Dr. Martin Luther King Day is a day of service in honor of the slain civil rights leader, but one local women’s advocate and social entrepreneur says in order to serve others, we must begin by serving ourselves.
Elizabeth Dawes Gay, founder of Ìpàdé, a coworking space for women of color in Northwest D.C., says MLK Day should be a day to engage in one’s health and wellness, which includes paying attention to our mental health and the food we put in our bodies.
“This is really an opportunity for us to pour into ourselves, to take care of ourselves so that we can continue doing the good work that we’re doing in the world,” she said.
She said the holiday is also a day to celebrate that we have the freedom to decide what we want to do with our time.
“I’m very cognizant of the fact that our ancestors could not choose how to spend their time,” Dawes Gay said.
Dawes Gay founded Ìpàdé after being a member of a coworking space that she didn’t believe reflected who she was as a young Black professional woman.
She told WTOP that she vividly remembers sitting in that workspace with a friend, imagining what it would look like to have an area that reflected women of color. She envisioned a place where women of color could connect, network and dig deeper into issues concerning themselves and the community.
The Maryland resident began Ìpàdé virtually in the summer of 2021 and opened its current physical space at 1700 Connecticut Avenue NW in April 2022. She describes it as a safe, beautiful and warm space for social events, individual projects and gathering.
Ìpàdé’s MLK Day Rest and Restore event is being held Monday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. will include a yoga session, reiki energy healing and a contemplative prayer using some of King’s teachings.
To find out more information, visit their website.
