June 15, 2022 2 min read

Ymani, founder of Good Vibes Clean and her grandmother at Ymani's college graduation partyThis is a picture of my paternal grandmother, Adelaide, and me on the day I graduated from college.  My grandmother was born in a little-known town called Supply, Virginia in 1913.  Her grandmother, Matilda (my great-great grandmother), grew up in slavery and was emancipated in 1865 but continued to work as a sharecropper.

 

Ymani's Great Grandmother MargaretHer mother, Margaret (my beloved great grandmother), grew up sharecropping and used to talk about how badly picking cotton pained her hands. She, her husband, Richard, their children, and a few other families all moved to a small town called Bordentown, NJ during the great migration. That's where I grew up.

 

My grandmother attended school at the Manual Training School for Colored Youth in Bordentown, also known as the Tuskegee of the North. She studied laundering and housekeeping and went on to work as a launderer at the Ft. Dix Army base, where she met my grandfather who was stationed there. She also took a second job as a housekeeper working for the Joseph family.

 

My Grandma Addie cleaned rich folk's houses for a living. She took cleaning seriously too. She taught me how to clean, dust, hang clothes on the line and fold them, all with immaculate detail.  She would watch me do a task over and over again until I got the hang of it and once I did, she would walk away confidently.

 

She was oh so proud of me on my graduation day. I was the first in my family to graduate from college. She made her transition home a year later and I miss her very much.  She would have loved Good Vibes All Purpose Cleaner and I know she continues to be proud of me! I am so grateful for her and all the sacrifices that were made by her, my grandfather, my great grandparents, and my parents. I am because they endured!

 

As we celebrate our freedom, let us remember our ancestors on this Juneteenth and tell their stories.  Thank you for tuning in.

Ymani Efunyale
Ymani Efunyale

I created Good Vibes because my family deserved better, and so does yours 💚


17 Responses

Tammy
Tammy

June 18, 2023

😃 Thanks for sharing ❤️

Maggie
Maggie

June 22, 2022

What an incredible story!! Powerhouse women run in the family. They’d be so proud to see all you’re accomplishing with Good Vibes! So excited to try out my new product when it arrives. Happy belated Juneteenth!

Katie R
Katie R

June 21, 2022

Thank you for sharing this with all of us! Generations of blessings that have lead you to this joyous work… my heart is full reading about your family’s journey. Happy belated Juneteenth to you!

Darlene Lancaster
Darlene Lancaster

June 21, 2022

Thanks for sharing your story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. What a great feeling to know the extraordinary history of your family!!!

Brent Wynn
Brent Wynn

June 16, 2022

Thank you for sharing this beautiful story

Joanne
Joanne

June 16, 2022

That’s so amazing and Thank You for sharing your Beautiful family’s story. They passed down a gift to you and you are doing and incredible job. 👵🏾👵🏾👵🏾🤲🏾 🎁 ❤️

Joanne
Joanne

June 16, 2022

That’s so amazing and Thank You for sharing your Beautiful family’s story. They passed down a gift to you and you are doing and incredible job. 👵🏾👵🏾👵🏾🤲🏾 🎁 ❤️

Aminah Wilkinson
Aminah Wilkinson

June 16, 2022

5 stars! Beautiful story!

Ymani
Ymani

June 15, 2022

Thank you all so much for your touching words. I appreciate that you took the time to read this. @Nancy, I have not read WEB Dubois’ Love Songs, but I will now. Thank you for putting me on. 🙏🏽💚

Diane Mccalla
Diane Mccalla

June 15, 2022

Thank you for sharing your story, I truly enjoyed reading it. You were fortunate to have your grandmother in your life to share with you. I will buy your products.

Alisa
Alisa

June 15, 2022

Thank you for making a deeper connection with me.
I will be ordering the cleaning products soon!
My daughter already has some.

Nancy
Nancy

June 15, 2022

Thank you for sharing. ❤
I just finished reading “The Love Songs of W. E. B. DuBois.” A historical novel about black people in the USA. Very powerful. Have you read it?

Tanya biscardi
Tanya biscardi

June 15, 2022

Thanks for your beautiful family story 💕

Camille Harris
Camille Harris

June 15, 2022

What a beautiful way to honor your heritage and the legacy of the women of your family. What a gift to share these memories!

Susan
Susan

June 15, 2022

Thank you for sharing your beautiful story! She would continue to be so proud of you! What a blessing you had to learn from her. I believe cleaning is an art and labor of love, and it sounds like you learned from one of the best! Thank you for sharing your Good Vibes products with us! I’ve never been so excited to clean as I have been since finding your products!

Jennifer Bennett
Jennifer Bennett

June 15, 2022

Beautiful remembrance. Give thanks!

Miranda Sandor
Miranda Sandor

June 15, 2022

Absolutely a beautiful story of your family’s history. This is rich in connections between generations. I loved reading it and embracing your family’s journey. Thank you for sharing.

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