Our Founder

 
Greetings,

I am Shukura Davis and I am the Founder of Melanin Moms of Pearland (MMOP). I would like to personally welcome you to our community!
 

 “Hi, moms! Can anyone recommend an African American Pediatrician?” This was me on July 20, 2019, asking what I thought was an appropriate question in another established mom group in Pearland. I never thought the simple request of trying to find an African American pediatrician for my daughters would yield such a negative response. The other moms in the group didn’t understand why I was requesting this.  They didn’t understand the necessity for my melanin children to have doctors that they could identify with. As a result, I felt ignored, rejected, and invaluable.  This was an uncommon experience seeing that I was raised in a predominantly African American community. July 20th was also the day I decided to break the mold and create a safe space for mothers that looked like me.
 

 I was raised in a single parent home and that single parent was a strong Black woman. She struggled, we struggled. Gratefully, she didn’t raise me alone. She had a community of resilient women that filled in any gaps she couldn’t fill herself. So at an early age, I was surrounded by sisterhood; my village taught me to assist others and to draw other women into the fold when necessary. Sisterhood was and remains essential!
 

 When I created MMOP I envisioned it being more than just a page where moms came together and solely marketed their businesses, complained about the weather, or horrible drivers on 2234. I wanted this group to add value, not to just the moms that joined, but to our families — our community. I wanted to create a space that provided equity for our family, education, and our businesses. A community that provides access to the best resources for our children. Lastly, I wanted to be able to provide scholarships and educational resources to our melanin babies. So please understand that being a part of Melanin Moms of Pearland is bigger than a random ISO status or recommendations for a hairstylist. This is a safe space to be our authentic selves. A space where we will consistently uplift and encourage one another. Most importantly we are a community that was founded on three things: equity, access, and scholarship.