{"id":14690,"date":"2025-10-21T22:30:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T22:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/14690\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T22:30:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T22:30:08","slug":"a-homecoming-highlight-that-celebrated-confidence-culture-and-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/14690\/","title":{"rendered":"A Homecoming Highlight that Celebrated Confidence, Culture and Community"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla.\u00a0\u2014 Florida A&amp;M University\u2019s 2025 Homecoming Celebration may have ended, but the impact<br \/>\n                           of its highly-anticipated\u00a0FAMU Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo continues to shine. The event held in the Grand Ballroom, on Oct. 15 transformed into a lively celebration of creativity,<br \/>\n                           confidence and care.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1024x768_EXPO3.jpg\" alt=\"Students attend the beauty expo during homecoming \" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"\/>FAMU Homecoming glow-up! Live makeup demos, beauty tips, and all the confidence at<br \/>\n                              the Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo. (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU Communications)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>                        A Neo-Soul-Inspired Celebration\n                        <\/p>\n<p>With the theme \u201cNeo-Soul,\u201d the Expo set the tone for a unique blend of beauty and wellness. Inspired by the genre\u2019s depth,<br \/>\n                           introspection and cultural resonance, the theme represented more than just aesthetics;<br \/>\n                           it symbolized healing, confidence and the beauty found in growth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe wanted to explore what music inspires \u2014 wellness, creativity, spirituality and<br \/>\n                              a deep sense of connection,\u201d said\u00a0Miranda Douglas, a junior biology pre-med scholar and member of the Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo Committee.<br \/>\n                              \u201cAfter everything happening in the world, especially for young Black citizens, we<br \/>\n                              wanted to remind people that even through struggle, there is still beauty. This event<br \/>\n                              was about embracing that and prioritizing self-care.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>From rich tones of brown and green accented by fuchsia and orange, every design element<br \/>\n                              echoed Neo-Soul\u2019s warmth and authenticity. The event\u2019s aesthetic was as intentional<br \/>\n                              as its message; creating a safe, celebratory space for attendees to invest in themselves<br \/>\n                              and one another.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1024x768_EXPO5.jpg\" alt=\"Students take in information from local resources and organozations. \" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"\/>Students engage with local resources and organizations, gaining valuable insights<br \/>\n                                 and opportunities during the FAMU Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo. (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU<br \/>\n                                 Communications)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>                        Behind the Glam: Purpose in the Planning\n                        <\/p>\n<p>Months collaboration brought the Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo to life. Organizers spent<br \/>\n                              weeks curating vendors, coordinating logistics and designing experiences that would<br \/>\n                              inspire students to invest in themselves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was about more than just putting on a show,\u201d Douglas said. \u201cWe wanted people to<br \/>\n                              walk out feeling inspired to take care of themselves \u2014 mentally, physically and emotionally.<br \/>\n                              You can\u2019t pour into others if you haven\u2019t first poured into your own cup.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>                        Spotlight on Vendors: Where Beauty Meets Community\n                        <\/p>\n<p>The vendor lineup featured a dynamic mix of local, national and alumni-owned businesses,<br \/>\n                           reflecting FAMU\u2019s rich culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Brands such as\u00a0Walmart,\u00a0LYS,\u00a0Impressions of Beauty,\u00a0Pretty Brown Girl\u00a0and\u00a0CeraVe\u00a0joined the celebration, offering attendees exclusive access to products, samples and<br \/>\n                           expert advice. The inclusion of both women\u2019s and men\u2019s wellness brands emphasized<br \/>\n                           that beauty and self-care are for everyone \u2014 aligning perfectly with the event\u2019s inclusive<br \/>\n                           theme.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1024x768_EXPO4.jpg\" alt=\"Students pose for a picture with their goodie bags during expo \" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"\/>Students show off their swag and smiles at FAMU\u2019s Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo. (Photo by<br \/>\n                                 Glenn Beil\/FAMU Communications)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was more than a marketplace,\u201d Douglas said. \u201cIt was about creating meaningful<br \/>\n                              connections between creators and the community they serve. Each brand represented<br \/>\n                              something bigger \u2014 empowerment, wellness and pride.