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(see all)A conversation with Nayada Moore
What does female empowerment look like in action? Maleman sits down with Nayada Moore, the dynamic founder & CEO of Hashtag Co, to explore her thoughts. Discover how Nayada’s experience in mental health shapes her vision and how she plans to put fashion shows on the map in Denver.
Learn more about Hashtag Co at https://hashtagco.godaddysites.com/
Interview Transcript
MALEMAN: Maleman on Denver’s urban alternative 104.7 The Drop. You know I’m always here for the girl power. I’m always here for the women’s empowerment. I’m always here for the black girl magic. No cap.
And I have a very special guest in the building with me today. She’s a women’s health specialist and advocate. She’s a CEO of a nonprofit. She’s a event facilitator. She’s a philanthropist. She’s a model. She’s a fashionista. She’s just an all-around dope woman. Joining me today is Nayada Moore. How you doing, my girl?
NAYADA: I’m doing great. How are you doing today?
MALEMAN: I’m doing well, so I usually, like, just check in, you know with my guests. I gotta see, for real, for real. How are you doing? Mentally, physically, emotionally. How are you really doing, Nayada?
NAYADA: I’m doing great. I’m going to be honest. I’m in the prime right now in my life, so I can’t even complain. Like, I’m out here for the girls and I’m feeling good, looking good, smelling good. So yeah, all the things, all the things.
MALEMAN: Yes. Facts. Facts. That’s what I’m talking about. I love that for you. So, tell us a little bit about yourself. Like, what inspired you to start coordinating women’s empowerment events?
NAYADA: Definitely. So, I really like to focus on women’s mental health and making women feel good and creating sisterhood. So that’s really why I started women’s empowerment. It’s really fun to dress up. You know, we have the thrifted fashion a little bit of fast fashion. We have ladies laughing, embracing each other. Sometimes we’re crying. Good tears. But, you know, tears of empowerment. So, I really started it for women by women. I have all women involved from every walk of life,and just to connect women in general.
MALEMAN: Nice, nice. I like that. So, like was there like a defining moment or a situation that just really pushed you to get into this work?
NAYADA: I could say when the City of Colorado Springs pushed me to do their Fashion Week. Fashion Week have been canceled for Colorado Springs, and so many people from the community came to me and was like, “Hey, how about you do the Fashion Week?” And that really pushed me to say, “You know what, if I can do this Fashion Week and pull it off in two weeks’ time that we had, I can do anything.”
MALEMAN: Okay. Bang. What do you what would you say the main mission behind your women’s empowerment event is?
NAYADA: The main mission is to focus on women’s mental health. So, to allow women to be in a safe space where they feel welcomed, where they feel loved, where they feel embraced. You know, women are coming from all walks of life: their mothers, aunts, daughters, cousins, you know, all the things. So, it’s really just about bringing women together from all walks of life and also making money. You know, I have vendors at my event, and I like when women make money because I’ve done fundraising.
MALEMAN: We need that. Get that bag.
NAYADA: Yeah, gotta have that money on them.
MALEMAN: No cap. So, how do you go about like selecting the women that are involved in this event? Like, what’s the process like? What are you looking for? How do you go about that?
NAYADA: Yeah, so I reach out to women from all walks of life, whether they’re models — I really love to have models involved. You know, they’re able to push the brand throughout their social media. They have a lot of followers. So, that’s why we’re at over 100,000 views right now.
MALEMAN: Okay, talk about it.
NAYADA: We got 100,000 views in the span of three weeks. I went from 10,000 views to 100,000 views. So, we’re averaging about 3000 views a day off of the models, off of the chefs, off of the vendors. Just from collaborating on posts through Instagram and through social media. So, I don’t care what background the women has. I just love to have women involved.
MALEMAN: And how many of these events, have you done so far?
NAYADA: This is my third annual for the Women’s Empowerment event, so this is year three. I’ve had two in Colorado Springs. I just moved to the Denver-Aurora area. So now we’re bringing it to Denver, baby.
