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Janelle Williams Hughes is a writer, interior designer, and lover of all things that illustrate the ingenuity of her fellow human beings. She is the co-owner of KJ Design and Mortar Styling LLC, a home staging and interior design firm based in Baltimore, MD. Her interior design work has been featured in publications including Apartment Therapy and she was recently selected to serve on the House Beautiful Advisory Council. In 2020, she started the #shareblackspaces campaign and initiative to promote the variety of designers of color that exist across the globe.

Janelle's writing has appeared in internationally known publications including Reader’s Digest, Black Enterprise, Shop Smart/Consumer’s Report, Heart & Soul, and Harvard University’sTransition Magazine online. Her skills have supported various federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its Administration for Children and Families, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Education Centers, Offices, and programs; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and U.S. Department of Transportation. She completed her undergraduate education in journalism at Howard University, and her graduate studies in Publications Design at University of Baltimore.

What Does Black History Month Mean To You This Year?

Celebrating Black History is a daily experience for me. I strive to share and honor it through my interior design projects, blog and IG profile (BmoreJanelle.com), my poetry, and in the daily stories I tell my children. As I take in the history (past and present) that has been shared all month, I keep telling myself that I will become more committed to calling out systematic racism when I see and experience it, and also more committed to self-love. As a black woman, I have so much to feel proud of, not only my own accomplishments, but also how far those before me came so that I can make it where I am today. Black people and people of color truly amaze me! We exude strength, creativity, resilience, and love. I am continually inspired by the stories that we tell and those that we are still creating.

What Is The First Creative Thing You Are Going To Do Post Pandemic?

It's so hard to say! But travel is definitely at the top of the list, particularly planning more road trips to find unique home decor shops and goods. I am so inspired by handmade, craftsman, and bespoke goods...the stuff that you can only find off the beaten path.