The Jaguar Boost (and What HBCUs Mean to Me)

So when my partnership with Southern Grind Cofe began, Horatio (the illustrious and well known owner of the space), he extended a challenge to me: an herbal tea blend made exclusively for the Jaguar Nation. And let me be the first to say: I am not an herbal expert, and I don’t know everything there is to know about crafting herbal teas. So at first, the request seemed like a challenge, one a bit overwhelming for a fledgling business owner. However, as is the case with most things in life, once I got out of my own way and applied my own history and what I knew, my outlook shifted drastically.

My mother, sister, and my mother’s sister all spent time at Alcorn State University. Several cousins and extended family friends attended Grambling State University. And so, so many of my peers in Baton Rouge have rise to great academic heights at Southern University. Other HBCUs such as Howard, Jackson State, and Xavier have hovered in the periphery of my social circles since childhood, along with their distinctive cultural markers:  big, brassy bands. The regality of Greek tradition. Innovations in style and thought that have shaped the contours of American culture.

All these things were in my mind as I created the Jaguar Boost, a green tea-herbal blend that’s exclusively at Southern Grind Cofe. Organic hibiscus flower, raspberry leaf, and lemon balm make up this sweetly bold blend that provides just enough of a natural boost of caffeine to help Jags get through their days and evenings with energy and style. Jaguar Boost is a colorful, easily accessible blend for tea lovers and newbie alike, and tastes great sweetened with honey in both its iced and hot forms.

I am not an HBCU grad myself (#LSU14), but I would be an utter fool not to recognize the immense impact that these colleges and universities have had on my understanding of the world. I knew I wanted this blend to reflect my respect for Southern and the tradition of HBCUs, of which Southern University is a distinguished part. It is my hope that Jags, alumni, and their allies will enjoy it!