Who is Nene Merit?
My name is Nene Merit, Elegancy 101 owner and I am 23 years old, my parents are Nigerian and I was born in Delft the Netherlands. I used to be a blogger back in the day and I studied events marketing. I started blogging during my student period. Suddenly I started getting a lot of visitors from the United States and the UK this happened around 2010/2011.
Blogging was not a big thing around this time. An Afro-European blog about what to find where was not a hot topic. Most people went to American bloggers’ website to read about topics where to get certain wanted products.
There was nothing similar to that in Europe. More and more collaborations started like the MTV awards etc. I started making press reports for MTV. I couldn’t really make money of of it because there was no budget to pay bloggers like me at the time.
I am currently working on freelance PR and making money in different ways. My membership card also keeps me busy. I don’t like working for a boss, I prefer having my own income and being my own boss.

Nene Merit, 23 years old
What was your motivation to start Elegancy 101?
Elegancy 101 was aimed at Afro-Europeans and what we go through on a daily basis. I have decided to focus more on beauty and topics like weave and preventing skin bleaching.
I always tried to bring people with different cultures and believes together so I decided to launch an Elegancy 101 membership card.
Ladies have a lot in common but sometimes do not get each other because of the culture differences. I want to change that by giving workshops and creating discounts. I target people from the age of 18 to 35 years.
What is your favorite project that you are currently working on?
The Elegancy 101 Membership Card is a project started by myself. It is a way of bringing different women together through the use of the membership card. It has many advantages for living a healthy, educational and cultural live in or near the bigger cities of The Netherlands. We focus on young adults, especially women from diverse backgrounds living in and around the cities.
The card will enable you to attend different workshops and various discounts for mainly female aimed products and services. Also will it help diffuse the negative stereotype of black women. It will also decrease the ethnic profiling that is going on.
Members can get many discounts by using the card to purchase theater tickets for example. Moreover the card also offers discounts for workshops, readings, debates, lady fitness, beauty, festivals and ladies nights. Also will the makers of the member card arrange several activities, debates and seminars themselves to entertain the members.
The card is mainly for?
- For women from the age 18 to 40;
- To promote culture in the ‘Randstad’; (In Holland Utrecht, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Almere and Den Haag)
- Educative;
- Multicultural
and so much more!
This is why You need the Elegancy Member Card
We want to make Cultural outings more accessible for all women of different ethnic backgrounds. We want to make CULTURE hip again. The boring stereotype around museums etc. needs to be gone! The different events that we will be organizing for members are themed around FEMALE EMPOWERMENT.
There are currently some negative stereotypes around young adults from a migration background and we want to kick that stereotypes’ ass. Enhancing Female empowerment in combination with battling stereotypes is one of our main goals. The membership card will also enable people to come together and create new friendships. Another great aspect is how The Card enhances the cultural diversity in Holland.

Women empowerment get together
This is how it Works!
Step 1 to 5
Step 1: Go to www.e101card.com. Order the membership card. Agree to the terms. Pay the yearly amount of € 7,50 (8.27 US dollars).
Step 2: Get the Unique Code from the E101Card. This Code is personal and connected to your online account
Step 3: Log in on www.e101card.com and book your activities Online. Get Notified about your event.
Step 4: Get all year long promotions and discounts. Get a monthly Notification about Newly added events.
Step 5: Take your card to the event. Take your ID and enjoy the events with a great Discount!

Nene Merit on a traveling trip
What does Melanin Wonder mean to you?
That is a hard one! Me personally, I think it is motivating to see other dark skinned women doing well in general. Independent Melanin people that try to reach their goals in life. I am a big fan of people chasing after what they want in life too. I do not really use this term because I am a fan of everyone, whether you are yellow or purple I do not care about color.
What are some of the Melanin Wonders you look up to?
Faya Lourens, Sylvana Simons, Shay Krueger, Birgit Lewis and Pearl Jozefzoon ! All women who have their personal difficulties throughout life. I love the way they are!

What is your message to all melanin women and girls?
Go for it! It sounds so cliché but it is a fact that going for what you want is not as hard as it may seem. Try to connect with other people (network).
Do not let anything stop you, no dream is too big to achieve. Nothing depends on your skin color or your background, If you want It you will get it. Also, the internet can provide many chances to access different things that are necessary to start something for yourself.
There are so many ways to become successful in life. Just choose one and go for it.

“Do not let anything disturb you!”
Nene can be found
You can find me on my website:
www. e101card.com
my Twitter @Elegancy101 and on Facebook Nene Merit and Elegancy101
PR: Elegancy101 PR.
HeadQuarters
Binckhorstlaan 36
2516 BE Den Haag
Gebouw M
2e verdieping
Unit 53
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