Everyone deserves to be well
Quentin Vennie is an anomaly. A quick visit to his website and you'll discover just a few of the societal labels he defies. This 38-year-old Black man from Baltimore is the face and co-founder of the functional tea company, Equitea.
By working with a nonprofit in New York City, he brought yoga to under-resourced schools in all five boroughs. Now he's doing it with tea. "We have to see representation in order for us to know that this belongs to us too," he says.
When his son, Jayden, was diagnosed with ADHD, his neurologist recommended drinking green tea, but Jayden hated it. Determined to find a solution, he studied, researched, and experimented until he found a blend Jayden loved. "[In order to] holistically manage the health and well-being of my family, Equitea was born."
To the person who struggles with insecurity, he says, "Who we believe we are is the only thing that separates us from who we are currently and who we want to be." But things have not always been so clear for Vennie.
Raised by a single mother, he began feeling "othered" in a predominantly White elementary and middle school, marking the start of his battle with anxiety. Vennie dropped out of college at 19 years old, lost his job, and began selling drugs. He soon decided this was not the life he wanted to lead.
He secured a sales job at a local gym while studying to become a personal trainer. He was promised a sales manager position if he hit his target sales goal, but after doubling the goal, Vennie was passed up for the position. "I was like, you know what? I will never again be passed up for an opportunity," he recalls. "I'll create my own, so I quit that day."
HIS ROCK BOTTOM EXPERIENCE IS WHAT CULTIVATED THE COURAGE TO SILENCE HIS PERVASIVE FEARS & DOUBTS.
A friend wrote Vennie a check for $250, covering the cost of his personal training certification. Over time, Vennie built a successful personal training business. However, it all came crashing down when he was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. He became addicted to the anxiety pills he was prescribed and eventually lost his business. In his memoir, Strong in the Broken Places, Vennie chronicles the inner and external battles that led to back-to-back suicide attempts. Vennie credits "God's intervention" as the reason he's still alive, saying, "He showed me my life was valuable and worth something."
Vennie set out on a personal healing journey and found a sense of fulfillment in what he calls "the trinity of wellness": yoga, meditation, and juicing. He has come to believe that "being well is a human right."
In spite of Vennie's many accomplishments as an author, motivational and wellness speaker, and entrepreneur, his humble desire is to save lives. "I want my legacy to be that I dedicated every day of my life to motivating and inspiring someone to not end theirs."
▪️ STORY BY Monica Whitehead | PHOTOS BY MagdAlena Pap
Featured in Issue No. 1
The inaugural issue features stories of entrepreneurs from Tulsa, New York, Baltimore, Los Angeles and London. It connects the spirit of Greenwood that began in North Tulsa, Oklahoma to the rest of the world.
