Dr. Shenetta Malkia-Sapp PhD shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Shenetta , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
“I’d say I’m walking a path, but I intentionally leave room to wonder and explore along the way. I have clear goals and direction, but I also value curiosity and growth. Exploring new areas—even unexpected ones—often leads to valuable insights and skills that strengthen the journey I’m on. So while my path is purposeful, it’s also flexible enough to allow for discovery.”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Dr. Shenetta Malkia-Sapp Ph.D a creative entrepreneur, storyteller, and community builder with my hands in several powerful projects—each one rooted in purpose, identity, and impact.
I’m currently featured in two new films, Black Thunder and Tried by Fire, both of which dive deep into bold storytelling and cultural truth. I also serve as Executive Producer on Black Thunder and Informant, where I help shape narratives that challenge, inspire, and elevate.
Outside of film, I lead Sable Edge Management and Sable Edge Realty, where we focus on managing properties and developing meaningful spaces—like Asbury Dwellings, our new HUD 202 senior housing project. For me, it’s about creating environments that serve real needs while maintaining dignity and community.
I also run Empowerment Essence, a wellness-focused initiative that centers healing, growth, and spiritual alignment, and Malkia Relations, a creative strategy and storytelling studio that uplifts marginalized voices and builds strong, authentic connections between people and purpose.
Across all of my work, I’m walking a clear path—but one that still leaves room for exploration, creativity, and evolution. Every brand, every project, and every role I take on is part of a bigger story about empowerment, legacy, and what it means to build something that lasts.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Bonds between people are often broken by a mix of things—betrayal, lack of communication, unmet expectations, or even just life pulling people in different directions. Sometimes it’s one big moment, and other times it’s a slow drift. And like fine china, some bonds can be shattered in ways that aren’t always visible. You might try to piece them back together, but the tiniest, invisible fragments—trust, innocence, shared moments—can still be missing. It may look whole, but it rarely feels the same.
What restores those bonds is honesty, accountability, and a willingness to rebuild—together. It takes time, patience, and a deep commitment to understanding. And even then, it may not go back to what it was, but it can evolve into something new. Sometimes stronger. Sometimes simply… different. But healing is possible when both sides show up with open hearts and open hands.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Were there times I almost gave up? More than once!
There were moments in my life when the weight of circumstances felt unbearable—times when the silence was louder than any support system, and the darkness crept in too close. Based on my own journey, as documented in my bio and various articles, I’ve faced battles that tested my will to keep going. Whether it was the pressure of public life, personal loss, or the overwhelming responsibility that came with leadership and creative work—I’ve stood at the edge of giving up more than once.
But I didn’t.
Each time I almost gave up, something deep inside reminded me that my story wasn’t finished—that pain could have purpose. And that’s exactly why I created Empowerment Essence: to reach those who feel like they’re hanging by a thread, to let them know they’re not alone, and to stand in the gap for anyone who’s ever felt like giving up on life, on their dreams, or on themselves.
Empowerment Essence exists because I know that feeling firsthand.
It’s more than an organization. It’s a lifeline—rooted in lived experience, built from scars that turned into strength, and fueled by the belief that hope can be reignited, even in our darkest hours.
If my story can help even one person choose to stay, to fight, to believe in their worth again—then every struggle I faced was not in vain.”
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Too often, it’s in assuming their intelligence makes them immune to being wrong—or worse, disconnected from the reality of others.
Smart people sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that logic, success, or credentials equal truth. But real wisdom requires humility. It means recognizing that not everyone has the same starting line, that people’s circumstances shape their choices, and that lived experience is just as valid as data.
You can’t coach someone out of trauma with just intellect. You can’t solve systemic issues with surface-level advice. And you definitely can’t claim to be a change-maker if you’ve never stopped to ask, “What am I not seeing? What could I be getting wrong?”
That’s where a lot of people—especially the smart ones—miss it.
They forget that compassion is a form of intelligence. That listening is more powerful than lecturing. That real leadership isn’t about being right all the time—it’s about being real all the time.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing?
I’d regret not becoming my truest self.
Not just the version that plays it safe or checks every box to meet expectations—but the version of me that’s bold, healed, fully expressed, and unapologetically real. I’d regret holding back my growth out of fear, shrinking to make others comfortable, or delaying my evolution just to stay accepted in spaces that were never meant to hold my fullness.
I’d regret not giving myself the permission to outgrow who I used to be.
Because deep down, I know that everything I’ve been through—the pain, the pressure, the almosts and the setbacks—was shaping me for something greater. And if I don’t rise into that, if I don’t allow myself to stretch, to evolve, to become, then all of it would’ve been wasted.
I don’t want to leave this world having only lived a fraction of who I was meant to be.
So I choose growth. I choose authenticity. I choose me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Sableedge.com, www.empowermentessence.org, www.dearbrokengirl.com
- Instagram: Sable Edge realty, Sable Edge Management, Dr.ShenettaMalkia
- Linkedin: Dr. Shenetta Malkia, Sable Edge Realty & Management
- Facebook: Dr. Shenetta Malkia
- Youtube: The PMs of the City
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