How did you meet?
Chaloea: We met at an orientation for law students of color at BU Law. I immediately knew I wanted to be Mel’s friend. Her positive energy was infectious and filled the room; she was incredibly on point regarding the law’s impact on society, and, of course, her fashion sense was GOALS. However, it wasn’t until an incredible lunch in the BU cafe that I realized she was going to be one of my best friends.
Mel: The feeling was totally mutually (re: Chaloea’s positive energy/legal knowledge/fashion sense, etc.) and I remember trying to figure out how to initiate a friendship. Finally one of us got the courage to ask the other to lunch, and I remember just feeling like I found one of my forever friends. We’ve been tight ever since that epic lunch.
What’s your favorite work out or class to do together?
We have been working out together since law school; it’s how we survived studying for the bar exam. But finding TrillFit was a game changer. We LIVE for all things Melissa and the cardio grind she serves up on Thursdays and Sunday morning.
What is your favorite memory together?
We are lucky to have so many amazing memories together.
Chaloea: This is a really hard one, but the top five has to include shopping for Mel’s wedding dress at an incredible woman of color owned and body positive boutique in Brooklyn, where Mel was surrounded by her closet friends (who are all deep beasts in their own right), her lovely and superhero cousin Jillian, and her Aunt Mimi who brought so much love and light. When Mel walked out in “THE DRESS,” which was coincidentally also called Mimi, everyone in the room had a moment. Mel gives so much of her time and loves uplifting others, so it was beautiful to have the opportunity to return even a little of that love on the most special of occasions.
Mel: That is obviously one of my favorite memories; Chaloea has been an amazing friend (more like a sister) and was a wonderful bridesmaid. One of my random favorite memories was one night during the summer of our 2L year of law school, Chaloea and I went out just the two of us. We ended up stumbling on this free party at the Liberty Hotel and just kind of let the night take us where it would. Law school was a stressful time, but whenever Chaloea and I got together, that stress just dissipated.
