Hidden Gems: Meet Soniyah Robinson of Boundless Blackness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Soniyah Robinson.

Hi Soniyah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Creating opportunities to build generational wealth and economic freedom through entrepreneurship is a significant part of my ancestry. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I’ve been motivated to embrace my innovative spirit while following the path of my inspiring tribe. Specifically, I am interested in promoting social and political power and internal peace and joy for the Black community. These desires, coupled with my passion for writing, speaking and telling stories, energized me to start my business. By combining my passions with my devotion to Black empowerment, I curated my brand Boundless Blackness – a Black culture shop, storytelling platform and community movement built to share authentic, engaging Black stories. I designed Boundless Blackness to be an extensive and inclusive space for the stories of my community to blossom and thrive from the hearts and minds of Black people.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have faced various struggles and trials throughout my journey as a business owner. One difficulty I experienced is a blessing; juggling my shop orders, story requests and partnerships while navigating life as a college student. These endeavors fill me with deep joy and gratitude as they align excellently with my career goals and the things I am most passionate about. However, there were times when I felt overwhelmed and had to discover ways to manage my schedule. This experience helped me learn new ways to slow down, adjust priorities, and be transparent.

James Baldwin said, “I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.” These words resonate with the storytelling goals of my business and staying committed to this mission has helped me endure stressful times. Furthermore, I remind myself frequently that caring for myself, listening to my body and nurturing my soul elevate every aspect of life and should always be prioritized.

We’ve been impressed with Boundless Blackness, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
My goals for Boundless Blackness align with social justice and equity-centered work and partnerships with community organizations. We work to change the negative narrative associated with Blackness and advance efforts to reconstruct oppressive institutions. Storytelling is at the core of our work, as it is a powerful and ancestral outlet to shedding light on real experiences and authentically uplifting voices.

Boundless Blackness also offers a Black culture shop (reopening soon) that provides merchandise promoting innovative designs, messages and visuals. I am working on relaunching and expanding this shop to include an expansive collection of products.

I am thrilled to relaunch my business soon and include the new visions and conceptualizations I have been constructing. Specifically, I look forward to building on our new project, Radiant Regal (@radiantregal on Instagram), a creative platform sharing original photography, musings, poetry and more.

I am immensely grateful to anyone who has supported or connected with my business in any form. We are just starting and excited for our community and journey to grow! Find us at BoundlessBlackness.com and @BoundlessBlackness on Instagram to explore our stories, engage with our content and submit a story request.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from growing up.
I am tremendously blessed to have had a childhood filled with joy, light, and love, which makes it challenging to narrow down one memory that is my favorite. Holistically my loving parents, warmhearted uncle, caring grandparents, and extended family full of wonderful aunts, uncles, and cousins were all my first loves and are an integral part of my growth and mindset. When thinking of all my childhood memories, I think of blue North Carolina skies painted with soft clouds floating above me while I swung on swing sets. I think of sun rays spilling through curtains as I play in hallways. I think of warm hugs, big laughs and the aroma of soul food. I think of sweet kisses, genuine support and joyous adventures. The light of my inner child glistens beautifully and I owe that glow to my beautiful tribe. That light shines on all my work, passions and decisions, and I honor her.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.boundlessblackness.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boundlessblackness/

Image Credits
Adley Haywood, Miracle Smythe, and Paige Wilson