The Beauty Files: Karla Scipio
Welcome to the Beauty Files, a series where we will uncover the behind the scenes stories of our Issue 6 Beauty Contributors and what they believe about beauty as Black women artists and creatives. Next up we have Spoken Black Girl Beauty Contributor, Karla Scipio whose essay “The Veil Was My Protection ” appears in Spoken Black Girl Issue 6 Beauty.
What inspired your piece featured in Spoken Black Girl: Beauty?
I wrote The Veil because so many of us walk through life covered by layers we didn’t ask for—trauma, expectations, silence, and survival. My own journey has taught me that healing begins when we lift those layers and tell the truth about what shaped us. The Veil became my way of naming what once hid me and honoring the woman I’ve grown into. It’s a call for other women, especially Black women, to step into their own unveiling—courageously, gently, and with the hope of becoming whole.
How does your work explore or redefine beauty in your own words?
It shows women that what you been through doesn't take away from your beauty. It enhances it
What does beauty mean to you today? Has that definition changed over time?
Beauty, to me, is deeply personal and forever evolving. It’s subjective—showing up in many hues, shapes, and stories. It sees no color and carries no age. Beauty is something you can see, hear, and feel. It’s in a woman’s strength, her truth, her softness, her scars, and her joy. It’s the quiet glow that comes from living, healing, and becoming.
Can you share a memory or moment when you felt most connected to your inner beauty or power?
One of the times I feel most connected to my own beauty and power is when I’m in the presence of other beautiful women. It’s interesting, when I see a woman who carries herself with grace, confidence, or quiet strength, something in me recognizes her. Her beauty reminds me of mine. It’s like looking in a mirror that reflects not just my face, but my spirit. In those moments, I’m reminded that beauty isn’t competition, it’s connection. And when another woman shines, it calls the light in me to rise too.
What role has writing, art, or creativity played in your self-expression and healing journey?
Writing has been one of my greatest forms of release. It’s where I pour my thoughts, my emotions, and the things I sometimes can’t say out loud. Creativity gives me room to breathe, to process, and to tell the truth without judgment. It’s been a major part of my healing journey, an outlet that helps me understand myself, honor my feelings, and make sense of the woman I’m becoming.
Which Black woman artist, writer, or thinker has most shaped your understanding of beauty?
Whoopi Goldberg was one of the first women who shaped the way I understood beauty. In her early one-woman show, when she came out wearing that long blond hair, she exposed the quiet self-hate so many of us carried. It was raw, honest, and unforgettable. That moment, paired with my own childhood experience of holding Black dolls and learning to love what I saw in the mirror, helped me recognize how deeply beauty is taught — and how powerful it becomes when we reclaim it for ourselves.
What music, books, or visual art inspired you during the creation of your piece?
Growing up listening to Caribbean music that emphasized that Black was Beautiful helped me see my self.
How do you hope your work contributes to the larger conversation around beauty and Black womanhood?
I hope my work helps women see themselves as worthy, whole, and already beautiful — inside and out. I want Black women to recognize the power in their stories, their features, their voices, and their lived experiences. My prayer is that anything I create becomes a mirror, reminding them of their strength, their softness, and their sacredness. If my work can help even one woman feel seen, affirmed, and more connected to herself, then I’ve done my part in expanding the conversation around beauty and Black womanhood.
What would you tell a younger Black girl about beauty that you wish you’d known sooner?
I’d tell her that her beauty isn’t something she has to earn. She was born with it. It’s not in comparison, trends, or what the world praises today. Her beauty is in her skin, her voice, her hair, her laughter, her curiosity, her spirit. I’d remind her that the things she might question now; the fullness, the richness, the uniqueness are the same things she’ll one day cherish. And I’d tell her this: Nothing about you needs shrinking. You were created to take up space, shine boldly, and love every part of yourself without apology.
What are you currently working on or excited about sharing next?
As a nurse and women's wellness strategist, spirit-led coach story teller, and founder of HerWellnessNook. Today I am guiding women who have been touched by lived trauma through the same reflective, life-changing journey that enabled me to be transformed. Through Maps & Mirrors coaching, Soul Therapy Conversations, personal development classes and The Women in My Garden gatherings, I help women confront old stories, release harmful patterns and discover who they are becoming.
More About Karla:
Karla M. Scipio is a writer, wellness educator, and legacy builder whose work centers Black women's healing, history, and wholeness. Through short stories, devotionals, and guided journals, she tells the truth of what it means to survive, rise, and bloom. Karla believes storytelling is sacred—where memory meets ministry—and she uses her pen to reflect the power, pain, and resilience passed down through generations. Her words are rooted in purpose and always aimed at transformation.
