🧵 “Sewing Purpose Into Every Stitch”

Auntea: Martine Moore-Brown☕

Topic: Finding Passion, Confidence & Community

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💌 Sugar Q: “Auntea, why are trades so important?”

“Everyone’s not college material — and that’s OK!” Auntea Martine said, smiling. “We’ve taken too many trades out of schools, and now young people don’t have things to do with their hands — or their creativity.”

That’s why she created the MoRap Training & Sewing Academy — a space for DMV youth to learn sewing, entrepreneurship, and confidence. “I wanted to build something that helps our community create jobs, not just clothes.”

💡 The Tea:

Learning a trade doesn’t limit you — it builds your options. Whether you’re stitching, coding, or styling, skills open doors that school alone can’t. ✂️

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👗 Sugar Q: “How did you become a designer?”

“I started modeling as a teen — back when DC still had department stores like Garfinkel’s and Woody’s!” Martine laughed. “My sister used to sew our outfits, and I’d model them in shows. That’s really how it all started.”

Later, when she couldn’t find a jumpsuit she loved, her husband said, ‘Why don’t you just create it?’ That idea turned into her signature — the MoRap, a wrap garment that transforms into a jumpsuit, dress, or gown.

“I wear it almost every day and still find new ways to wrap it. It’s functional and fabulous!”

💡 The Tea:

Don’t wait for permission to start your dream — tailor it yourself. 😉

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🪡 Sugar Q: “What advice would you give teen girls about school?”

“I wanted out fast,” Martine said, laughing. “So I did high school in two years — taking night classes while everyone else was sleeping. But I learned something: don’t rush through life just to be done.”

She encourages girls to say yes to opportunities, even the ones that scare them.

“I declined everything — student secretary, activities — and I wish I hadn’t. If someone sees something in you, take it. Say yes.”

💡 The Tea:

Fast-tracking isn’t always the flex. Growth takes time — and you deserve the full experience. 🌱

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💬 Sugar Q: “How can I make good decisions when my friends want to go another way?”

“Think for yourself,” Martine said firmly. “Your friends don’t always know more than you. Sometimes they want you to follow a path they took — but that doesn’t mean it’s for you.”

She added, “Find at least one person you can talk to honestly — someone who won’t judge or ridicule you. And don’t ignore that feeling in your gut when something doesn’t sit right. That’s the Holy Spirit telling you, ‘Wait, darling. Don’t move yet.’”

💡 The Tea: 

Real friends want to see you rise — not risk it all. Trust your instincts; they’re your built-in wisdom. ✨

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🗳️ Sugar Q: “Does my vote even matter?”

“Yes, sugar, it does,” Auntea Martine said. “Our ancestors died trying to vote. If it didn’t matter, people wouldn’t work so hard to keep us from doing it.”

She reminds young people that voting is power — and staying informed matters.

“It depends who you’re listening to,” she said. “Follow your heart and learn what issues affect your community. Young people are more powerful than they know.”

💡 The Tea: 

Change doesn’t happen from the sidelines. You’ve got a voice — use it. 🗳️✨

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💔 Sugar Q: “My brother’s in jail. How can I let him know I still care?”

“Write him,” Martine said softly. “Remind him that God put something in him — something good. Everyone has a gift. Help him find his again.”

Martine and her husband run a radio show and nonprofit that support returning citizens. “Too many people come home after 20 or 30 years and don’t have a path. We help them mentor others and find purpose again.”

💡 The Tea: 

Your love can be somebody’s light. Never underestimate what one letter can do. 💌

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“Say it ‘til you believe it. I’m beautiful. I’m worthy. I’m enough.” — Auntea Martine

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💋 Simi’s Sip

You don’t need to fit into anyone’s box, sugar. You were handmade — stitched together with purpose. Keep showing up, learning, and loving yourself like it’s your full-time job.

Not a lecture, just a sip of tea. ☕💖

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💁🏽‍♀️ Meet the Auntea— Martine Moore-Brown

Martine Moore-Brown is a DC-based fashionpreneur, designer, and founder of MoRap Training & Sewing Academy. From modeling at department stores as a teen to launching her own signature wrap design, she’s all about turning passion into purpose.

✨ Follow: @morapdc