Moraya Ugwu — Business Student, Founder, Equality Advocate | The Power of Self-Worth and Supportive Community
Meet Moraya Ugwu — business student, founder, and gender and racial equality advocate through Girl Up and The Female Quotient. Moraya shares her passions for using her own experiences to help others, learning from inspiring leaders, and the importance of prioritizing (and being able to laugh at!) yourself.
Photo by Moraya Ugwu, artwork by The Purple Thread
Share a little bit about yourself & your current work.
I am a business management student at Simmons University in Boston MA. Along with being a full-time student, I founded Mastering Progress in which I share my experiences and resources to try and help make other people's lives better!
I am an advocate for gender and racial equality on a global scale through my leadership positions in the Girl Up United Nations Campaign and as a member of the NextGen Board of Advisors at The Female Quotient.
Most recently, I am a mentor through Margot Community, an inclusive online network helping women and gender-marginalized individuals find mentors and provide virtual 1:1 time with them.
What problem does Mastering Progress strive to solve?
A big focus of Mastering Progress is on mental health, which is the basis of why I started the brand. I wanted a space where I could share my many stories and circumstances to free myself from the burden.
The second reason for MP's creation is to help those going through similar issues to see they are not alone and if they need help there are resources available for them and a community here to support them!
Mastering Progress is being relaunched on with more tools and resources for our followers and new partnerships with amazing brands.
What currently empowers you?
The group of people I have surrounded myself with is what empowers me currently. Being able to turn and see all of them doing well and following their own dreams encourages me to follow my own.
Also, the fact that they are not afraid to share their truths and give critical feedback truly enriches my life in the long run. I believe it is so important for everyone to have people who are going to push them forward.
If you could pick one song to play every time you walked into a room, what would it be?
I honestly never thought I would love an artist so much but she captured my heart. This powerful song invigorates me and makes me feel happy and as if nothing is wrong in the world.
What is a piece of advice you would give your younger self?
Stop trying to make everyone happy before yourself.
What do you consider to be healing?
Healing is an ongoing process. I don't believe one is ever truly healed on a mental and spiritual level.
I see healing as being able to feel that pain and not break down each time.
Healing is being able to look at similar situations and know that you can handle whatever is thrown at you because of how much stronger you are now.
Who will always make you laugh?
Without sounding conceited, I will always make myself laugh! I do so many things in a day that I just have to laugh at.
I may crack a few jokes that only I would find funny and it keeps me going. At the end of the day I have myself, so why not make me laugh!
Who is someone you admire and how do you strive to act in a way that they would?
I admire my boss so much. Once I met her, I instantly knew this was the type of person I wanted to become. She is a hardworking entrepreneur who runs a multimillion-dollar business and is the epitome of a leader.
She pushes all of us forward to be better at what we do and makes sure our team knows we are supported by her at all times. I also love how family is important to her. She is a great mother and wife and knows how to enjoy life while working hard.
Leave us with a ray of light. A simple reminder that grounds you or helps you through.
This is your life so don't let anyone else try to take over. You are completely in charge.
All photos provided by Moraya Ugwu