Natures Emporium brings Health & Wellness to Lake County

“Health is Wealth”, a saying that means so much more with our ever -changing world. In a time where man made medicine is being questioned, holistic health makes a comeback bigger than ever. In the black community especially, we see a cycle of poor health, poor spirit and overall lack of wellness. Locally, here in Lake County the comparison of “healthy” alternatives to non-healthy ones are slim to none. With no real teacher or guide to show alternative practices, we find our community plagued with the realities of poor diet and unstable mental health. A lack of urgency has created an opportunity for a black owned holistic business to provide knowledge on a deeper level.

Nature’s Emporium is a black owned holistic business offering natural remedies, black owned products and local products from the community. Envisioned and created by Bruce Wright, Natures Emporium promotes a loving lifestyle for all people. Bruce created this healthy space as he saw a need for it within the community. The store is filled with natural wellness products, custom art, jewelry, dry herbs, and natural skin care products. The shea butters are all handmade with scents of mango and coconut to keep skin moisturized. The clothing is imported custom fabric, with designs and patterns only the motherland could create. Different handcrafted jewelry, healing crystals and artifacts grab your attention as soon as you step foot inside. One of the key products sold is the “Sea Moss Gel” which is an essential element to build your immune system. During the warm days he hosts a chess game right outside of his store with complimentary all-natural juice to enjoy.

Recently he partnered with The African American Museum at the England Manor this summer to build a Community Garden. The garden is located right beside of the museum and is open to the community to admire and volunteer. This garden will also become a healthy source of food available to those in need. Natures Emporium is health space, community center and wellness guru all wrapped up in one!! If you someone who struggles with sensitive skin, or colon issues or just in need of healthier choices this is the first stop you need to make!!

Visit Natures Emporium at 1101 West Greenwood Avenue, in Waukegan Illinois. Located right on the corner of Greenwood, they are open Tuesday- Saturday with business hours varying. There’s no need to travel far for natural products, you can get them right here in your hometown. Visit their website www.naturesemporiumshop.com or email naturesemporiumshop@gmail.com for more details on custom orders!!

You can follow Nature's Emporium on social media at:

@ntr_emporium on IG

@naturesemporiumshop on FB

Robin E

@RobbinE93 on IG

Podcaster/Radio Personality

Image & Branding Consultant

Journalist/Freelance Blogger

Social Media Manager

Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism/minor electronic Media

LOCAL 40 UNDER 40

Brooklyn Mattison of Hustle. Pray. Motivate

Have you ever been taken to church on a Starbucks patio on a Sunday afternoon? While sipping a Venti Strawberry Acai! Whew Chile…I had the honor of having some girl time with Ms. Brooklyn Mattison who is the Founder of H.P.M. We talked about EVERYTHING under the sun. From relationships, the grief of losing a mother, fitting in with the popular crowd, and so much more!!

First of all…Let me just say that I am truly learning more and more about divine connection! Brooklyn and I follow each other on social media but never knew each other prior. To sit and have authentic and genuine conversation with someone that just “Gets It” is a comfort that you only get from a certain type of person. We determined that we believe in God and that the God that we both pray to uses curse words. He knows that we’re both hardheaded and impatient and he can NOT do gentle parenting with us but more on that on a later note.

Brooklyn Mattison is a Marketing Coordinator and Videographer and the founder of Hustle. Pray. Motivate (HPM). She describes herself at the goofy, “way-maker”, that gets shit done! She is all about empowering women and just about any and every one that she comes into contact with! Her schedule would confuse even the most organized person. She does everything from creating resumes and proposals, planning women’s empowerment event, serving food and drinks at the local up and coming hotspot “Eleven19 Kitchen & Cocktails”, to church and so many other priorities and obligations in between! Yes! She is the true definition of a girl boss.

Brooklyn identifies as an orphan. Losing both of her parents at a young age and being adopted and dealing with the abandonment that that brought on. She is learning on a daily basis to walk in what and who God has called her to be and being unapologetic about it! She’s spent so much time learning to accept herself as both Brooklyn and Ann Marie (her name at birth) and knowing that she holds spaces as both identities. This is how she walks in rooms that God has created for her and shows up as her authentic self. Learning to empower women and men from all walks of life and understanding that ministry does not just happen in church but in bars, clubs, shopping malls, social media, and anywhere else that we gather.

A woman of many talents, she believes that we have to recognize and own those things that God has put in us in order to show people who God is through us. We must also walk authentically in who we are and show up. We first have to show up in order to get from point A to point B. Remember that life is short and we cannot spend it waiting for the “Perfect” moment because it’ll never come.

Her latest project is the HPM Women’s Entrepreneurial & Empowerment Seminar! It’s scheduled for this Sunday, June 5th at The Milan Banquet Hall from 3-7PM. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite by searching HPM Women’s Entrepreneurial & Empowerment Seminar.

IG: Book.with.Brook

Facebook: Brooklyn Mattison

TikTok: Book.with.Brook

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The #40Under40 series is an initiative started by Ebony Lashay. As a community we have begun to build up one another is ways that can only make us stronger. The #40Under40 series was started to highlight those in the community doing amazing work. Whether that work be with our young people, entrepreneurs, good food and drinks, event spaces, and so many other great things happening. If you are interested in being interviewed for this series. Please reach out to me via any of the forms below:

IG: xEbonyLashayx

FB: Ebony Lashay

Email: EbonyLashay@yahoo.com

Kendrick Just Dropped A Crazy Video!

KUNG FU KENNY IS BACK!!!

Last night, (May 8th, '22) he dropped his single and video, "The Heart Part. 5", just ahead of his new album, "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers", which is set to drop May 13th, '22. If this song, which features a beautiful recreation of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You", is any indication of what to look for with this new album, then we are in for a treat!

In this piece of art, which was directed by Kendrick and Dave Free of their creative company "PG Lang", Kendrick speaks on issues in the "culture" while channeling Kanye, Will Smith, and while speaking the third verse from the perspective of Kobe & Nipsy Hustle, he channels Nip and Kobe themselves. This video is a visual piece of art yo! Check it below for yourselves!!

Posted by @liteskintae