It’s officially Black Business Month, and Mompreneurs is back with brand-new episodes to spotlight the incredible women proving that motherhood and business can thrive together. Kicking off the series, our host Nancy Redd sits down with Angelina Spicer to talk about her inspiring journey from comedian to “accidental activist.” The writer, producer, actress, wife, and mother shared how her postpartum struggles set her on the unexpected path to becoming a global advocate for postpartum support.
“I went into the psych ward at eight months postpartum.”
Spicer reflected on the “identity shift” she experienced during pregnancy. “My identity was wrapped up in my career as an artist, actress, comedian, and writer,” she told Redd. “I was hustling, and that was the crux of my identity, my work.”
Suddenly, life was on pause. One day she was working the Hollywood comedy scene; the next, she was preparing for a newborn. “I was struggling to understand this new role,” she said. “For me, it was bad. It got worse when we got home with the baby. But luckily for me, I had a therapist … long before I had even gotten pregnant.”
Spicer recalled a pivotal moment while performing standup at the Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard. “I talked about how much I hated being a mom, and the audience worried about me,” she said. “And that’s when I thought to myself, I need to take a step back, because clearly I have not healed enough and the audience is not laughing—they’re concerned.”
Eight months after the birth of her daughter, the comedian was diagnosed with postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. Her therapist recommended she seek treatment at a psychiatric facility, which she fondly refers to as “The Waldorf Hysteria,” the title of her comedy special. “I went willingly, I went happily,” she said. “It was the perfect excuse to get away.”
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“Spicey Moms came out of removing the stigma and the shame.”
Her daughter is now 11, and more than a decade since becoming a mother, Spicer is using her experience to support other women around the world. She is the founder and CEO of Spicey Moms, an organization that provides care and community to mothers worldwide. From distributing postpartum care packages to meeting with women across Africa, Asia, Europe, and more, Spicey Moms gives real support while working to normalize the conversation around postpartum depression and anxiety.
In honor of her advocacy, the maternal mental health advocate received the Yale Mental Health Advocacy Award and has screened her comedy special The Waldorf Hysteria far and wide, including at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. But her path to success was far from straightforward: “All of my wins have been birthed out of nos,” she affirmed.
Early in her journey, as Spicer shopped around her comedy special, she was unsatisfied with the offers she received. So she forged her own path. “I took those nos and I got a 40-foot pink bus and called it the Postpartum Revolution.” They hit the road, stopping at 14 cities, meeting legislators and locals along the way. “Our goal is to have these conversations before you need the information,” she said.
“Motherhood has prepared me for a career of just flying by the seat of my pants.”
Looking back on her journey, Spicer came to realize the full scope of her achievements as a leader, advocate, and mompreneur.
“I did not know that I was an entrepreneur,” she admitted. “It wasn’t until I started a program with an organization founded by Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright called Vital Voices that I finally learned and accepted that A, I am a leader, and B, I do have a business.”
Don’t miss out on the full conversation. Watch this episode of Mompreneurs above.
Catch New Episodes Of Mompreneurs Every Week
August is Black Business Month! To celebrate, Mompreneurs is back with brand-new episodes to spotlight the brilliant Black women who are building their businesses and raising their families with strength and style. Join host and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Redd as these inspiring mompreneurs share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every Thursday on MadameNoire’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast online on the Urban One Podcast Network.
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