Today we’d like to introduce you to Tameeka Ford.
Hi Tameeka, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey in wellness began in New York City with emergesoul, a yoga studio I founded specifically for women. It was a space dedicated to movement and mindfulness, but when the world paused in 2020, I realized my mission was evolving toward something more permanent and restorative. I had always dreamed of a physical storefront—a sanctuary where “Rest, Retail, and Ritual” could live under one roof.
That vision found its home on the quaint Main Street of Sussex/Wantage, New Jersey.
Our story begins with a tribute. We are named for two pillars of strength: the iconic Harriet Tubman and our beloved Great-Grandmother Agnes. These were women who moved mountains, navigated landscapes of hardship, and lived primarily for survival. They did not have the luxury of a “slow start” or the permission to rest; they worked so that we might one day have the right to breathe deeply. for Harriet & Agnes is the living realization of the peace they earned for us.
The shop was born from a desire to provide a sanctuary, but our own resilience was tested early on. For 18 months, our founder, Tameeka, walked a path of intense recovery and healing. During this time, the shop entered what we call the “Hush”—a period where we didn’t hide the struggle, but honored the process of mending.
We learned, through quiet days and patient breaths, that resting is a valid use of time. This wasn’t a pause in our story; it was the most vital chapter. It taught us that to serve our community, we first had to honor our own need for restoration.
When Tameeka returned “Full Throttle,” she did so with a sovereign clarity. We evolved from a retail space into a Main Street Anchor in Sussex/Wantage, New Jersey. We aren’t just selling goods; we are reclaiming the ritual of self-care.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our journey has been defined by the very thing we advocate for: Resilience through Rest.
Our greatest challenge was not a market fluctuation or a retail hurdle, but a personal one that transformed our entire mission. Early in our journey, our founder, Tameeka, navigated an intense recovery following a car accident, a week after opening for Harriet & Agnes. Suffering from memory loss, stillness was her only course of action. This was a season of profound silence—what we affectionately call the “Hush.”
In a world that demands constant “hustle,” being forced to stop was her greatest struggle. She had to learn to honor the healing process without hiding it. She chose not to mask the difficulty but to use it as the foundation for the brand’s soul. Tameeka realized then that for Harriet & Agnes couldn’t just “offer” self-care; we had to embody the struggle of reclaiming it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At for Harriet & Agnes, we do not merely “run a business.” We tend to a sanctuary. To understand us is to understand that we are a living bridge between a history of survival and a future of stillness & peace.
A Sanctuary Built on Lineage:
We are a Living Tribute to Harriet Tubman and Tameeka’s Great-Grandmother Agnes. Our foundation is rooted in the concrete facts of their resilience. These women moved mountains and navigated the harshest terrains so that we could finally have the ground to stand still. While they lived for survival, we exist to provide the “Nudge” toward the luxury of self-care—a right they earned for us through their strength.
What we believe: “Resting is a valid use of time and breathing is the only requirement.”.
What We Do: Rest, Retail, and Ritual
We specialize in the “Hush.” Located as a Main Street Anchor in Sussex/Wantage, New Jersey, we curate an experience that honors the transition from the noise of the world to the quiet of the soul.
Rest: We champion the “Slow Start.” We are known for teaching our community that resting is a valid use of time.
Retail: Our offerings are hand-selected “Fairy of Joy” inspirations—items that serve as tools for your daily rituals, not just products on a shelf. Handmade self care products, loose leaf herbal teas and other self care essentials crafted by local women makers and artist.
Ritual: We facilitate the Pearl Circle, a space for connection and shared resilience, where women can reclaim their time and their breath through mindful experiences (yoga, sound healing, Creative Rest, Tea o’Clock.)
What Sets Us Apart: The Sovereign Hush
What distinguishes for Harriet & Agnes is our refusal to “hustle.” While others may push for more, we advocate for enough.
The “Hush” Philosophy: We don’t hide our 18 month journey of recovery; we use it as our blueprint. Our customers know that when we speak of healing, we speak from the lived experience of Tameeka’s own “Full Throttle” comeback.
Community Guardianship: We aren’t just a shop; we are guardians of inner peace for our customers that we consider to be PEARLS. We take pride in our role as a pillar of Main Street,
Our Proudest Brand Moment
We are most proud of our Resilience Story. In this world that often demands women be “unbreakable,” we are proud to be a brand that honors the mending. To see a woman enter our sanctuary, drop her shoulders, and realize that breathing is her only requirement—that is our greatest achievement.
What We Want You to Know
We want every reader to know that you have permission. You have permission to pause, to heal, and to claim the peace that your ancestors dreamed of. Whether you visit us for a curated gift or to join our circle of resilience, you are stepping into a legacy of care. We are here to remind you that you don’t have to earn your rest—it has already been paid for.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We often live as if we are still running, still escaping, or still proving our worth through our productivity. But at for Harriet & Agnes, we believe the most radical thing a modern woman can do is to embrace the “Slow Start.”
When you choose to linger over a morning ritual, or when you decide that an afternoon of “Hush” is more valuable than an afternoon of errands, you are honoring a debt of rest that has been owed to your lineage for generations. We are the keepers of that debt. We want you to know that when you step into our sanctuary—whether physically in Wantage or through our digital milestones—you aren’t just a customer; you are a participant in a Living Tribute.
We are immensely proud of our Main Street impact, but we are even prouder of the women who make up our Pearl Circle. We invite you to join us in this movement of resilience. If our founder Tameeka’s 18 month journey taught us anything, it’s that the comeback is always more beautiful when it is rooted in the “Hush.” You don’t need to be “Full Throttle” every day to be powerful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.forharrietagnes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forharrietandagnes/
