Keith Cephus Photography
“No one can take away your destiny.”
In May of 2021, Heather Marie Van Cleave won the title and crown as Miss Virginia for America 2021. In Richmond, Virginia, she is known as a mental health advocate who has a love for fashion. In downtown Richmond, she opened Queen Bee & Co., an English tea room, which she uses as a space for events and for those in the community to experience English ‘high tea’ or afternoon tea. Queen Bee & Co. is a place where people can relax and feel welcome.
A daughter of two Broadway actors, a survivor of domestic violence, and a mental health advocate, Heather uses her platform—Heather Marie Speaks—to help those who may be struggling with the same issues she once dealt with. “Whether it’s in the dark secrets of fame or from the stress and anxiety that can find its way into the lives of many successful people, I want them to know they are not alone,” she says. Through her brand and appearances around town, Heather is a part of a community of like-minded individuals who lift up the City of Richmond.
Keith Cephus Photography
Heather Marie Van Cleave is the owner of Queen Bee & Co., an English tea room, located in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Photo by Jimmy Budd.
This month, she will host Queen Bee Empowering Virginia, an event at Queen Bee & Co that will benefit the Forward Foundation—an organization that supports single moms. She will also use this opportunity to continue her mission of discussing mental health and pushing awareness of domestic violence. When asked about her legacy, Heather hopes it will show through her children. She wishes they too will live a life of selflessness. “We each have a destiny and calling in our lives that no one and nothing can take away from us,” she says. “We may go through valleys and hardships getting there, but it can all be used for good when you continue to shine a light for others in spite of what you go through. Grow through it and trust God to use it.”
To learn more about Heather Marie, you can visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
