SOULDEGA WAS A CONCEPT ORIGINALLY BIRTHED AT HAMPTON UNIVERSITY IN 2010 IN AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE A SENSE OF HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR NEW YORKERS ASHLEIGH ALEXANDRIA AND NAJA PAZANT. SOULDEGA INCORPORATES THE IDEA OF THE BELOVED NEW YORK CITY STAPLE, THE BODEGA, AS A ONE STOP SHOP WHERE THE COMMUNITY GATHERS. WITH GROWTH, TIME AND NEW BONDS FORMED, IN 2018 SOULDEGA BLOOMED INTO A WOMEN LED COLLECTIVE OF TALENTED ARTISTS WITH ONE MISSION IN MIND-CONNECTING COMMUNITY THROUGH DIVERSE ART MEDIUMS AND SOCIAL EVENTS. TODAY, NAJA, ASHLEIGH AND CARLEEN SHANKLE, EACH ARTISTS IN BACKGROUNDS OF VISUAL ART, MUSIC AND FILM AIM TO GIVE THAT SAME SENSE OF COMMUNITY TO THEIR FELLOW CREATIVES.