MALEMAN: That’s what I’m talking about. Shout out to Denver, shout out to all the women doing their big one out here in Denver. What kind of impact have you seen from, like, the past events? Like, what do people walk away from when they attend or participate in your women’s empowerment event.
NAYADA: So, when they attend, they walk away with friendships, they walk away with safe spaces, they walk away with money. Again, I like to help women raise money and make money. So, on average my vendors are making anywhere from three to four hundred dollars in that day, and so they’re making a pretty good bag. And then also getting clients and customers. And then also the women that show up. I mean, we have everything from dancing to kickboxing to lash techs to nail techs to massage therapists to bounce houses, mechanical bulls, the event has so many things going on.
MALEMAN: Oh it’s lit.
NAYADA: Yeah, ladies. You gotta get on that bull. Speaking of bulls, my birthday is May 11th. Taurus gang. I just gotta throw that out there. Just letting y’all know. But yeah, women walk away with so much. I feel like the experience is what keeps them coming. What brings them together and creates a really nice sisterhood.
MALEMAN: And how do you, like, create a safe space where the women do feel safe, feel loved? Like, how do you — how do you go about it?
NAYADA: Doing that, I just authentically be myself. One thing as an event planner is I don’t try to put myself above anyone. I’m in there just like the women that are showing up, just like the vendors. And I also have mental health specialists come in. So, I have Emily Brown, who is a women’s empowerment coach. She’s going to be speaking. I have Jasmine Jacquees of bold black learning. She’s a therapist, so she will be speaking. So, I also have mental health professionals. I am certified and faith-based trauma. So, I have women that are actually in mental health spaces to be able to create that safe space and speak life into the women and give them the words to say and channel their emotions and learn how to just be.
MALEMAN: Yeah, you know, I really respect that and I appreciate that because I feel like, just in general, there’s not a lot of that going on. But in such a crazy time right now, I feel like women especially need those spaces. So, I really respect what you’re doing. I appreciate what you’re doing, especially with this event. But outside of the event, outside of the event, what are you also passionate about? Like what else gets Nayada going?
NAYADA: I love to make music, so I’m a musician. I’m a model. I’m an event planner for a company called Elevate Vendor Events, where we have wine tasting events and luxury apartment complexes. So, just my job. You know, I have my two children […] They really push me to do what I love to do. I’m an artist as well. You know, I paint. I love photography. Just all the things. I mean, there’s so many things. Like, I’m very passionate about cooking. Originally I was a chef. So, I really there’s a lot of things that I love to do. As long as it has to do with art. I’m really here for it.
MALEMAN: That’s what’s up. So, back to the event. What role does the community play in making this type of event successful?
NAYADA: Pulling up. Show up. It’s an event for women by women. All women are there. I mean, a couple of men have showed up. It’s all good. You’re going to be surrounded by models, so I feel you why you’re walking in. But the community plays that huge role. Like, I would not have the event if I did not have the community, it would be empty, right? So, having people show up and be there, you know?
Things like this being on the drop, being on the Denver 7 News, which we will be on there on June the 4th to promote the event, being on different platforms. I would not have gotten to over 100,000 views if the community did not pull through for me.
MALEMAN: Yeah. So, they showing up and showing out for you.
NAYADA: Showing up and showing out, baby.
MALEMAN: A few things: I’m gonna to hear the music and I’m gonna need a plate. Definitely need a plate.
NAYADA: Got you on the Puerto Rican food. I got you.
MALEMAN: Okay, let’s get it. What are some challenges that you faced when trying to put together this type of event?
NAYADA: I think the imposter syndrome at first because I just moved to the Denver Aurora area. I did not know if I was going to do the event this year. Then people started inboxing me like, “Hey, are you going to be doing your event this year?” And that’s why it’s not in May. I usually have it in May and my birthday month, but it was a challenge for me to say, “Okay, I’m going to have to market this. I’m going to have to reach out to people. They could tell me no, you know? So, it’s kind of like that imposter syndrome where you don’t know if you’re going to be able to do it, but I had to do it. I had to do it.
