Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Saleena Bullard of New York

We recently had the chance to connect with Saleena Bullard and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Saleena , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Though it’s not by my own strength but by God’s, I’m still showing up for myself — even on the days when it feels impossible. I’ve walked through enough obstacles to make anyone want to give up, or even question if it’s worth it. But my faith — confident, tested, and real — keeps me going and from sitting in shit too long. That alone makes me proud.

No one sees the breakdowns, the sleepless nights, the calling of the 988 hotline or the quiet moments when I have to remind myself to breathe. Yet here I am, still choosing to rise, still choosing to believe.

And for that, I thank God. Because even when I can’t see the full picture, I know he’s still painting it beautifully.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Saleena Bullard, and I’m a woman first. A Certified Life Coach, Author, Empowerment Guide, and Mental Health Advocate. My mission is to help women—especially high-achieving Black and Brown women—reconnect with their worth, heal from burnout, and build lives rooted in purpose, faith, and authenticity.

Through my organization, Sisters N-Courage Network, I create safe spaces for women to heal in community. It’s more than a network—it’s a movement for women who pour into everyone else but need a sacred place to refill their own cup. We focus on emotional wellness, self-leadership, and spiritual restoration through retreats, workshops, and group coaching experiences.

As a mental health advocate, I use my background in psychology and my own lived experience to start honest conversations about resilience, trauma, and recovery. I believe healing shouldn’t be hidden—it should be honored.

And as an author, my writing reflects that same mission: to empower, educate, encourage creativity and remind readers that they are not alone in their process. Every story I share is meant to help someone find courage in the middle of their own becoming.

Ultimately, my work is about turning pain into purpose and teaching others that healing doesn’t make them soft—it makes them unstoppable.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I always thought that I was special but I was always torn between whether it was true or not. I had a unique way of seeing the world—more observant and thoughtful than many around me.

Adults would tell me to be seen and not heard, while also urging me to be more social, and it left me questioning myself and struggling with how to connect with others.

Now, I no longer believe there’s anything wrong with being different. I embrace my limitless perspective, not being boxed in and the way my authenticity may feel abstract or unconventional to others. I’ve learned that my unique way of seeing the world is not only okay AF—it’s powerful, and it allows me to create, guide, and inspire in ways that only I can.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
It was the height of summer, and I thought a day of games, wine, and laughter with friends would lift my spirits. But beneath the fun, I was running on three days of no sleep, battling depression and anxiety, suicidal thoughts and attempts, and feeling completely empty.

I had overindulged in substances, trying to escape the heaviness inside me. Darkness whispered lies about the end of my life, and I felt powerless to resist. Before my best friend arrived, I collapsed down the stairs, landing headfirst at the bottom.

When I woke, my loved ones were there. I was embarrassed, afraid, exhausted. But I also felt a deep truth: I had survived something I wasn’t meant to, and that meant God is still writing my story.

If you’re fighting your own battle, whatever it may be remember: struggling does not make you weak. Staying alive, showing up for yourself, and trusting one step at a time that is strength.

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. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
A cultural value I protect at all costs is the sacredness of community and authentic connection. Growing up, I witnessed how women especially Black and Brown women are often expected to carry burdens alone, to be “strong” at the expense of our own healing. For me, community isn’t just a nice idea or a corny ass trend; it’s survival, empowerment, and legacy.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
What would remain is my spirit, my faith, my sassiness, and my capacity to love and heal. Stripped of titles and things, I think I would still be the person that listens, that feels deeply, and that chooses courage even when it’s hard. I would remain a soul committed to growth, to helping others, and to walking in alignment with the purpose God has given me.

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