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0Sickle Cell Foundation of Tallahassee also participated, providing free screenings and health education to attendees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s so important for you, as an African American, to get tested for sickle cell<br \/>\n                           due to the prevalence in the Black community,\u201d said\u00a0Janay Perry, a representative with the foundation. \u201cIf two partners with the sickle cell trait<br \/>\n                           have a child, there\u2019s a 25% chance the child will be born with sickle cell disease.<br \/>\n                           That\u2019s why we\u2019re here today \u2014 to raise awareness and encourage everyone to know their<br \/>\n                           status.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1024x768_EXPO6.jpg\" alt=\"Sickle cell onsite testing \" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"\/>Students take charge of their health with on-site sickle cell testing at the FAMU<br \/>\n                                 Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo. (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU Communications)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>                        Student Spotlight: Finding Beauty in Wellness\n                        <\/p>\n<p>For students, the event was a timely reminder to prioritize self-care amid academic<br \/>\n                              and social demands.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u201cPart of being in college is also learning how to preserve your mental and physical<br \/>\n                           health,\u201d said\u00a0Kaina Majes, a political science scholar from Broward County. \u201cI\u2019m just getting into beauty and<br \/>\n                           makeup, but I was really drawn to learning how to preserve my health spiritually and<br \/>\n                           mentally.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1024x768_EXPO2.jpg\" alt=\"Students pose for picture during homecoming expo \" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"\/>The FAMU Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo created a space for students to feel confident, empowered,<br \/>\n                                 and celebrated during Homecoming! (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU Communications)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Majes spent her time exploring the diverse vendor booths, from wellness organizations<br \/>\n                              to beauty brands. \u201cI stopped by the FSU College of Medicine stand, and they were talking<br \/>\n                              about spiritual and mental health. That really stood out to me because my mental health<br \/>\n                              is what allows me to be here \u2014 it\u2019s so important,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>She also highlighted the\u00a0LIS Cosmetics\u00a0booth for its makeup offerings, the Medicaid and voting tables for promoting civic<br \/>\n                              and health awareness, and the\u00a0CeraVe\u00a0display for its skincare focus. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a Black woman, my skin is everything to me,\u201d Majes said. \u201cI use CeraVe daily,<br \/>\n                              so seeing them here made me feel seen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The event also featured a\u00a0panel discussion titled \u201cYou Are Not Invincible\u201d, where speakers highlighted health topics including diabetes, wellness strategies<br \/>\n                              and preventive care. This discussion reinforced the message that self-care is essential<br \/>\n                              for personal and community growth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeeing everything come together, from a Canva vision board to this incredible event,<br \/>\n                              was surreal,\u201d Douglas reflected. \u201cIt shows what can happen when we pour love, purpose<br \/>\n                              and intention into what we create.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the university looks ahead, the FAMU Beauty &amp; Wellness Expo stands out as more<br \/>\n                           than a celebration \u2014 it\u2019s a movement. One that reminds students to nurture every part<br \/>\n                           of themselves, from mental health to creative expression long after Homecoming week<br \/>\n                           ends.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1024x768_EXPO7.jpg\" alt=\"Students pause for a quick photo op beneath the vibrant balloon arch during the Expo.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"\/>Students pause for a quick photo op beneath the vibrant balloon arch during the Expo.<br \/>\n                                 (Photo by Glenn Beil\/FAMU Communications)<\/p>\n<p>Media Contact:<\/p>\n<p>Ashley Flete<br \/>Senior Communications Specialist\u00a0<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.famu.edu\/2025\/mailto:ashley.flete@famu.edu\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ashley1.flete@famu.edu<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>                     <a class=\"back__button\" href=\"https:\/\/news.famu.edu\/index.php\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Back to Stories<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TALLAHASSEE, Fla.\u00a0\u2014 Florida A&amp;M University\u2019s 2025 Homecoming Celebration may have ended, but the impact of its highly-anticipated\u00a0FAMU Beauty&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14691,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[232,234,233],"class_list":["post-14690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee-headlines","tag-tallahassee-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14690\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}