Excited Birmingham Black Tea Makers Share Their Healing Brews: ‘An Embrace of Love’
Birmingham, Alabama is known for its vibrant culinary scene. Now, local entrepreneurs are adding a new layer to this rich tapestry – an infusion of carefully crafted, healing black teas.
Herban Soul Cafe: The Power of Plants
For Alexis Kimbrough, owner of Herban Soul Cafe, her venture into the world of herbal teas is grounded in a desire to aid mental health and overall wellness. Growing up in Selma, Alabama, Kimbrough saw firsthand the impacts of food insecurities and limited resources. Her unique experiences spurred her on to explore holistic alternatives in aiding well-being, laying the foundation for Herban Soul Cafe.
“In communities like Selma, there’s not a lot of resources. In Birmingham, resources are still limited. Herban Soul is me doing my part in the mental health and wellness space,” Kimbrough said.
Her cafe provides an array of herbal teas and treats. Each brewing process involves thought, love, and intention driven by Kimbrough’s deep understanding of herbs’ various benefits, a product of extensive research and working with local herbalists. Whether aiding digestion, heart health, or sleep, her teas are created with mental health and wellness in mind.
REV Birmingham and Magic City Match: Aiding Growth
Herban Soul Cafe was established with the assistance of REV Birmingham and its Magic City Match program, which connects Black-owned businesses with brick-and-mortar spaces and provides an incubator space at the Woodlawn Marketplace. Kimbrough credits the initiative with enabling her to quickly share her love for herbal teas and wellness with the community.
Sips of Nayture: A Journey to Healing
Similarly, Rodné Graham, founder, and CEO of Sips of Nayture, was inspired to share her herbal teas, following a severe bout of COVID that was only just alleviated by the power of herbs. Encouraged by friends and family, Graham turned from consuming herbal teas for personal healing to selling her concoctions.
Her teas feature a myriad of fragrant herbs and spices and are available in You Good? Self Care Sanctuary, a Black woman-owned health and wellness store in Woodlawn.
“When I first started drinking my teas for my own health, I never thought I’d be doing what I’m doing today. But I prayed about it and found that my purpose was in the tea I had been drinking all along, so I wrote out a business plan and here I am today getting to help others,” Graham noted.
Spreading Awareness through Healing Brews
With Kimbrough and Graham leading the way, Birmingham is in the early stages of witnessing a shift towards holistic health practices, with handmade herbal teas being the vehicle. Already, both entrepreneurs have been successful in connecting with the Birmingham community. It is a unification of flavours, knowledge, and fellowship, bringing to life the phrase ‘An Embrace of Love.’
As more people tap into the benefits of herbal teas, Birmingham residents will have these passionate and committed entrepreneurs to thank for sharing their craft and igniting the rise of a wellness revolution.
