About Us
The Queens’ Tea is NOT a gossiping tea.
The Queens’ Tea is NOT a judgmental tea.
The Queens’ Tea IS an empowHERment tea!
Take a sip, gulp or whatever you need for your healing & keep Queening!
The Queens’ Tea started as an annual event but has blossomed into something more. It’s a safe haven where women can be vulnerable, ask for assistance, promote themselves and network.
The Queens’ Tea is a place where we acknowledge the royalty inside every woman. Our purpose is to empower women and young girls to come together in sisterhood emphasizing on their strengths and abilities while building a progressive community.
For a safe place to ask questions, get empowered and receive encouragement, join our online community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheQueensTea
Michelle TRUE Francois is a mother, wife, educator, poet, published author, a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and Founder of the Queens Tea International. She is from Washington DC, USA but has spent the last 11 years living in the United Arab Emirates as a Kindergarten Teacher with her husband and two children.
Michelle found her voice when she was 11 years old. She used poetry to overcome some of life’s greatest obstacles and to understand the world around her. Her first book was published while here in the UAE in 2013 “Testified: A Poetic Testimony”, where Michelle shares intimate poems about her journey through life. Her highs, her lows and everything in between.
Her second book, “Alphabet Palace”, was inspired by her son, Prince Jahiion. It’s an alliteration book about a prince who lives a very closed-minded life and through the eyes of a wise princess, he becomes more open-minded and ready to take on the world.
Her third book, “Bridge: Poetry that Connects”, is a collection of pieces that connect the author to herself, her God and the universe.
Michelle True Francois started to engage her community with various types events almost immediately after she arriving in the Al Ain area in the UAE. She along with her husband and few others created the first spoken word event called “Slammin’ on the Roof”, this spoken word atmosphere pretty soon morphed into other spoken word activities all around the UAE. Another poetry collaboration she participated in was DXB Speakeasy which was a monthly reading that took place in the Dubai area. This is an example of her ability to tap into the community and acknowledge the need for celebrating a diverse community.
Living in the UAE, Michelle has been able to mentor, collaborate and venture into several talents that she bestows. In the UAE she decided to create “TrueOne Events” which has an annual event inspired by her daughter known as The Queens’ Tea. The Queens’ Tea has grown from 6 moms and their daughters into over 1000 attendees from the UAE to now an international explosion. The Queens’ Tea continued purpose is to empower and uplift women and young girls from all walks of life. In the UAE, TrueOne (Queens Tea) Events acknowledge the importance of living together in peace which we have identified and learned from the country’s leaders. Therefore, Michelle True Francois encourages each of us to live in sisterhood, celebrating our strengths and abilities while building a progressive, loving, and sisterly community. Through her poetry she empowers, as she speaks of ambition, humility, tolerance and love of self that leads to a path of enlightenment.
Our HERstory
The First Tea
The first Tea was held on February 2, 2014, in my living room in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with 6 mother/daughter couples. The Tea was the vision of my then 3-year-old daughter, Nalah Lynn. The upscale gathering, conversation and sense of empowerment felt resonated with me as something women need and young girls need to see.
The 2nd Annual Queens’ Tea
The 2nd Annual Queens’ Tea was held in 2016 at The Queen’s Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE with 35 women and girls in attendance. We promoted Black women’s businesses and gave them a platform to share their gifts and talents with the community.
The 3rd Annual Queens’ Tea
In 2017, we teamed up with The Women’s Fit Show for the 3rd Annual Tea in Al Ain. We focused on physical, mental and spiritual wellness with Shani Brinkley.
The 4th Annual Queens’ Tea
On June 23, 2018, we held the 4th Annual Queens’ Tea at the Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi. We crowned cancer survivors working to shed awareness to the community and National Pan-Hellenic Council members bringing light on sisterhood, scholarship and service.
The 5th Annual Queens’ Tea
The 5th Annual Queens’ Tea hosted at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi catered to 200 women and girls. We highlighted a range of significant women who made profound impacts in the UAE community. (June 22, 2019)
Virtual Teas'
In 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we took the 6th and 7th Annual Queens’ Tea online. The virtual forum allowed us to connect with women around the world and reconnect with women who left the UAE. We highlighted essential workers who were crucial to helping us make it through the pandemic. Through tech, The Queens’ Tea reaches over 1000 women worldwide. (June 20, 2020 and June 27, 2021)
Due to a death in my family, the 8th Annual Tea was ultimately cancelled.
The Comeback
On June 17, 2023, the Queens’ Tea was resurrected in Abu Dhabi and an intimate group of women gathered to toot their own horns about accomplishments and epiphanies they have learned since the pandemic.
