Houston isn’t simply the land of chopped and screwed beats and Beyoncé, it’s additionally brimming with daring, Black brilliance as seen in OWN’s Coronary heart & Hustle: Houston. Forged members Alaina Saulsberry and Muneera Web page embody that vitality, mixing enterprise savvy with religion and household.
Supply: OWN
Alaina, aka “H-City’s Glam Woman,” is the founding father of Shade du Jour, a magnificence empire shaping each faces and futures. She juggles motherhood, mentorship, and a rocky marriage—all whereas main with coronary heart and hustle.
Muneera, often known as “Mrs. Excellent,” is {an electrical} engineer turned influencer who swapped oil rigs for reels. A spouse and mother of 4, she exudes quiet energy whereas embracing evolution and redefining success on her personal phrases.
Collectively, they signify the heartbeat of town’s sisterhood—and forward of the present’s premiere Saturday, August 2, at 9/8c on OWN, they spoke to BOSSIP about stability, objective, and powering via with grace.
“Houston is filled with boss ladies of coloration who’re out right here actually doing their factor,” stated Alaina to Managing Editor Dani Canada. “I’m simply grateful OWN is highlighting six of us. It means loads to share my story.”
Muneera agreed, pointing to town’s cultural richness and the robust sisterhood inside the forged.
“Houston’s tradition, creativity, and group are so numerous,” she added. “This present highlights wonderful ladies you possibly can relate to — and it’s going to open doorways for much more.”
However don’t get it twisted, getting into the truth TV world didn’t come simple. Each ladies are wives, moms, and entrepreneurs with full plates and agency boundaries. Saying sure to this present meant saying sure to vulnerability.
“I believe for me, on my social media, I’m continually displaying the hustle. However numerous instances, behind that hustle is the guts,” stated Alaina. “And so is the ache; there are life conditions that we’re coping with and simply juggling all of it. So I wished individuals to see the entire scope of what makes my model, and never simply me servicing all of those shoppers.”
She continued,
“I’m doing this for my household, I’m doing this for my youngsters. I simply thought it was such an awesome alternative to only present and share my story.”
Muneera echoed the sentiment.
“Plenty of us Black ladies, we’re taught to only do all of it and masks all the things,” she stated. “Folks see the glam, the polished picture, the ‘excellent’ household — however I’m nonetheless human. I wrestle. I cry. I’ve feelings too. And it’s so laborious to point out that typically.”
In Muneera “Mrs. Excellent,” however she’s bought levels and depth to match her shine.
“I’m {an electrical} engineer, and I even have a math diploma. So, you understand, individuals take a look at the gorgeous face and assume that’s all there may be, and there are such a lot of layers behind me and simply black ladies usually.And other people typically simply disregard all the laborious work that you simply put into it and all of the accolades that you’ve got achieved, and go by what you appear like on the surface. And I believe there’s simply a lot extra.”
She continued,
“So I’m actually excited to showcase all of that and to only get to know who we’re.”
Opening up about their marriages was one other leap of religion. For Muneera, her Jamaican husband wanted a bit convincing earlier than cameras got here round.
“I did share to him what the present was about, that it’s, showcasing a sisterhood and showcasing all these stunning boss ladies right here in Houston,” she stated. “So I advised him it’s not the everyday actuality TV present drama, no drink throwing, no one being disrespectful in a means that it’s one thing you possibly can’t overcome. “
She continued,
“It’s a totally totally different actuality sort TV collection than what we’ve been programmed to assume actuality TV has been.”
Alaina’s highschool sweetheart-turned-hubby, Josh, was prepared from day one.
“For me, it was simply extra of a private determination. And Josh was simply onboard as a result of, after all, I shared the identical factor, prefer it’s highlighting my enterprise and my marriage. And, you understand, it’s not bringing the drama that we’re used to seeing on TV. So, you understand, he was on board, and it wasn’t troublesome convincing.”
She continued,
“However I wished to make it possible for I share my story and the way troublesome it’s working with the partner, you understand, and being married to your highschool sweetheart and what that appears like. And so I believe that he was extraordinarily open to sharing that story as a result of it’s troublesome. It hasn’t been simple.”
Each women additionally shared that in relation to dealing with public suggestions, they’re staying grounded and swish.
“The damaging feedback are going to be there,” stated Alaina to BOSSIP. “We’re not going to say all the best issues, do all the best issues, however we’re being susceptible and placing our lives on the market. And nobody is ideal. And I do know these damaging feedback are going to come back. I’m going to do the Beyonce methodology, the no scroll rule. I’m not going to scroll down these feedback as a result of that’s the healthiest factor for me.”
Muneera is holding tight to her assist system.
“I’m actually grateful for having a robust group round me that’s all the time pouring into me and being constructive. So for me, I simply constantly pray for this journey. I really feel like God positioned all of us in our lives for a motive and all of us have a objective.”
As premiere night time approaches, each ladies plan to tune in not simply to look at, however to mirror.
“I’m excited, I actually am. I really feel like we actually have some good tales to inform, and I respect OWN, the community, and I do know they’re not gonna put any foolishness on the market. So we’re all actually excited to see how that is all gonna come to mild. And I actually assume that we’re gonna contact numerous ladies on the market, particularly Black ladies.”
And when all is claimed and completed, each ladies hope their tales spark one thing larger than simply scores.
“I do know when individuals take a look at my social media, it appears to be like like all the things’s excellent, like I’ve all of it. And that isn’t the case,” stated Alaina to BOSSIP. “Life will not be excellent, and also you’re not excellent, and simply attempt to navigate life the easiest way you possibly can. I hope individuals know that they don’t must do all of it by themselves.”
Muneera agreed.
“I wasn’t born within the States. So simply being an individual coming into one other nation and seeing ladies wrestle from day one, it’s simply been instilled in us,” she stated. “And I really feel like numerous instances, we as black ladies must put on so many capes and we’ve got to be robust on a regular basis that we typically lose ourselves in that course of. I actually need to depart a legacy the place you are able to do all of it.”
She continued,
“I would like younger women to have the ability to stay of their fact, I believe it’s simply so necessary to be grounded and maintain your self and pursue your dream so no one can ever take that away from you.”
