea Rushdan, and Doreen Opinya.

We specialize in telling stories. We are known for our content writing and events such as Sister’s Writing Circle: Write to Heal and our digital poetry reading ‘Fro My Soul.

We also offer writing services and advertising space (in our magazine).

What sets us apart is our willingness to thrive and tell stories even if it makes others feel uncomfortable. We all walk in our truths and we are unapologetically happy to inspire others who look like us to do the same.

I want your readers to know that they can also contribute to our magazine or have an ad places in our publication. For more details email [email protected].

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice to those who are starting is to create a path for yourself and keep climbing. People will doubt you, but people will also support you and cheer you on. Before you know it, you will accomplish all of your innermost desires because you trusted your gut and stayed true to you. Never change your dreams to fit the mold of normalcy. It’s not worth it. This world needs your innovation, your spirit, your gifts, and your brilliance. Just be you. Do you. And shine through.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.fruitofmay.com
• Instagram: @fruitofmay
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/fruitofmay

Image Credits
The image of me wearing Fruit of May t-shirt is taken by: Inspired Glimpse photography by Elle. Amir Rushdan took the front cover picture of my magazine.