Queen Gloria Mason

How We Met

I tried to scrolling through our friendship on Facebook to pin point the moment I stopped hating Gloria Mason, but this is what I found:

"I LOVE YOU, GLOria! Don't be mad at me, please. You're my ice cream martini! You're my credit card at Ross! You're my net check... I can't live without you.... :,(" -- circa 2009

For 20 minutes, I scrolled through 10 years of "I love yous," "I miss yous" and "I'm proud of yous."

I scrolled and I laughed.

I laughed and I scrolled.

Then I cried.

Every girl in this world deserves a friend like Gloria.

We first met in the writing resource center on the campus of Florida A&M University where she worked with our friend Mylinda. Gloria was all Mylinda ever talked about and I despised her. I hated sharing my friends. I still do.

Gloria and I got to know each other in 2007 during Christmas for Katrina, a service trip to New Orleans sponsored by FAMU's student government. While there, we built a playground and handed out the gifts we donated to kids in the city.

Although the trip was about community service, we managed to get one night on Bourbon Street. I was scared, but I tagged along because I got to hang out with the cool kids. I must have had too much of a good time because I ended up dancing with some guy who grabbed a hand full of my freshly wrapped hair. All the Black girls stopped mid twerk. Gloria quickly interrupted the dance and told buddy to fall back. I spent the rest of the night dancing next to Gloria like a kid on a leash.

After falling on hard times last summer, I considered a move to Atlanta. I met with Gloria after coming up for an interview. I had many anxieties about money, life and my overall self-esteem. I felt worthless. While reminiscing over sushi, Gloria and I came up with a plan. Gloria always has a plan. She assured me that God's plan was the best plan. She even helped me start my own business. She's that great! I've now been in Atlanta 7 months and it's the best decision I've ever made.

Her friendship is a manifestation of God's love.

Gloria, you are too dope for words.

About Gloria

Gloria Mason is a blogger, business owner and philanthropist. She took her purpose of connecting, empowering, and inspiring and turned it into a lifestyle. Her brainchild blog The Culturalistas was launched from a place of brokenness and uncertainty as it came to her career. She took a leap of faith and connected with others who felt the same.

She elevated her purpose even more when she started her own health and wellness business with ItWorks Global. As a health and wellness coach, she loves helping others reach their health and fitness goals by using her all natural plant based health and beauty products. She also mentors others into making residual income as business partners. She believes financial freedom literally frees you up to operate in power and purpose. As a board member for her non-profit Painted Pink, Gloria is dedicated to raising money and awareness to millennials about Breast Cancer.

How You Can Find Gloria

Instagram: @theculturalistas, @isimplyglo, @paintedpink4bc

Twitter: @theculturalistas, @isimplyglo, @paintedpink4bc

Websites: www.theculturalistas.com; www.doperesultswithglo.myitworks.com; www.paintedpink.org