Farai Harreld is a writer, mother, co-founder of Black Minimalists and host of their community podcast, where fellow black minimalists can come together to share how they live a little more mindfully each day. On her blog, thehillbillyafrican.com, Farai documents her adventures in minimalism, eco-friendliness, motherhood, and all-around black girl magic. In this episode, Farai shares stories from her childhood – born in Zimbabwe and raised in Botswana – and the culture shock of moving to the US when she was 18 years old. We talk about her minimalist lifestyle, how she first found minimalism, and how she tries to detach from the hustle and bustle that she feels comes hand-in-hand with living in the west. We talk about money, debt, and shame, as well as a few of the more problematic elements of the mainstream minimalist movement. She gives me the secrets for her homemade lotion, talks thoughtfully about her conscious parenting choices, and shares her routine for using cloth diapers. This is a wonderfully honest conversation, and I’m so grateful that Farai took the time to share stories from her life with us. I hope you enjoy it! (more…)