My Journey To Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs
My Journey to Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs
Before there was Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs, there was a woman searching for a deeper connection to herself, to spirit, to nature, and to the traditions that would eventually become such an important part of her life.
I was born and raised in the Midwest, where I first built a life around creativity and making things with my hands. I became a 3D cake designer and eventually owned my own bakery. Creating beautiful things was something I understood instinctively. But while my professional life was centered around food and artistry, another part of my life was quietly beginning to take shape.
The Beginning of My Herbal Journey
In 2015, I began studying herbalism under Dr. Ashanti Farid, Master Herbalist. I also had the opportunity to study under Big Liz of Big Liz Conjure in Columbus, Ohio.
This was before my life would change dramatically.
At the time, I didn't know exactly where this path would lead me. I simply knew that I wanted to learn. I became increasingly fascinated by plants, herbs, their traditional uses, and the relationship between people and the natural world.
Then, in 2016, my life entered a completely different chapter.
After my divorce, I closed my bakery. It was the end of one life I had built and the beginning of another.
Rather than trying to recreate what I had lost, I began asking myself what I wanted my life to become.
That question eventually led me to New Orleans.
Finding My Way in New Orleans
I spent eight years in New Orleans, and those years became some of the most formative of my life.
New Orleans gave me space to explore, learn, create, and reconnect with spirituality in ways that were deeply meaningful to me. I continued working through festivals and catering, while also becoming immersed in the culture and energy of the city.
I spent time within the Black Masking Indian community. I was gifted with a friendship and mentorship under the divine tutelage of Divine Prince Emmeca. I experienced traditions and celebrations, and witnessed the importance of culture, artistry, community, history, and spiritual expression.
New Orleans taught me that spirituality doesn't exist only in books. It can live in music, food, plants, craft, ritual, community, memory, and the stories passed from one generation to another.
During this time, I also continued gardening and developing my relationship with plants. The more I learned, the more I realized that herbalism wasn't simply an interest of mine.
It was becoming part of who I was.My years in New Orleans also became part of my creative journey. At one point, that journey even brought me into a National Geographic episode—an experience that remains a special part of my story.
Returning Home
Eventually, I became ill, and I returned to the Midwest.
Coming home wasn't the end of the journey.
It was simply another chapter.
I continued studying herbalism with Dr. Ashanti Farid and continued learning from other teachers and practitioners.
My education continued to expand beyond herbs alone. For more than a decade, I have continued studying Hoodoo and the Ifá tradition, approaching both with the understanding that spiritual traditions carry history, responsibility, and layers of knowledge that deserve to be approached with respect.
I have remained a student throughout this journey.
And I still consider myself one.
The Birth of Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs
Mahogany Alchemy began to take shape around the time my old life was ending.
In 2017, I officially opened Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs.
What began as part of my own journey gradually became something I wanted to share with other people.
In 2020, I established Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs as an LLC, giving the business another important milestone in its evolution.
But the business has never been only about products for me.
It is about the knowledge behind them.
It is about herbs and their traditional uses. It is about learning where plants come from and understanding their histories. It is about spiritual practices, intention, creativity, and respecting the traditions that have influenced my journey.
Most importantly, it is about continuing to learn.
Why I Created Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs
I believe that learning should be part of the experience.
I don't want Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs to be a place where you simply come to purchase something and leave.
I want it to be a place where you can become curious.
Where you can learn about herbs.
Where you can explore the history and traditions surrounding spiritual practices.
Where you can discover the relationship between plants, people, culture, and intention.
And where you can understand that behind every blend, oil, tea, and creation is a story.
My story is still being written.
There are parts of my journey that I will always keep private and sacred. But I can share what that journey has taught me.
I can share what I've learned from my teachers.
I can share what continues to inspire me.
And I can invite you to learn alongside me.
Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs is the result of many chapters—a baker becoming a creator, a gardener becoming an herbalist, a seeker becoming a lifelong student, and a woman rebuilding her life by creating something new.
This is where I am today.
And this is only the beginning.
Welcome to Mahogany Alchemy & Herbs. 🌿
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