Meet Rachel ‘SunRai’ Henry. Rachel is a Project Manager with a passion for bringing people together. She is also the visionary behind the #liverichbewell movement, the founder of Seven Days of Bliss @sevendaysofbliss — a wellness platform for women of color, and the creator of SunRai’s Supper Club @sunraissupperclub. She creates spaces for people to come together and celebrate life.
“I first moved to Hyde Park ten years ago while attending Columbia College Chicago. Obama had just become our president and I was excited to be in the making of history. I first lived in Madison Park Apartments where I was drawn to the feeling of quiet inclusiveness and feel in love with my neighborhood the first time I walked down Dorchester on a sunny day in September.”
“Hyde Park has a one-of-a-kind enchanting vibe. Its magic can be felt on the streets when natives and neighbors stop and greet one another, at 55th and the lake where the Southside gathers to celebrate the summer, at small street festivals, odds and ends novelty shops and farmers markets. I love that you can eat just about anything you like here in our metropolis, and although the neighborhood has undergone major transformation in the last few years, I can still walk into my favorite small businesses like Cafe 53, Sip and Savor, The Sit Down, Rajun Cajun, and Stamplay’s, etc. and be greeted with a smile and by name. Like the song says, “sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.” In Hyde Park, the businesses and residents are your extended family.”
“The happiest moments in my life include memories of family and friends, food, and travel. That’s really where the idea for @sunraissupperclub originated. My primary way of connecting to others involves feeding them food that tastes, feels, and IS good for them. It’s a huge part of not just my legacy as the oldest of 13 children collectively, but it’s a part of my greater legacy as a black woman, a woman of color, and a citizen of the global collective.”
“I don’t believe I have anything in life to regret. I believe it’s far more powerful and purposeful to focus on the woman I’m becoming than to dwell on the girl I once was. I honor her and thank her for getting me to this point. “
“I’m most proud that from a very young age, I had the courage to be myself. Today, that means choosing my bliss, my perfect joy in all circumstances. Bliss is the force behind my work; every book I’ve written, event I’ve hosted, dish I’ve prepared, relationship I’ve entered and exited — bliss is at the center of it all. I am proud that I have the courage to rise in joy daily and continue forging a legacy of total bliss inside and out.”
Instagram:
@sunnysunrai
Websites:
www.sevendaysofbliss.com
www.sunraissupperclub.com