FOREH Founder Leticia Hunt is having a busy year. In the past 12 months, the 29-year-old has gotten engaged, moved into a new home (that she’s renovating and sharing the process online with her 10k+ followers), and birthed a son, Mekhi. How does she balance?
“The sky’s the limit for Black women, so yes, I juggle a lot, but I only have one life to live, and I don’t want to have any regrets.” The former stylist expressed as she spoke to how she literally and figuratively wears many hats and slays while doing it.
Her apparel brand FOREH has a double meaning. “The name comes from my Grandfather Robert Earl Hunt. Like me, he was a creative that made custom pipes, jewelry pieces, and leather hats. Later on, my grandfather shared with me that he wished he’d sold and shared his work more, so I felt I had a responsibility to take what he created a step further because I don’t believe that God would have given me this talent if it wasn’t meant to be shared. The second meaning is For Our Revolution, Evolution, and Healing. Being Black comes with a lot of things. My family is from the south, and I’ve lived in predominantly Black areas my entire life. Seeing that things haven’t changed too much from the time our parents and grandparents were our age bothered me.”
BlackLove.com Related Articles:
Harnessing Your Power While Pregnant During COVID-19
Building Emotional Intimacy Helped Us Navigate Life’s Ups and Downs
From Employee to Entrepreneur: Charreah K. Jackson Talks Leaving Her 9-to-5 and Becoming the CEO of Her Life
Beyond FOREH, as a content creator, Hunt’s Instagram feed is filled with eye-catching images. From all forms of Black girl magic, pregnancy self-care rituals (including dancing + facial masks) travel destinations, and photos with her fiancé — Joe Owens veterinarian, and inventor of Enjoy-A-Bowl. Their recent maternity shoot photos went viral, and for the military vet, that was surprising as initially, she wasn’t all that excited to take maternity photos.
“I’m really not a fan of maternity pictures. I didn’t want to be in a tub with milk or anything like that. But with COVID-19, I felt we couldn’t have a shower, babymoon, or even visit the beach, so I wanted to capture this moment and for it to still mean something. Most of my shoots are in nature, and there’s so much beauty in the desert. Plus, someone told me that Black people don’t look good in brown, so I said okay, that’s what we’ll wear, and it turned out beautiful.”
Many couples have struggled as they prepare to give birth during COVID-19, but Leticia shared that they’ve been able to maneuver through these changes so well due to their relationships’ solid foundation, and her optimism.
“Joe and I have been together for a long time, and we’ve already overcome so much. We were in a long-distance relationship for a while, and there was a point we had to decide if I was going to relocate from Los Angeles or if we were going to break up. I chose to take a chance on love, and build my career, and I have no regrets. My fiancé and I are big dreamers. What’s kept us grounded is knowing that we’re in this together, whether it’s a pandemic or preparing for parenthood.”
With the traditional celebrations halted, Hunt revealed they were able to spend quality time together. Taking trips to Lowes to purchase supplies to renovate their home, picnics in the park, and at home date nights. “The pandemic and this pregnancy challenged us to get creative with how we bonded before the baby arrived.”
Pre COVID-19, the couple prepared for a natural birth with Hunt’s mother, excited to take doula classes. But with those courses canceled, this pivot caused them to lean on each other as hospital restrictions permitted only one support partner when Leticia gave birth to their son, Mehki. After 19 hours of labor, their beautiful baby boy entered the world, and Joe was able to deliver their son.
Fresh off his first father’s day, the 34-year-old says his goal is simple, to be there for his son. “With all the craziness in this world, I want him to know he has my support, and he has all the knowledge he needs. [I want to] help him, how my parents helped me,” said the new dad. Hunt says that for her as she journeys into motherhood, patience is vital. “In these first few weeks of being a mother, I’ve realized that your baby is trying to figure things out right along with you, and you have to be patient as you learn along with your baby, and your partner.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION