Ciara On Being A Mom, A Mogul & Married To Russell Wilson: “It’s A Blessing!”

As the world slowly reopens, it’s no secret that everyone has been struggling to figure out how to live in this (almost) post-pandemic reality and get back on their feet. Well, Ciara is tackling this new transition by one-two stepping into the accessory business. The triple-threat entertainer has created a futuristic and COVID-safe accessory line. 

Dare to Roam launched yesterday with four staple products; the Prodigy Backpack, the Mini Prodigy, the Keeper Lunchbox and the Alpha Org Pouch. All products were created with the pandemic and sanitation in mind, aiming to make everyone feel safer while re-entering the world.

 “What's exciting about Dare to Rome is we have an antimicrobial technology in our backpacks and lunchboxes that adds that extra layer of protection [along with a water resistant layer], so that it helps prevent the growth of bacteria. It was really important to me and the team as we were creating these bags to think about [protection],” Ciara tells R29Unbothered over Zoom. When you're creating you have to think about that extra layer of protection, because what we've experienced is really real.”

Ciara’s right; this pandemic has been real and while it may have ripped the world apart, it also brought a lot of people closer together, including her family. Working from home has given her the opportunity to love on her kids in between handling Zoom calls. And even during our brief conversation, it's obvious that she and her husband, NFL star Russell Wilson, are stronger than ever. We know they are #relationshipgoals based on their adorable Instagram shots, but what does theirBlack love look like up close? And what is it like to be loved so deeply, especially by a Black man? 

“It’s a blessing,” Ciara says without hesitation. “I think about my father's love and how he loved me, how he loved my mom, growing up and he really showed me the true way to be loved. It's a blessing when I look at my partner, and I see that same love that I had growing up from my dad, like identically to that type of love. And that's another level of love.” 

The way that Wilson loves and dotes on Ciara is so refreshing to see, especially when we are used to seeing headlines of Black women mistreated or watching us get cast onscreen as tokens for ratings. Ciara says that even though her relationship with her husband is beautiful, the only way  to receive love is to love yourself. ”I think that when we love ourselves and we're content within ourselves and where we are, we're then prepared to be loved,” she says. ”[Only then] are we able to really recognize that love, receive that love and be ready for that love.”

The two share an unmatched bond that is so strong that you can see it shine through their kids: Future, Sienna, and Win. Loving on her little ones seems to light up Ciara’s life, but she admits that setting boundaries in order to spend time with her family  can be challenging. “When I'm with my kids, oftentimes I do say I can't do something because I'm in family mode or I'm in mommy mode, and for me, it's so important to give my kids that. They're going to know that I am who I am, but I think it's important for them to really experience me as a mom.” 

Being a Black boy mom in today’s climate is one of the hardest jobs in the world. With the increased publicized killings of unarmed Black men in America, it's getting harder and harder for mothers to send their sons into the world. But as Ciara describes how it feels to be a Black boy mom, it seems like she has nothing but hope in her heart. “I feel really proud,” she says. “Future is obsessed with reading, so he takes his books with him when we're preparing for a trip and little baby Win just started walking. I have hope for my little boys that they can defy whatever odds there may be against them and or that they're up against and I pray that when my kids get older the world will look a little different and be better than where we are right now.” 

As Ciara sends her kids back to school with their Dare to Roam backpacks and lunchboxes,  it’s clear they’ll not only be safe from bacteria, but also showered with love.