Unapologetically Us, launched in 2014, is a lifestyle brand and online community designed for black women. In this digital space, the platform is to responsibly inform, foster creativity and engage in thoughtful dialogue. Valerie Robinson is the Founder and Editor-in Chief of Unapologetically Us. Not seeing many safe havens geared toward black women, she decided to create one that is not only reliable, but relatable and genuine. Valerie is an award-winning photojournalist and writer whose work spans multi-generational platforms. Read our interview with her below.

Blavity: Tell us more about why you started Unapologetically Us.

Valerie Robinson: I enjoy writing about real people and real things. Unapologetically Us originally began as a family blog that my husband promised to help me with, but of course he dropped the ball on writing up his posts – lol! He verbally told me everything he wanted me to write for him – who does that?! I then decided to take a different direction and rebrand into a lifestyle resource for women of color. While writing about my family was okay, I strongly believed that there were so many other aspects to target in addition to family life. I noticed while navigating through my 30s that there are not many safe places for women of color to convene and have candid conversations about a broad spectrum of life topics – from society/culture, beauty, relationships, careers, current events and motherhood. I wanted to create an additional space for that.

Hooray! My daughter’s school notebooks have arrived from #innovativesupplies! 😍

A photo posted by Unapologetically Us™ (@unapologetic_us) on Aug 20, 2016 at 12:53pm PDT

B: Your blog is one of the few I’ve come across that deals with parenting (which is vital and underrepresented). What motivated you to cater to parents?

VR: I cater to women from all walks of life, but more heavily toward millennial and GenX women. This is primarily because I am currently walking the walk as a GenX mom, but can also reach back to the millennials and speak from experience on points that might help them gain more clarity.

B: What is your favorite part about the work you do?

VR: I have always had a love of writing and helping others. It warms my heart when a reader sends a message that an article posted resonated with them. I wish that a lot of sites that exist now were up and running in my younger days! I like to speak the truth from a place of love, and Unapologetically Us has truly been a labor of love.

You are enough. . . . . . . #blackgirlmagic #selfworth #lifestyleblog #lifestyleblogger #confidence

A photo posted by Unapologetically Us™ (@unapologetic_us) on Jul 26, 2016 at 8:36am PDT

B: When did you develop a passion for empowering women of color?

VR: I will always be on our side. As a woman of color, I understand firsthand how difficult it is to thrive with so many obstacles against us. I look around at the extreme beauty, talent and drive that we carry and am further emboldened in this purpose. I will consistently affirm that we are enough and that we are in “this thing” together.

All day. Everyday. #unapologeticallyus #unapologeticallyexcellent #blackgirlmagic

A photo posted by Unapologetically Us™ (@unapologetic_us) on Jun 7, 2016 at 6:24am PDT

B: Tell us more about your podcast?

VR: The Unapologetic Podcast is something that I started on a whim, mainly because I had a lot of long-winded things to say that I necessarily didn’t feel like putting into a blog post. I talk about things like current events, business, entrepreneurship, parenting, managing life, events and entertainment. I also wanted a space to speak candidly to my audience so that they can hear my voice and catch all of the recaps and gems I occasionally drop through my ramblings. The podcast is still very young, but I’m hoping to interview guests soon to encourage a more well-rounded perspective on a variety of topics. What you can expect is a raw perspective and I’m not afraid to discuss things that are uncomfortable.

Not at all.

A photo posted by Unapologetically Us™ (@unapologetic_us) on Jul 17, 2016 at 10:33am PDT

B: How does the city you live in influence your work?

VR: I am located in the DMV area (DC, MD, VA), which is the stomping ground for creativity, events and networking. If anything major is happening, you better believe D.C. will be on the list of tour stops! A lot of fellow bloggers also live in the area and we are only a hop, skip and jump from N.Y. I find my location to be pretty central. My target audience of GenXers and millennials are heavily populated in the DMV!

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