Hey Mama Hey!
Happy Monday! It’s a new week. New beginnings. I want you to be fired up about the week so I present to you inspiration from your fellow Mamas. You are going to love this weeks #MCM. It’s a Mama you have heard mentioned and seen in my timeline, Keewa Nurullah.
I have known Keewa for over 20 years. We were casual friends, I would see her around the city, we would exchange “Heyyy Girl” and keep it moving. After I became a Mama I looked around for other Mamas I saw that seemed to have it together. I attached myself to those women and hoped some of their dopeness would rub off on me. Keewa was one of those women. We bonded over being Mamas of little wild boys and our friendship has just blossomed from there. Fast forward to now I call her a dear friend that I consult multiple times per week for a listening ear. It is over the past year that I have developed a Mama Crush that runs deep.
*Fun Fact: Keewa was the first person I shared the idea of Mama Fresh with!
Keewa is what many would refer to as “triple threat”. She is a dope singer, talented actor and beautiful dancer. She is also a triple threat in her personal life as a wife, Mama and business owner. Keewa is the mother is a 2yo son that is full of personality, Faraz. How does this Mama who has a home full of love, art and family, including her bonus 17yo son find the time to run a kid clothing line with her husband Doug? NO DAYS OFF. I am serious. It is not unusual for her to host an event for their clothing line, Kido, have an audition, hang out with Faraz and even squeeze in a super cool date with her husband. Oh and did I mention she does this all while expecting another little one! I am tired just thinking about it. *sips iced coffee*
Every week I feature a different Mama and I ask our #MCM the same three questions. This will give us a peek into Motherhood.
Mama Fresh: What is your favorite place in your city to explore with your family?
Keewa: The lakefront! We are so fortunate to live in a neighborhood that is right on beautiful Lake Michigan. In the summer, we hook up the trailer and take baby on long bike rides. We’ve gone to the lake as a family to view the orange moon, super moon, and solar eclipses. We go to the beach as a family and collect rocks and shells. The lake is the gift that keeps on giving, and it keeps Chicago beautiful and new.
Mama Fresh: What is your personal “Fresh Approach” to Motherhood?
Keewa: My husband and I are both artists, so we try to include the whole family in as much of our creative lifestyle as possible. I’ve had my son on stage at my singing gigs, and I take him to my mom’s performances (she’s a musician as well). There’s a lot of silly singing and dancing in our household, as expected! Doug includes our son in his art projects, and he is definitely the main inspiration for our clothing like, Kido. As an artist, I know that there are many creative ways to express the same idea. I try to stay in tune with my child’s patterns and inclinations, and I shape his daily structure according to his personality and individual needs.
Mama Fresh: A Mama just delivered 4 days ago. What piece of advice would you give her?
Keewa: You are strong enough to endure it all! The pain, both physical and emotional, is normal, and it will go away with time. Allow yourself the time to go through the whole process without feeling pressure to get back to ‘normal’. There is no normal anymore! Ha! Any problem you are facing, there are other women going through a similar if not the same thing. Reach out to the mothers you know, and meet new Mamas with babies in the same age range. Seek advice, share your feelings. You are not alone!!!!
A year ago Keewa and her husband grew tired of searching for clothing that reflected their unique sense of cool style and positive images they wanted for their son. Like most Mamas, Keewa set out to solve the issue herself! They created Kido clothing with the tagline “Put on the positive.” Their Icon series had all the Mamas going crazy. Bright colors, unisex designs and recognizable images of cultural icons like Walter Payton, Harold Washington and Florence “Flo Jo” Joyner, we were all in love. Kido just celebrated one year anniversary and I can’t wait to see what they have cooking for 2018.
If you want to support Keewa and Kido clothing, visit their website http://www.kidochicago.com, stores like Silver Room and 57th Street Books, or in person this week at Boombox Wicker Park. You can purchase gear for your little one, cross off some holiday gifts and meet Keewa herself. When you see her, give her a big hug for me and tell her “Hey Mama Hey!”