Black women finding wholeness, power, and joy together

The DESIRE+ Collective grew out of research and lived experience. Its founder, Nijeria Jones, is a therapist, sexologist, researcher and plus-size Black woman, and she kept seeing the same gap: Black women, particularly plus-size Black women in the South, were expected to navigate body stigma, desirability, leadership, healing and self-worth without spaces intentionally designed around their experiences. The defining moment came as her doctoral research took shape and she realized she didn't want the work to live only in a dissertation. Her experience in pageantry had shown her what can happen when women are given the chance to be seen, celebrated, supported and encouraged to use their voices. The Collective, which formally launched in 2025 as a Virginia 501(c)(3), became the bridge: a way to turn what she was learning into programs, resources, leadership opportunities and spaces where women can experience belonging, healing and possibility. One of its earliest programs is Sacred Spaces, a healing-centered program for Black women. In pilot testing, follow-up feedback showed meaningful shifts in participants' connection to their bodies and their comfort acknowledging their desires, and participants described the space as emotionally safe and affirming. One woman said a major shift for her was recognizing that she could desire something without feeling guilty. Another said the experience helped her realize she was not alone. Black women, especially plus-size Black women, are at the center of the Collective's mission and shape how it designs its work, and many of its programs are open to women of broader backgrounds. Its Mentorship for Emerging Leaders program is a six-month, largely virtual initiative that pairs emerging leaders with seasoned professionals and community leaders, and it aims to build a network of 60 mentors and mentees by 2027. The Collective's inaugural Beyond Beautiful Summit, for women and girls 13 and older, takes place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at FabLab in Martinsville. It is designed to move conversations about beauty past appearance and into identity, confidence, wellness, leadership, body justice and belonging. It is an intimate day for about 30 attendees rather than a large conference, with a keynote, interactive workshops, community vendors and time to connect. Jones is building the Collective to be more than an event-based nonprofit: a sustainable set of research-informed, community-shaped programs that support women across healing, leadership, education and connection.