The background …

The Black experience, whether African American, Caribbean, African, Afro-Latino, or part of any diaspora, comes with daily pressure that is both shared and deeply individual. Growing up in the Caribbean, mental health was not something people discussed. Even after moving to New York City, the only emotions I truly understood were anger, sadness, happiness, and exhaustion.

I did not yet recognize the many factors shaping my internal landscape every day.

As I matured, discovered therapy, and later experimented with Calm and Headspace, I learned about generational trauma, identity-based stress, healing practices, and the importance of real self-awareness. Yet something was still missing. I needed a culturally relevant space that spoke directly to my lived experience.

How it started and how it’s going

Meeting Rev. Sonia Russell and David Walker (King David) made an immediate impact on me. Their mission aligned with a truth I had learned firsthand: our communities need a safe, grounded, culturally informed medium for reflection, healing, and daily guidance.

Over the past few years, NITM has collaborated with the Blackfullness team to strengthen the platform’s technical and experiential foundation. Together, we accomplished the following:

• Rebuilt the data infrastructure to support advanced analytics for individual users, group programs, and academic partners such as Florida State University and Harvard
• Integrated reward and engagement systems that encourage users to maintain their mental wellness routines
• Upgraded the core architecture on Azure to improve reliability, flexibility, security, and scalability

This foundation cleared the way for the next phase.

Introducing Blackfullness 2.0

Blackfullness 2.0 introduces a refreshed mobile experience, a stronger content management system, and a flexible notification framework designed for individuals, institutions, and community programs.

Learn more about the launch here: https://www.blackfullness.com/#Preview

The platform now includes:

• A redesigned and intuitive mobile app
• Expanded content libraries that include practices, prayers, learning sessions, and gratitude exercises
• A more powerful notification and scheduling system
• A backend designed for community, institutional, and enterprise-level use

This is more than an update. It is the beginning of a broader, culturally grounded mental wellness ecosystem.

Why This Work Is Personal and Important

Many of us spend long hours giving our energy to work, family, and community. We rarely direct enough of that energy back into ourselves.

Working with Rev. Sonia and King David reminded me that countless professionals feel a consistent need for grounding and support. We have the stories, wisdom, and ancestral guidance, yet we often lack a convenient and relevant medium to access it.

Blackfullness provides that medium. NITM is here to help strengthen and scale it.

Working on Blackfullness has been one of the most meaningful projects I've led. From stabilizing Daily Dose notifications to refining the entire user experience, every decision was made with intention. This app centers Black wellness, joy, and belonging, and I’m proud to have helped and will continue to bring it to life.

--Brandon Paul - Project Manager

As a mobile developer, I focused on delivering a stable and intuitive experience that reflects the voice and vision of Blackfullness. From performance tuning to offline access, everything was built with care and intention. This version lays the groundwork, and I am excited about where we can take it next.

-- Sunal Fontinelle - Mobile App

Designing for Blackfullness meant translating its voice and vision into every interaction. From layout to motion to tone, I worked to make sure the experience feels aligned and intentional. This is just the start. There is so much potential to grow the design in ways that support what the brand can become.

-- Ashley McLean - Design and UX

Working closely with Rev Sonia and King David enabled me to see that other professionals also experience a deep yearning for connection and support on a daily basis. My work with them has shown me that while we have the stories and content, we lack a convenient and effective medium for supporting professionals, students, and just any person of color. I’m here to help change this.

-- Malcolm Paul

We dogfood the app daily and find deep value and comfort in knowing that we can hit that TMF button, listen to a calming practice, or discover guidance that we have helped make available to users. We believe that there’s nothing more rewarding than using what you build just as any other user would and seeing the positive effect it can have on a daily basis.

How Blackfullness 2.0 Helps You

We worked with the Blackfullness team to lead the product development over the past few months, enabling us to deliver:

• A growing library of culturally relevant practices, prayers, learning content, and gratitude exercises
• Daily Dose content from the founders and guest contributors
• Mood-relevant content based on how you’re feeling
• Streaks and engagement tracking for users who want light accountability
• Flexible reminders that encourage regular self-check-ins
• TMF (These Muthaf***s), a feature designed for moments of sudden stress

The aim is usefulness, comfort, and connection. Not generic engagement.

What we’re looking forward to

Our roadmap focuses on real needs identified by real users. In the months ahead, we will be working with the Blackfullness team to bring forward:

• A living community of users who can meditate or reflect together
• Timely and relevant content streams tied to emotional and daily rhythms
• Stronger professional support pathways that include mental health practitioners
• User-driven features that shape the evolution of the app
• Enhanced TMF experiences for high-stress moments

This is only the beginning. The vision is a supportive and culturally relevant mental wellness companion for people living the Black and Brown experience.

Get Started with Blackfullness 2.0

• Read David’s launch post here on LinkedIn 
• Learn more about Blackfullness 2.0 here: https://www.blackfullness.com/#Preview 
• Download on Android: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blackfullness/id1605782633 
• Download on iOS: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.specialsauce.blackfullness