The Sole Purpose of Café S.O.U.L.
Founded by Contessa Brown, the multidimensional platform encourages connection, sanctuary and creativity for artists, business owners and entrepreneurs.
Photography by Christopher “Honeybee” Stanton
With the lights dimmed, the crowd sways to a playlist of Christian reggae and empowering Neo-soul. The delicious aroma of home-cooked food permeates the room as artists share stories and testimonies through music, movement and spoken word. Contessa Brown, aka Countess B, cheers them on from the crowd. “I feel like a proud mama when I see the many lives Cafe S.O.U.L. has touched and impacted over the past decade or so,” says Brown, a wellness advocate, author and artist who founded Cafe S.O.U.L. (Sacred Ordinances Used for Life) in 2009. “It is part of my life purpose!”
Photography courtesy of Cafe S.O.U.L.
The multidimensional platform encourages connection, sanctuary and creativity for artists, business owners and entrepreneurs, with regular open mic nights and networking events held in person and online. It stemmed from Brown’s desire to create a new singles’ ministry at her church and eventually evolved into a creative space for healing breakthroughs. “[I] never wanted anyone to leave without an opportunity to voice their truth,” she says. Brown hopes to hold networking, fundraising events and health and wellness workshops under the Cafe S.O.U.L. banner in the future, and to open a mental health practice after completing her master’s degree in holistic mental health. Ever motivating, Brown advises those in doubt to stay true to their mission: “There are so many people who need your ideas, services and presence.” cafe-soul.org
Photography courtesy of Cafe S.O.U.L.
