Imagine a bustling community of entrepreneurs and business owners excited to display their businesses of all different specialties: from candy apples to therapy and mortgages to cleaning services. This was the scene at Kettle Run’s Black-Owned Business Fair.
The Black-owned Business Fair is an annual event hosted by the Black Student Alliance that aims to spotlight local black entrepreneurs. During the fair, business owners are given a platform to advertise their businesses to a new audience and share their stories. Local businesses are also invited to set up booths within the school, where they can display their products and talk to passing students and staff.
The Black Student Alliance (BSA) is a student-led organization that fosters a sense of community, empowerment, and advocacy for black students on college or school campuses. It provides a space for students to celebrate black culture, history, and achievements while addressing academic, political, and social issues that impact black communities. Black Student Alliances often organize events, discussions, and initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, and equity, as well as creating opportunities for leadership development and mentorship. The organization also works to educate others about the experiences of black students and collaborates with other student groups to promote unity and social justice.
The Black-Owned Business Fair is important because it highlights and showcases the work put in by Black entrepreneurs to create their businesses. This can inspire students to pursue their own entrepreneurial ambitions and potentially spark a lifelong fulfilling career. The fair is also important because it shines a light on small businesses that some may overlook and provides a platform for black entrepreneurs to advertise.
(Kayley Gonzalez)
CJ and Cori are the mother-daughter pair behind the YouTube channel of the same name, where they produce family-focused music and videos to help bring families together around creative activities. Recently, they unveiled a new app — CJ&Cori – CatchTheBeat — a fun rhythm game featuring a collection of their songs. They have also released a new coloring book for all ages titled Lofi and Lullabies, which includes a QR code on the back for music to listen to while you color. You can find them on YouTube (CJ and Cori) and Instagram (@cjandcori) for family activities for everyone to enjoy!
Across the auditorium, students flocked to get a bite to eat as they perused the stands.
Sharina, the self-proclaimed “candy apple queen,” started Tummy YumYum candy in 2017, beginning making her products within her home. Her business mainly centers around candy apples, as her nickname implies, but she also sells other treats like chocolate-covered strawberries, freeze-dried candies, and candied bacon. “As a business, you always have to cater to everyone,” Sharina explained. Tummy YumYum has gone through significant changes in the past few years, going from a home-based operation to becoming a successful food truck. During the difficult years of the pandemic, Sharina used her business to aid in providing food for those in need in the local community. She explained that being a small business means always giving back to those that support you. When asked to advise new business owners, Sharina described that a new business is like “your baby,” stating that a good one needs a lot of work, effort, and attention — “you’ve got to treat it like a kid.” Sharina’s stand proved to be one of the most popular at the fair, as she sold some of her businesses’ most well-known sweet treats and grabbed the attention of students and staff alike.
The Black-owned Business Fair provides great insight into an important and often overlooked space of our community. It is an opportunity to connect with a community, to show what’s possible no matter who you are, and to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to chase their dreams. It’s a showcase of passion.
Students from various classes gather to explore a diverse array of Black-owned businesses. Although their visits to these stations were brief, they often left with reflections on the importance of supporting such enterprises. One student, August, expressed thoughts on the relevance of these Black-owned businesses and the need for continued engagement with them: “It helps expose businesses and gives them more attention.” Others, however, appreciate the production of these businesses. “Seeing from each black business, it shows how much work goes into setting these things up, and it requires a lot of communication and cooperation”, remarked Jay, another student attending the fair. Overall, the Black-Owned Business Fair, held in conjunction with Black History Month, serves to highlight the contributions of Black entrepreneurs within the industry while fostering community connections. It’s a yearly tradition that brightens and expands upon cultures in our community that may not always get the recognition they deserve. The students of Kettle Run should look forward to attending the Black-Owned Business Fair next year!
