If you’re a former analog girl, dating in the digital world can be a real task. Swiping right can, at times, lead to a chance encounter with someone exciting and new but, usually, it’s just another unnecessary stressor. Finding your person can seem like an exercise in futility in today’s microwave culture and dispose of love. Naza Shelley is hoping to change that narrative for the professional Black woman. Unable to find a dating app that seemed geared towards women like her, Shelley teamed with her best friend and fellow Howard Law School alum, Sali Hama, to create CarpeDM, a match-making app that specifically seeks partnership for highly successful and ambitious Black women.

CarpeDM is described as Washington D.C.’s most exclusive member-only dating community created for singles seeking meaningful relationships. Gone are the days of senseless swiping, failed connections, and incompatible matches, if Naza Shelley has anything to do with it. Their mission is to elevate Black women, build Black families and generational wealth and give back to the community. CarpeDM also donates a portion of every membership to organizations that hold the same core values.

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When it comes to the nitty-gritty of the app, every user will be paired with a personal matchmaker whose job it is to vet possible matches who pass an accredited background check and agree to a 5-10 minute video chat within 72 hours of matching. We are reclaiming our time all 2021, ladies! And this app seems like a great start for those wanting to date with intention and feel safe meeting someone new in today’s climate.

Naza, herself, knows all too well how hard it can be to attract the right partner for Black women on the rise as she was one of D.C’s youngest and most accomplished attorneys before turning her eyes to the tech world. She hopes to help eradicate the staggering statistics pointing to Black women being seen as less desirable to date both on apps and in real life due to racial bias, social stereotypes, and mainstream beauty standards.

The app will first be made available for IOS users with Android capability coming soon after.

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