Uzima, my Light at the end of the tunnel (by Lisette Shields)
The Space Between Myself and The World
For a moment I thought, this is it. My experience on this Earth would be unremarkable. I would wake up only to toss and turn and wonder how I ended up here. How was it that I did everything that everyone said was right, yet still felt this void within me. Despite feeling paralyzed by these emotions, the rest of the world called to me again. Get up, get dressed, brush your teeth, go to class back to back until your head starts to spin because you forgot to eat breakfast. Somehow I built up more strength to ignore it, smile and socialize because that’s what’s normal. No one can know that you are on the brink of falling apart. The world calls again. Keep your grades up, focus, I know it’s hard right now but that’s not important. You need to get it together or you don’t stand a chance and if you dare crack under pressure it’ll most certainly be the end of your journey towards happiness. Somewhere along the way perseverance was all I knew. I thought once I obtain my dream job and become financially stable all of this will be worth it because that’s what the world said. Little did I know, a juice bar hidden on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Halket Street in Oakland would drown out the expectations of the world and put my needs into focus.
This Is Not A Juice Bar
Is Uzima a juice bar? Well, yes and no. It’s actually quite similar (in my opinion) to René Magritte’s painting of a pipe that says “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” below it which translates from French to English as “This is not a pipe”. Of course one would look at this painting and say it’s a pipe, just as one would look outside Uzima and say it’s a juice bar. Yet the truth is that it’s really a painting of a pipe, just like Uzima is really a place that sheds light on mental illness. Uzima comes from the phrase “Mti Wa Uzima” in Swahili which translates to Tree of Life. Upon entering the store not only will you be welcomed with open arms, but you’ll also find quotes about mental health around the store, a depression cloud where the community can post what has gotten them through hard times, books that relate to mental health in some form, and so much more.
In addition to these beautiful parts of the store, I got the honor to meet and truly connect with the wonderful owners of the small black-owned business; Sheronica and Mayan Marshall. Mayan and Sheronica have both had their own battles with mental health, and their stories were not only eye opening but also motivating. I heard firsthand about how they made it through one step at a time and it sparked something in me that I thought I lost; self-love. It wasn’t necessarily a sudden admiration for myself, but it was something much deeper than that. I stopped ignoring my needs and started thinking “me first”. Everyday I stepped into Uzima was a day I thought “me first” because I stopped myself from pretending that I wasn’t struggling. It didn't matter if I was simply going in to get a smoothie, or getting something off my chest, or even just reading the quotes to change my perspective.
What mattered was that I chose to acknowledge and accept that struggle and that I needed help. Uzima was the help.
Your Turn To Say “Me First”
Mental illness is not an easy battle by any means and no two journeys are exactly alike. There’s trauma, hardships, expectations from society and family, genetics, etc. Yet regardless of the root, it’s not a battle anyone needs to or should fight alone. Now, there’s a safe space to share that story, to get advice, and to even start the healing when you’re ready. A place that emphasizes the importance of community, to develop connections with others, and to begin a conversation that hopefully ends with you thinking “me first”. If you want to learn more you can check out the site at uzima.live, check out the Instagram @uzima.live or come by at 3400 Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh from Tuesday to Saturday anytime between 10AM and 6PM, grab a smoothie and stay a while. We’d love to get to know you.
