How Jewelry Fosters Community

Community for me is an organic connection. We are drawn to a community because we see ourselves in the larger collective. I often say “Welcome to the tribe” when addressing new customers or clients because I see myself in the people who choose to support me and I learned from an early age that jewelry connects people. As a Jamaican woman, in my culture, we gift jewelry to young girls as a rite of passage; with the intention to connect women across generations. I still remember when I received my first piece of jewelry, a gold bangle, at 5 years old and how it made me feel linked to the women in my family. This bangle has become a part of my identity and was the first wink from the universe that would lead me into my destiny as a jewelry designer.

As a black female entrepreneur navigating the jewelry industry, my community helped me discover my voice as well as amplify me as a designer and a creative. They encouraged and supported my vision. There would be no Made by Malyia without community. Jewelry is what connects us, it's a web that links us together like a chain. Community for me is like the gold bangle my mother gifted me; it represents empowerment, support, and connection. We all need community now more than ever. I am so grateful for each of you.

With love always, 
Malyia McNaughton
Founder and CEO of Made By Malyia