Today we’d like to introduce you to Honey Beigh.
Hi Honey, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and I’ve called the Dallas area home for the past three and a half years after making the decision to choose myself and create a better future for my son. My journey has been anything but easy, but every challenge has been worth it.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, I served in the U.S. Air Force for nine years before building a career in Human Resources. Along the way, I reached the Director level, earned a six-figure salary, became a mentor, and completed multiple degrees. On paper, I had achieved everything I thought success was supposed to look like, but something was still missing. Deep down, I knew I was meant to create something that would leave a lasting impact on people’s lives.
Throughout every season of my life, books were my constant. They challenged me, comforted me, expanded my perspective, and reminded me that I wasn’t alone. As a child, my mother even let me transform my closet into a little reading and writing nook so I could spend hours doing what I loved most: getting lost in stories.
As an adult, though, I couldn’t find a space where Black women could celebrate that same love of reading while also building genuine community. I wanted more than a book club. I wanted a place where conversations extended beyond the pages, where I could find other nerds like me, where women and girls discovered authors who looked like them, and where our shared love of books became a bridge to confidence, healing, leadership, and joy.
That vision became Black Girls Who Read.
What started as a simple online community has grown beyond anything I could have imagined. Today, we connect hundreds of thousands of Black women around the world through local chapters, literary events, author conversations, literacy initiatives, and our nonprofit work.
The growth happened incredibly fast. When I decided to take BGWR beyond Facebook in July 2025, we had just over 3,200 members. I officially established the business, announced our inaugural summit, and focused relentlessly on creating an authentic community. Within months, we grew to 30,000 members, then surpassed 100,000. Less than a year later, we’re approaching 450,000 members across the globe. That kind of growth isn’t something I take for granted. It reminds me every day that people are searching for belonging just as much as they’re searching for their next great read.
Along the way, I realized I wasn’t simply building a reading community. I was building the kinds of spaces I needed growing up, and the ones I wish more Black girls and women had access to. Spaces where we feel seen, where our stories are celebrated, where leadership is nurtured, creativity is encouraged, and where community isn’t just something we talk about but something we intentionally create together.
As Black Girls Who Read continued to grow, so did the vision. I wanted to weave together everything that shaped me: my love of books, my passion for entrepreneurship, my commitment to service, and my belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to discover who they are and who they can become.
That vision led to the creation of The BGWR Boundless Legacy Project, our nonprofit initiative dedicated to creating meaningful, family-centered experiences that foster literacy, leadership, entrepreneurship, identity, healing, and a lifelong commitment to community.
My mission has never simply been to get more people to read. It’s to create spaces where stories spark transformation, community fuels possibility, and every person, especially Black women and girls, knows their voice matters.
Looking back, every chapter of my story, from Cincinnati to Dallas, from military service to corporate America, and now to full-time entrepreneurship, prepared me for this work. What began as a passion has become my purpose, and I’m incredibly excited to see where the next chapter leads.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It certainly hasn’t been a smooth road, but I’ve come to appreciate that growth rarely is.
The challenges actually began long before Black Girls Who Read. Choosing to move from Cincinnati to Dallas was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. It wasn’t simply about relocating. It was about choosing myself, creating a healthier environment, and building a future where my son could grow up knowing that his mother was safe, fulfilled, and courageous enough to bet on herself. That decision changed the trajectory of both of our lives.
Professionally, there were plenty of moments that tested my faith. I experienced two layoffs in less than eighteen months, each one forcing me to rethink my career and trust that something greater was ahead. Eventually, I landed what I thought was my dream job. Ironically, after spending years praying for that opportunity, I walked away from it just eighteen months later to pursue Black Girls Who Read full-time. Looking back, I realize those setbacks weren’t detours. They were preparing me to build something of my own.
As Black Girls Who Read grew, I quickly learned that building a mission-driven organization comes with challenges people don’t always see. Early on, we were invited to participate in a women’s entrepreneurship event. Within twenty-four hours, the organizers asked to learn more about our organization, but after seeing our name, they ultimately decided we “weren’t a good fit.” It was disappointing because our work has always been rooted in literacy, leadership, community, and creating opportunities for connection. Yet assumptions were made before anyone truly understood our mission.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t an isolated experience. We’ve encountered hesitation from venues and organizations simply because of our name. In one instance, while discussing the possibility of using a venue, someone forgot they were unmuted and made comments about Black Girls Who Read that made it immediately clear we weren’t welcome. We chose to walk away because I’ve learned that not every opportunity is meant for us. Sometimes rejection is simply redirection toward partners who genuinely believe in the work we’re doing.
Personally, one of my greatest challenges has been learning to lead while continuing to care for myself. I’m a strong advocate for therapy and personal growth because healing isn’t something you complete once; it’s something you commit to every day. As someone who navigates PTSD, anxiety, and the realities of neurodivergence, there are days when executive functioning, emotional regulation, or simply slowing down require intentional effort. Entrepreneurship can be demanding for anyone, and those challenges add another layer, but they’ve also made me a more compassionate leader.
Today, I don’t see those experiences as obstacles that held me back. I see them as the foundation for the organization I’m building. They remind me why creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered isn’t just part of our mission. It is the mission.
