“Ká ohun ti o gbìn” translates to “you reap what you sow.” and is a Nigerian (more specifically Yoruba) take on the classic proverb. For Sia Alexander and her company Pure Lagos, this adage rings more genuine than most.
Founded in 2018, Pure Lagos has had a serendipitous rise to success in the community of Norfolk. After receiving a warm welcome as a pop-up shop at the Selden Market, the African art gallery/artisanal boutique soon found itself becoming a long-standing shop at the Selden Market, eventually spurring the growth of three more shops. But before the success of Pure Lagos, shop founder Sia Alexander had to plant the seeds that would inevitably lead to the ultimate fruition of her passion and mission to “serve humanity, highlight Afrocentric culture, and [provide] healing methodologies.”
Soon after getting a B.A. in Human Psychology, Alexander would become a therapist working with emotionally disturbed children before embarking on a career tangent that would ultimately change her life. “I got into modeling almost by accident. So, I knew that it wasn’t really […] it was a bit of a tangent, an unexpected tangent I took. And I always knew I was going to get back on track eventually.” Despite taking an alternate route, Alexander’s passions would still manage to surface their way to the forefront as she recalls an editorial shoot in South Africa. “While I was getting my makeup [done] and waiting for them to shoot the other models, the client somehow got word that I did holistic healing,” Alexander says. “And then the makeup artists, stylists, and the manager of the shoot…they all got readings from me, kind of like impromptu.” As with many other footnotes in Alexander’s story, miraculous fruits were for the reaping yet again. “And so, because of how pleased they were with my faith healing consultation, they put me on the cover of that magazine.”
Moments like the South Africa photoshoot alongside Alexander exploring the African corners of countries like France and Switzerland solidified her purpose and dedication to becoming a “force of healing for humanity and [] the earth,” while also “utilizing [her] love for African culture, art, and music to provide a healing atmosphere.” As a model, Alexander would engross herself in learning more about herbal medicine while apprenticing with local African herbal healers in Africa and African corners of Europe. “I picked up a lot of lay knowledge, and I did a lot of reading…a lot of personal research,” she details, “So, when I developed my skincare line, I had no formal training in herbal therapy, but I had a lot of informal training.” [Sidebar: she now has a Master’s degree in Therapeutic Herbalism]. This informal training would lead Alexander to develop her own holistic healing consultancy Heal. Love. Now., which includes an established farm on historic African-American land in Norfolk—a full-circle signifier of rightful reparations.
After traveling the world, Alexander had finally settled in Africa—-Nigeria to be exact. It’s here where Alexander found not only her soulmate but also the beginnings of what would be the tangible manifestation of her other passion and inspiration—-African art, literature, and culture. As she conducted holistic health consultations, Alexander also ran an organic market shop and children’s art workshop. For Alexander, what brought things together was the fateful meeting of her husband, whose integration in Nigeria’s art scene is deep. She notes, “My husband has a background in African art curating, so my introduction into the art world proper [was] through my husband. He has a long history of working with artists. Artists that are well-known now he knew when they were youth, or when they were starting.” Through those vital connections, the current state of Pure Lagos would nearly come to fruition.
“I had to close up my little shop there [Nigeria],” Alexander explains, “so when I came back to the U.S., I really wanted to reactivate what I had been doing in Nigeria.” Alexander goes on to recollect, “I didn’t have a solid plan per se; I didn’t even think that was something that would be relevant here in Norfolk. But as fate would have it, I was brought back to Norfolk for family-related issues, and I popped up at Selden Market for one event [Welcome to Wakanda].” As you might guess, the rest is history.
Pure Lagos is now a fully established storefront in Selden Market, with additional locations at the MacArthur Center and historical Freemason District. Each area offers distinct energy full of artisanal goods and art except for one place, the Pure Lagos Nimbus Africa Center, which adopts more of an exhibition-style by showcasing a monthly artist collection. Through Pure Lagos, Alexander can continue her synergetic blend of African culture and holistic healing to benefit herself and others. Reaping the rewards and blessings garnered through her life only makes Alexander even more determined to ensure others receive those same opportunities and fortune. “We bring in artwork from all over Africa, mainly Lagos, Nigeria, where we work directly with the artists. We have a community arts center there where the artists come, a lot of the youth and children, and they learn how to create and make,” she explains, “We give them a secure environment with supplies, and then we bring their artwork here and sell in our galleries.”
So what’s next for Sia Alexander? It should come as no surprise that she is already thinking of other ways to serve the community and make the most of the blessings she has reaped from life. “We’re working on a non-profit that looks to serve the community through tangible, direct, and service-oriented ways through education and outreach.” The proverb “Ká ohun ti o gbìn” has undoubtedly rung true indeed.
Follow along with Pure Lagos on Facebook, Instagram, and their website.
Jasmine Rodriguez
Jasmine Rodriguez is a culture and music enthusiast based out of Virginia. When she's not writing for music blogs, you can find her working on her latest themed playlists, scouring for more new music, and taking pictures of her friends and life around her.
