Meet Janaya Britton of Me-lationship in Arlington

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janaya Britton.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Dallas, but I’ve lived all over the metroplex, so I consider myself kind of a DFW nomad. I’m a Sophomore Radio, Television, and Film major at Texas Southern University. Before college, I felt as if I was at the peak of self-love. I was extremely confident in myself, outspoken, and certain about who I was.

When I got on my campus, it was as if I was having an identity crisis; trying to find myself and my own space on campus that catered to who I was at that moment was kinda tough. I joined a lot of organizations, but none gave me what I needed all around. I went through a moment of deep depression and insecurity during the beginning of the school year. I took a lot of time to self-analyze and form a self-care routine in hopes of bouncing back. I covered my room with sticky notes with goals, concepts, mantras, and inspirational quotes. One of my concepts that I came up with was an organization dedicated to self-love, which soon became Me-lationship.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think the biggest obstacle I had was my self-doubt. I was really hesitant to start the process of creating the organization because I didn’t think people would be interested or my vision wouldn’t have a strong impact because I was only a freshman at the time. Surprisingly, I received a lot of good feedback and support from people of all ages on and off campus. Our first membership role had over a hundred names from the concept alone. The support was the confirmation from God that I was moving in the right direction and that this platform is my purpose.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Me-lationship – what should we know?
Me-lationship is an inclusive self-love club, meant to serve as a safe space for others to express themselves freely. We’re focused on helping people bloom as individuals and pinpoint where they are in their me-lationship, so we can support them and be a helping hand. Our overall goal is to love ourselves in a healthy way and improve our relationships with loved ones and our community. In our general meetings, we discuss things within our society that can affect self-esteem like colorism, media representation, and toxic masculinity and find solutions to help us overcome them.

The thing I’m most proud of is the vulnerability, self-awareness, and breakthroughs that our members have. Maintaining your self-esteem and your own pace in a world that is constantly moving is hard, especially as a marginalized person in America. I always compare being a black person in American society to having a turtle shell on your back because we always have to be in a defensive mode 24/7, due to the fact that the system doesn’t benefit or protect us. To see young minorities letting their guard down, sharing their stories, facing their internal issues, and having these intimate conversations is very heartwarming. It gives me hope in my generation and the ones that will follow.

The thing that sets us apart is that we are perfectly imperfect and we’re not afraid to be that. We’re not experts, but we’re willing to find answers for you. We give you real, raw information. We’re heavily focused on building relationships with our members and letting them know that they are not alone. We love our members, even if they’re not where they want to be yet. Also, the foundation is the magic of black women and the power of family. I was inspired by a quote that my Great Grandmother, Beverly Toliver made up and wrote in my graduation card. The quote was “Take care of yourself and be a flower”. I’ve held that quote close to my heart ever since. It’s the mantra for my organization.

Another inspiration was my paternal grandmother, Vera Britton. She was the human embodiment of my dreams and she always told me that we’d make it big. She inspired me to be myself and never settle for less. I was lucky enough to see a loving, vulnerable side of her growing up. She was my rock and my voice. We were extremely close and when she passed away during my sophomore year of high school, I felt extremely lost. During the process of creating Me-lationship, I felt her presence and could hear her words of encouragement. My mother and my maternal grandmother were also huge support systems, constantly reminding who I was and telling me to keep God first throughout the process. Without the love and support from the black women in my life, Me-lationship wouldn’t have bloomed so rapidly—probably not at all.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have no regrets. I appreciate the humble, broke college student beginnings of Me-lationship. I appreciate the struggle because if not, I don’t think it would’ve as strong of an impact or any heart without the tears, the frustration, the insecurity, and the lack of coin. A coal under pressure creates diamonds, honey. The organization’s foundation is my heart and my purpose. It’s raw. It’s genuine. It’s my baby. It’s spiritual. God told me to move. My ancestors told me to move. I did exactly that. I wouldn’t change anything.

Pricing:

• Razorback tanks: $15
• T-shirts/Crop tops: $20
• Sweatshirts/Hoodies: $30
• Long Sleeves: $25
• Words on back: + $5

Contact Info:

• Website: mommyslilmilitant.com (fashion/lifestyle blog)
• Email: janayabritton@gmail.com and txsumelationship@gmail.com
• Instagram: @mommyslilmilitant (personal) @clash.coordinate (fashion instagram) @txsu.melationship (org. instagram)
• Facebook: facebook.com/TXSUMelationship
• Twitter: twitter.com/TSUMelationship
• Other: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXx1Hcl3XmN_ujBhv2YBYxVqPavDtyKC0FNh8__p5JWM0_iQ/viewform

Image Credit:
Mia Bellinger (@hi_itsmia), Stacey Murphy

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