Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Ebony Hardy of Detroit

We recently had the chance to connect with Ebony Hardy and have shared our conversation below.

Ebony, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity, hands down. Without it, intelligence and energy don’t matter. We live in a time where too many people are completely comfortable operating without a bit of integrity, and that’s scary. For me, integrity is the foundation, it’s what keeps everything else aligned and trustworthy.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Ebony Hardy, the founder of Healing Not Hurting. For me, it’s more than a brand, it’s an experience. HNH has three connected parts that all grew out of my own journey of turning pain into purpose. We have our apparel and product line which includes statement pieces, books, and accessories that spark conversations about healing. My personal brand, The Bloodline Changer, focuses on ending generational cycles through teaching, speaking, and creating trauma-informed programs, including school partnerships and curriculum now being implemented in districts. And our nonprofit, Healing Not Hurting Detroit, brings free community events, youth programs, and mental health initiatives to life. Together, they create a movement that meets people where they are and helps them move toward who they’re meant to be.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I wasn’t good enough. I believed that I had to work twice as hard just to be seen or accepted, and that people were always waiting for me to mess up. Looking back, I see how untrue that was. Over time, I’ve learned that I am more than enough exactly as I am, and my value isn’t something I have to prove. Instead, it is something I just carry.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
In 2020, when I started Healing Not Hurting, everything changed. For most of my life, I carried pain that came from my parents, from relationships, and from experiences I kept buried deep down inside. Some of it was unimaginable, things most people will never have to face, and I carried so much shame and embarrassment that I learned to smile through. In Black families, we are often taught to be quiet, to protect the family image, and never speak on what happens behind closed doors. I lived that way for years, until I made the choice to do the exact opposite. The moment I began to speak my truth, I began to heal. Out of that healing, I birthed a company, started walking fully in who I am, and realized the same things I thought would destroy me were actually preparing me for everything I was called to be.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I would say my 17-year-old daughter. She has true character. She knows who she is, she speaks her truth without shying away, and she does it with grace and kindness. She stands firm in her values without being rude or dismissive, which is rare at any age, let alone 17. If I had half the character she has at her age, I would have saved myself a lot of struggle. Seeing that in her makes me proud, because it tells me I broke a cycle and did something right as a parent!

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people will say I was a woman who lived with purpose, fought for what was right, and never forgot who I was or where I came from. That I broke cycles in my family and in my community that had kept us down for generations. That I really believed “it ended with me”, and I lived that out every single day. That I loved my children and my siblings so much, and I taught them that family is what you make it, not always blood. Also, you never have to accept treatment that diminishes you, even from family. That I poured into others, kept learning, and never stopped growing. That God was my source for everything, and my faith was the anchor of my life. And that I was not a woman you could cross without consequence, but I led with integrity, love, and a deep commitment to leaving people and places better than I found them!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ebonyhardy.com www.healingnothurting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingnothurting?igsh=MTl1YmVjZHF5NTk0NQ==