My name is Barbara, and I’m the owner and maker behind Will and Mae — a jewelry brand rooted in legacy, love, and resilience.

The name Will and Mae honors my grandparents, two of the most loving and inspiring people I’ve ever known. Born and raised in the South, they moved North in search of a better life — one they built with strength, determination, and kindness. They were everything a child could hope for in grandparents: warm, affectionate, and unwavering in their love for me.

As a child, I struggled deeply with low self-esteem, rejection, and feeling like I didn’t belong. I was often bullied and left out — but never by them. In their home and in their arms, I was always enough. My grandfather used to tell me I was beautiful, reminding me that there was nothing wrong with being on the heavier side. My grandparents taught me to love myself, to embrace who God made me to be, and to always lead with love. Even after they passed during my teenage years, their words stayed with me — guiding me through my darkest moments.

So when I started my business, naming it after Will and Mae felt natural. It was my way of carrying their legacy forward.

But why jewelry?

That part of the story belongs to my Aunt Barbara — the woman I’m named after. She was the epitome of style and grace: always dressed to impress, always true to herself. After the birth of my son, I lost nearly everything — including, at times, a sense of who I was. I didn’t care about how I looked anymore.

 But one day, Aunt Barbara saw me and gently asked, “Where are your earrings?” I didn’t understand it at the time, but looking back, that was her way of telling me to hold on to myself — to keep showing up, even in hardship.
She began sending me jewelry from her own collection, piece by piece, encouraging me to dress for me again. To feel beautiful. To care. To love myself, as she did. What I didn’t know then was that she was quietly battling cancer. Even while facing her own struggles, she poured into me with so much love.

When she passed, we were all given the chance to choose pieces from her jewelry collection. I didn’t take much at the time — I was too overcome with grief. But her daughters and my family made sure I had pieces to take home, to carry her with me. That moment lit a spark in me. It turned into a passion.

Jewelry became my love language — just as it had been hers.
When you wear a piece from Will and Mae, my prayer is that you feel every ounce of love I put into selecting and creating it. I want you to feel seen. I want you to feel beautiful. I want you to know you are deeply loved — just as you are.
Because you are exactly who you need to be.

With love,
Barbara
Founder, Will and Mae