Wife, mother, boss chick, fixer, and go-getter– these are just a few of the titles that many women wear today. Atlanta resident Tekeya Priester holds all of these titles and understands the need to take a break every now and then.

What started as just a weekend away with a few girlfriends has now blossomed into one of the ultimate Black girls getaway and empowerment weekends in the country.

Courtesy of The RefresHER Experience.
Pictured: Creator Tekeya Priester with Naturi Naughton

The 6th annual RefresHER Experience was held September 27-29 in Lake Lanier, Georgia and over 100 women came to “glamp in style.”

“It’s important to me to have this because women need spaces where they can positively uplift each other and still have fun,” Tekeya Priester told Travel Noire. “Sometimes we need that little pat on the hand to say it’s okay to take a little time to ourselves.”

The weekend is designed to give women that extra boost they may need to jump back into their everyday roles. Priester and her team work hard to cover all of the details so that the attendees can truly feel like the queens that they are.

Over the course of the 3-day event, women are able to get luxury spa services, attend empowering and thought-provoking panel sessions, eat meals prepared by some of Atlanta’s best chefs, all while letting their hair down and turning up in the process.

One of the key components of the weekend is the RefresHER awards ceremony. This ceremony honors Black women who are bosses in various industries across the country.

Courtesy of The RefresHER experience
Pictured: Honoree Charreah K. Jackson

Among this year’s honorees was Power star Naturi Naughton. The New Jersey native was presented with the ‘Fierce and Fearless’ award, not only for her role as Tasha St. Patrick in the Starz hit series, Power, but also for her most important role as mommy.

Naughton, who has a 2-year old daughter, was moved to tears by the sisterhood that was on display among all of the women in attendance.

“I feel like a queen, I feel special” Naughton told Travel Noire.

Women traveled from near and far to be among other Black women who understand what they go through day-to-day. Some women attended with friends, but many came alone and quickly formed special bonds with others in attendance.

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When asked why it was important for women to take time and refresh and practice self-care, Naughton had this to say:

“It’s super important to me because as career women, as working mothers we are constantly on the go but we never get a chance to just sit and be with ourselves, see our sisters, rest ourselves, and just sit back and relax. Time to laugh, get massages, eat good food, and really take our time to enjoy the moment. The pressure of the world can become overwhelming sometimes.”

“Experiences like this are important because they remind you that you deserve to be seen and you deserve to feel appreciated, rested, and special. This is one of those experiences where I said I have to do more for myself. It reminds you that we just keep going. Then you wonder why am I feeling depleted, why am I on ‘E.’ These are the things we have to do to replenish our spirits.”

Priester does plan to continue the event. Her goal is to make it bigger and better each year and to eventually expand it to other states.

To learn more about The RefresHER Experience and to stay updated on future events, check out the website: therefresher.org or Instagram page: @refresherexperience.

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