MALEMAN: You rallying, you’re pushing through, and you’re doing it. That’s what I’m talking about. On the flip side of that, what are some of, like, the most rewarding moments you’ve had in putting together this type of event? Like, what would you say was just, like, “You
NAYADA: I mean, it’s the women that come together and create connections. That’s the biggest thing that I see. Like, outside of me, I see women creating so many connections, creating sisterhoods, finding business partners, finding friends, you know? So, the big thing for me is the women and seeing them laughing. And like I said, sometimes we cry. Sometimes we talk about relationships. We talk about everything at these events, I get really personal with the women. You know, I’m usually running around, but I would literally make time for anybody that stops and wants to talk to me. I’m really big on women’s mental health, so just focusing on the feeling that I see from the women and the joy that it brings to them.
MALEMAN: Would you say that’s what women empowerment means to you? Like, what does that mean to you?
NAYADA: Oh yeah. I mean women empowerment means so much to me. But you know, a lot of us in this world come from broken childhoods, broken walks of life. And so to nurture that little girl and the women that is the biggest thing for me for women empowerment. It’s to empower that little girl that needed their mother, that needed their father, that needed someone to talk to, that needed their friends. So, just being that emotional support for the women is the biggest thing for me.
MALEMAN: And what kind of tips or advice would you just give to women in general? And just being, like you said, “I just want them to be exist. Just be.” What kind of advice would you give to a woman who may be having issues with just being?
NAYADA: You know, I would say sometimes there’s a time to isolate and to be in that cocoon and to be in your cocoon stage. And then there’s a time to be that butterfly. Shout out to my mom. She has this thing called “BIO,” where it’s beautiful inside and out, and it talks about women being like a butterfly and being in a cocoon and then transforming into that butterfly. So, just know your seasons, know when you’re in that cocoon stage, and know when you’re in your butterfly stage.
MALEMAN: That’s game. Did y’all hear that? BIO: beautiful inside and out. That’s super game. Outside of this event, what’s next for you, Nayada? Like, what else are you doing? What can we look forward to when we follow you and get behind your movement?
NAYADA: Yeah, definitely. So, I’m definitely looking to try to do the Fashion Week for the City of Aurora. They do not have a Fashion Week. So, I’m looking for a team: photographers, videographers, models, stage lights, all the things. I want to throw a really big fashion show with sustainable fashion. You know, a lot of my clothes, I thrift, like, 99% of them. So, I really want to show women how to be fly on a dime. You know, you don’t have to break his pocket, sis.
MALEMAN: Please don’t break our pocket, sis. We know you got it. You got it. Last question I wanna ask you. And I’m gonna put you on the hot seat. You know what I’m saying? Because you got the dress. You real fashionable. You know, you tuned in to the models. So, give me your top five fashion models of all time.
NAYADA: I really like Winnie Harlow. She’s a great model. Tyra Banks. Naomi Campbell. She’s really good. Me. And then I’m gonna shout out my girl India Sade. She is a Denver model out here. She does her thing. She gives really powerful messages. So, that’s my top five right there, y’all. And I have to be in there.
MALEMAN: That’s solid, that’s solid. And I’m happy that you put some Denver up in there too.
NAYADA: Oh yeah, shout out to Denver, y’all. Thank you for showing so much love.
MALEMAN: Thank you for stopping by The Drop. Thank you for what you’re doing in the community. Thank you for what you’re doing for women’s mental health, women’s empowerment. This event is in July, right?
NAYADA: Yep, July the 19th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Zeppelin station in downtown Denver.
MALEMAN: We pulling up, we definitely pulling up. But again, thank you Nayada for coming through, kicking it with us, sharing your story, giving your expertise. You know, I can’t ask for more. I’m really happy that you came.
NAYADA: Thank you so much.
MALEMAN: It’s Maleman on Denver’s urban alternative 104.7 The Drop. What’s good in the neighborhood? That’s what it is. Women’s empowerment event. Pull up, we outside. Peace.