Meet Alma + Adlene

Two names always carried weight in my family: Alma Schools and Adlene Byrd, or as we affectionately called her, "Ma Byrd." These women weren’t just ancestors; they were forces, lights that shaped my world in ways I’m still uncovering.

My great-grandmother Adlene was a woman of deep generosity. She opened her home to others, making a way where there was none. She was one of the first foster parents here in Richmond, Virginia; setting an example of what community truly meant. Though my time with her was brief, her legacy stretches far beyond the years we shared. People still speak her name with warmth, remembering the woman who created space for so many.

And then there was Alma. I had more time with her; more chances to witness the many lives she lived. She was a “numbers runner” when she needed to be, a hairstylist when she wanted to be and a homemaker when it called for it.  Alma found a way—always. She moved through life with a loud resilience, turning what she had into something greater. And I now realize, she was teaching me the magic of alchemy all along.

When it came time to name my company, there was no question. Alma + Adlene was always meant to be. This is for them. For the spaces they never had the chance to step into but dreamed of nonetheless. For my best girls, my guides. This leg of the journey belongs to them.