As you know, we’re big fans of Black Girls Who Read. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Black Girls Who Read is one of the fastest-growing literary communities dedicated to empowering Black women and inspiring the next generation of girls through a shared love of literature, lifelong learning, and community. What began as an online book club has evolved into a multifaceted organization focused on literacy, leadership, community engagement, and creating meaningful spaces where Black women can connect, grow, and thrive. In less than a year, Black Girls Who Read has grown from a Facebook community of just over 3,200 members into an international literary organization reaching nearly 450,000 readers across the world while expanding into local chapters, nonprofit initiatives, annual conferences, and community partnerships.
Today, BGWR is home to nine local chapters, with three additional chapters launching this year, allowing us to bring our mission offline and directly into communities across the country. We have plans to expand to the U.K. and Canada in 2027, with more countries on the horizon. Our chapter leaders host monthly discussions, author events, networking opportunities, volunteer initiatives, and experiences that strengthen relationships beyond the pages of a book.
One of the things that makes BGWR unique is our belief that books are only the beginning. We intentionally create experiences that inspire connection and belonging. From intimate author conversations and community book clubs to large-scale literary events, our goal is to make reading accessible, joyful, and transformational.
Our signature event, the Black Girls Who Read Summit, is hosted every 1st weekend of April in Dallas and has quickly become one of our proudest accomplishments. Readers, authors, speakers, and literary professionals travel from across the United States and internationally to gather for a weekend centered on books, personal growth, networking, and celebration. What started as a vision has become a destination experience that continues to expand each year.
Beyond literature, we’re deeply committed to investing in our communities. Through partnerships with local businesses and organizations, we host quarterly service projects and community engagement initiatives that encourage our members to give back where they live. Whether we’re supporting literacy efforts, mentoring young people, or collaborating with neighborhood organizations, we believe community impact should extend far beyond the bookshelf.
That commitment also inspired the creation of The BGWR Boundless Legacy Project, our nonprofit initiative dedicated to expanding access to literacy while creating family-centered experiences focused on leadership, entrepreneurship, identity, healing, and community service. We believe that books can open doors, but experiences help people walk through them.
Looking ahead, we’re building toward our next chapter. One of our long-term goals we are actively crowdfunding for is the Boundless Book Bar and Lounge, a permanent gathering place where literature, culture, creativity, and community intersect. We envision it as more than a bookstore or coffee shop. It will be a home for readers, writers, entrepreneurs, artists, and families to gather, learn, and build lasting connections in DfW and beyond.
I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built in such a short period of time, but I’m even more excited about where we’re headed. Black Girls Who Read has never been just about books. We’re building an ecosystem that celebrates Black stories, strengthens communities, creates opportunities, and reminds people that reading can be the beginning of something much bigger.
Any big plans?
When I think about the future, I don’t just see growth. I see legacy.
Over the next few years, my focus is on expanding Black Girls Who Read into one of the most recognized literary organizations in the world. We’re continuing to grow our chapter network across the United States while preparing for international expansion into the United Kingdom and Canada, creating more opportunities for readers to build meaningful relationships within their own communities.
One of the projects I’m most excited about is bringing the Boundless Book Bar & Lounge to life in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We’re actively crowdfunding to create a first-of-its-kind literary destination where books, culture, entrepreneurship, and community intersect. I envision it as far more than a bookstore or café. It will serve as a safe space where readers, writers, entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives can gather, collaborate, and simply belong. Beyond great books and coffee, we’ll offer free community resources, educational workshops, literary programming, networking events, and spaces designed to inspire creativity, connection, and healing. My hope is that it becomes a true home for our community and a model that can eventually expand to cities across the country.
I’m equally excited about expanding the BGWR Boundless Legacy Project, creating more opportunities for youth and families through literacy initiatives, leadership development, entrepreneurship programs, wellness experiences, scholarships, and community service. Every program is designed with one goal in mind: to create the kinds of opportunities and experiences I wished existed growing up while empowering the next generation to dream even bigger.
Our experiences will continue to grow as well. In addition to expanding the Black Girls Who Read Summit into a premier literary destination that attracts readers, authors, publishers, and literary professionals from around the world, we’re also developing two annual retreats: a luxury reading cruise and an international retreat that combines literature, culture, travel, and personal development. We want our community to experience the joy of reading not only from the comfort of home, but around the world alongside women who share the same passion for books and lifelong learning.
Personally, I’m also looking forward to writing more. Becoming an author has always been part of my vision, and I’m excited to finally share stories of my own while continuing to champion the voices of others.
Ultimately, I don’t want Black Girls Who Read to simply be known as a successful organization. I want it to become an institution. I want future generations to know that when they were looking for community, representation, inspiration, or simply a place to belong, Black Girls Who Read was there waiting for them. My dream isn’t to build something that’s successful for today. It’s to build something that’s still changing lives fifty years from now.
Pricing:
- 2027 Summit- General Admission ($129)
- 2027 Summit VIP- $325
- Merch- varies on our website
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bgwr.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbgwr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/495951086593834
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbgwr
