A food desert is an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food. Sadly, most food deserts affect neighborhoods that are inhabited by Black and brown people. Kentucky resident Megan Bell wanted to change that narrative in Louisville’s West End.
Bell, who is the founder of the non-profit Virtuous Women of Empowerment and a mom of three, bought a 9,000 square foot building that was once home to a food supply store.
“I think a lot about the cultural barriers, I think about the food deserts, and I think about the community transportation,” Bell said in a statement. “When you think about urban neighborhoods, there is nothing but corner stores, liquor stores, and gas stations – that’s really where they get their food from.”
The grocery store, which she will call The Next Door Market, will serve as a place for residents in the area to purchase fresh foods and produce at an affordable price.
She will work closely with community developers as well as community groups to ensure the space is meeting the needs of its citizens. She will also hire those who live in the neighborhood to work at the market.
“It’s important to understand what the community needs and what they want, and to hear their voices of what they want,” Bell said.
The store is slated to open in 2021. In the meantime, she is trying to raise nearly $1,000,000 through crowdfunding to get and keep the store running.
Charlotte, also known as the Queen City, is quickly rising as a hot spot destination. The increased popularity is mostly due to hosting some of the largest sporting events in the nation, including the 2019 NBA All-Star Game and the annual CIAA tournaments.
Charlotte’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport has also grown to become a common connecting airport for those traveling on to other destinations, mainly due to being American Airlines’ second-largest hub.
If you have plans of making your way to the Queen City, here are a few ways that you can support Black-owned businesses.
Morning
Wake up and get your day started after a relaxing stay at Miss Elsie’s Caribbean Bed and Breakfast. Owner Cheryl Watkins opened this accommodation in honor of her late grandmother, Ms. Elsie. It has been featured in Essence and was also named “Best B&B in the South” by Southern Living Magazine.
If you are looking for a full breakfast, stop by Chef Greg Collier’s spot Uptown Yolk (224 E. 7th St.) or visit The People’s Market (1315 E. Blvd.) for an assortment of made to order breakfast dishes and pastries.
Once you get your fill of food and coffee, stop by the Gantt Center to check out the latest exhibits and unique cultural experiences. Be sure to check the website for hours.
Next, make your way over to Camp North End to do a little browsing at Dupp and Swatt. and Blk Market CLT. These unique spaces offer one-of-a-kind art from local artists. Depending on the day, you may catch an event going on too.
Afternoon
If you are ready for lunch, there are plenty of options to choose from. You can check out our list of some of the city’s best Black-owned restaurants and food trucks here. We also want to add newcomers like The Nappy Chef, LuLu’s Restaurant, and Hot Box: Next Level Kitchen. For something a little healthier, you can grab a juice from Juicin’ Juice Bar.
Veltree, the Vegan Experience| Facebook
After lunch, take a little time for yourself with some pampering. For your nail care check out Elevation Beauty and Nail Spa or the newest Black-owned nail salon Top Coat CLT. 23-year-old Ashley Randall recently decided to turn her love for beauty into a full-fledged business. For the men, AlphaMale nail care has you covered. The salon’s décor mimics a man-cave, while owner Sheena makes sure your hands and feet are looking good.
To pamper your “personals” you’ll want to head to V-Spa Charlotte, where owner Shakira Grier provides a top-notch experience.
Evening
If you booked your room at Miss Elsie’s for more than one night, head back and relax for a while before getting your evening started.
Grab dinner at any of the restaurants you didn’t visit for lunch. Then, head to STATS Restaurant and Baror Max and Lola Bodega to end your night with a few drinks and a little music.
“Traveling back to Africa, especially West Africa, to connect with our ancestors is important for growth,” Rondel Holder of Soul Society 101 told Travel Noire.
Originally from Brooklyn, Rondel is now making it his mission to help other Black travelers within the Diaspora to see the continent of Africa at least once in their lifetime.
Since he was young, he’s had an interest in learning about other cultures. Once he became older and ventured beyond the Caribbean, he realized that seeing the world was better than any textbook he could open.
Courtesy of Rondel Holder
In 2012, he created the platform Soul Society 101 to give Black travelers a safe space to talk about their travel experiences around the world.
“We aren’t always given the chance to tell our experiences directly,” Rondel said. “I wanted a platform where we could feel comfortable doing so.”
To help aid in bringing more info to the travelers on his platform, Rondel took his first trip to the continent of Africa in 2016. Before that, he could find little to no information on traveling to certain countries in Africa and he wanted to help connect the dots.
Courtesy of Rondel Holder
He also took an ancestry DNA test and has decided to trace his lineage and document it via a docuseries titled “Heritage Journey.” In this series, he explores the history of countries in his lineage while sitting down with other creatives on the ground for an open dialogue on pressing issues surrounding the relationship between locals and Black Americans.
“For me, it’s been healing. It’s been a great immersive experience.”
This is a self-funded project, so Rondel will document and release content as he is able to travel to the actual countries. The latest episode releasing this month will focus on Ghana with an episode from Congo to follow in March.
Courtesy of Rondel Holder
To help other Black travelers throughout the Diaspora make their way to Africa, Rondel started a concierge service called Global Royalty. This venture is an extension of Soul Society 101 and was created to make it as easy as possible for those wanting to get to Africa, get there with no excuses or obstacles.
He curates trips for solo travelers, groups, couples and even honeymooners. No matter your interest, Rondel has contacts and connections on the ground to help plan a memorable journey.
“I want to eliminate the fear and misconceptions,” Rondel explained. “There’s been so many lies told to us that has created fear around visiting. But, it’s time to break that curse. The same people who instilled the fear are the same ones on the plane heading to Africa. If you just open up your mind to the experience you will have a great time.”
Courtesy of Rondel Holder
To keep up with Soul Society 101, you can follow them on Instagram: @soulsociety. If you need help with planning your trip to Africa, check out Global Royalty’s website: www.weareglobalroyalty.com. To follow Rondel’s next adventure find him at: @kingronthedon.
If you’re looking for some cheap and authentic
food in Barcelona, one place that both locals and travelers recommend is heading
to the La Boqueria or Mercado de La Boqueria.
Located in the Ciudad Vieja district of Barcelona, La Boqueriaone serves as a one-stop-shop for visitors to taste the best of Barcelona.
But there are some places in Barcelona that aren’t
on tourists’ radars that you don’t want to miss.
Located in the heart of Barcelona’s El Raval neighborhood, between the Rambla of Barcelona and the Avenida Parallel, Foni is an amazing Gambian and Senegalese restaurant that’s not only an amazing place to eat but a great place to hang out if you want a low-key evening with good music.
It’s one of few Black-owned restaurants in Barcelona where you can enjoy African juices, such as Bisap, baobab juice or freshly squeezed ginger juice, and traditional African dishes such as Gambian domoda (peanut soup), chep bu Yapp (fried rice with meat or fish), mafe (white rice with peanut sauce), or super kanja (okra soup).
Photo via: Chinwe O
The best part? All of these dishes will cost you less than 7€!
Keep in mind that you will be served a large
portion of food. If you’re not that
hungry or you’re traveling solo, you can ask for half of the portion size.
In addition to the good food and fresh juices, Foni offers cocktails and beer at insanely cheap prices. For example, mojitos and piña coladas can be purchased for 5 €.
Photo via: Chinwe O
The last thing worth mentioning is that the service you will receive from the staff at Foni will make you feel that you’re stepping foot in West Africa. The staff is welcoming and will make you feel right at home.
For most young girls growing up, our first introduction to beauty and makeup comes from watching our mothers in the mirror gently blending their Lancome foundation or blotting their Estee Lauder lipstick to make it last all day. However, there weren’t many brands that catered directly to black women at the time. When Brittney Marshall created My BrownBox she wanted to change that by creating a brand that included black women all over the world.
More than just a monthly beauty subscription, My BrownBox was designed to create a shared experience where unapologetic black women commune, connect, inspire and celebrate womanhood with other #BrownBeauties around the world.
After noticing the lack of representation within the beauty industry, Marshall officially launched My BrownBox in 2013. She sold out in just 30 minutes. Back then, foundation formulas didn’t cater to black women. Images in commercials or brands hadn’t quite caught up to what we now call the Fenty Beauty effect.
Each themed box includes a variety of products including makeup, skincare, nail care, hair care, and lifestyle products tailored to your liking for only $20/month. Seasonal boxes are stocked with winter products to maintain your hair’s moisture and body butters for dry skin. They also include a handwritten note from Marshall.
“I’ve seen it evolve over time, especially with more black-owned businesses appearing and filling in that need for black women to have different beauty products–foundations, concealers, lipsticks–that not only match our skin tone but also our skin type,” she said.
Previous boxes have featured samples and products from popular brands such as Curls, Rahau, Sheaterra Organics, Valana Minerals, The Lip Bar, and handcrafted Aye ‘Shanti Notebook.
“Those brands are starting to take up shelf space, and it definitely wasn’t like that when I first started My BrownBox. It’s wild to see them evolve and grow, but I’m extremely grateful,” Marshall said.
Self-care and mental health are vital messages Marshall wanted to integrate into My BrownBox so she includes daily self-love affirmation notes and shirts with positive messages of black women.
Marshall advocates for pulling up a seat at the table but strongly believes in making your own when it comes to the realms of black entrepreneurship and business. “I always encourage people to make their own tables because too often we just kind of get caught up in the mode of working for other people, which is not an issue, but if we’re working for other people and we may feel we’re not getting an equal opportunity. “
Marshall also hopes to instill young girls with the confidence to pursue their dreams and to know they can do anything they diligently work towards. “I want young girls to know they are beautiful, even though there are different industries and there may not be a lot of representation of us in the room.”
Be on the lookout for the return of My BrownBox subscription in Spring 2020. In the meantime, you can purchase daily affirmation notes and black woman tees at their online shop.
Follow My BrownBox’s blog for self-care tips, healthy recipes, healing, relationships, holiday gift guides, and more.
Detroit native, Herman Hayes has been cooking and baking most of his life. His nieces and nephews, especially his nephew James, always looked forward to seeing him because they knew that he would have fresh-baked donuts with him.
James would grow up to become a popular music producer who went by the name “J-Dilla.” Unfortunately, James passed away in 2006.
Herman wanted to find a way to honor his nephew through his love of baking. After nearly a decade of planning, he opened one of Detroit’s only Black-Owned donut shops, Dilla’s Delights in 2016.
The store, located at 242 John R. Street, is also a way for Herman to create a living legacy for J-Dilla’s two daughters. The name Dilla’s Delights was a way to honor the two little girls that meant so much to him.
The girls can be found helping Herman out in the shop most days as well.
When you visit Dilla’s Delights, you can try flavors like the Cakeboy chocolate glaze, McNasty macaroon cake, and Aaliyah lemon filled. But, you’ll want to get there early because they sell out often.
Over the last few months, the shop has faced some financial hardship. Herman was diagnosed with cancer and during his recovery, he was forced to reduce the store’s hours and even close completely some days. Because of this, plans to expand the shop to a bigger location have been halted while they attempt to recover.
The shop recently set up a GoFundMe page to ask for contributions from the community and supporters. Herman wants to move into a bigger space that will allow him to make and sell his donuts in one space as well as set up a museum and seating area for customers to sit down and enjoy their baked goods.
Realizing how difficult it can be to find Black-owned businesses is why Lynn Graham createdClickUrban, an online directory of Black-owned products and services.
Visitors to ClickUrban will have access to quickly local a business
or specialty including, Black attorneys, realtors, banks, fashion boutiques, and
more through the online platform
“I believe that Black people want to support one another,
and we need to be more proactive in representing ourselves. For example, we are
the largest consumer of hair products, yet own only a few of the products in the
hair arena. As Black women, it would be so great if we knew exactly where to
buy and sell hair products, or where to find the right makeup for our skin
tone,” Graham told TNJ.comin an
interview.
Dubbed as “the new Black Angie’s List,” Graham said the goal of the platform is dedicated
to nurturing diversity and the style, culture, and taste of all things Blacks
and beautiful.
“We are fulfilling a real need, making it easier for local
businesses to be found online. Now finding a local business will be even
easier, by simply typing into our site which holds a trusted network of top-rated
local businesses,” saidLynn Graham.
In addition to the website’s company listings, ClickUrban’s
business partners can also use the website to market their business if they
don’t have a website presence of their own.
“They can use the platform within ClickUrban as a website,”
Graham reveals. “Depending on which package they buy, they have access to
customer reviews, product features, analytics, coupons, event and property
listings, videos, blogs, article publishing and much more.
Packages for business owners include a basic service ($9.99 monthly) and Premium ($29.99 monthly).
Catching the latest movies at a state-of-the-art movie theater is a great way to spend your day. But, what makes the experience even better is watching it at a theater that is also Black-owned.
NextAct Cinema was opened in March of this year and it is said to be Maryland’s first and only Black-family owned theater. Brothers Anthony Fykes and Robert Wright are the founders of the theater and movie watching has always been a favorite pastime in their family.
The theater features plush leather chairs and an amazing sound system that gives moviegoers a one-of-a-kind experience. In addition to being able to watch the latest flicks, you can also order drinks from the full bar as well as enjoy a meal.
Menu items include quesadillas, crab cakes, pizza, salmon, and salads NextAct is also famous for its exclusive beer cheddar seasoned popcorn. Food and drinks can be ordered from your movie seat starting at 12 noon each day.
To learn more about the theater or to find out the address and showtimes, you can check the website: nextactcinema.com.
For former Harvard classmates turned mompreneurs Taryn White and Kendra Blackett-Dibinga, living a well-rounded and healthy lifestyle is key. The two women, who each run their own respective businesses, decided to join together to share their gifts with others.
Memphis native Taryn started her platform, The Trip Wish List, to get people interested in actually taking those bucket list trips they always dreamed about.
Photo by Drew Xeron
“I’m a believer that when you write something down, you’re more intentional about pursuing it,” Taryn told Travel Noire. “The same also applies to travel.”
She curates trips in the active wellness space for individuals as well as groups. She will soon launch an app to reach even more people around the globe.
Kendra is the owner of Bikram Yoga Works. She initially started it as a traditional studio but just a year in decided to also add in yearly retreats in Mexico for her clients. After about 3 years of hosting the successful retreats, she wanted to take things up a notch.
Photo by Drew Xeron
That’s when Kendra and Taryn decided to bring their two babies together to host even bigger wellness retreats around the world.
“It’s a chance for us as Black women to promote yoga and wellness among our own community,” Kendra said.
Taryn puts together the itinerary for the retreats, which are normally 7 days long and cost about $2,000 per person (not inclusive of airfare). So far they have traveled to Bali and Costa Rica. In March they will host a sold-out retreat in Morocco.
There will be a shorter “mini-retreat” in Bermuda in November. The registration for that trip will open up in March.
“We try to get an idea of the interest from our customers and pick destinations that are interesting to the Diaspora,” Taryn said.
Courtesy of The Trip Wish List
During the 7 days, attendees participate in yoga classes, go on tours, and simply relax and bond with like-minded people. The women have deep conversations as well that lead to long-lasting friendships. The yoga serves as a community builder and bonding experience.
“Women are the primary caretakers of families. Once we really start focusing on our health and wellness, it’s almost revolutionary. We can change our community,” Kendra said.
When Dallas resident Moriah Waller saw a need in global communities, she immediately stepped in to help. It started during her time living in Costa Rica where she worked closely with a nonprofit organization for six months.
“The group that I worked with needed more volunteers,” Moriah told Travel Noire. ” I was inspired to bring more awareness to global volunteering opportunities.”
Initially, she created a platform that people could freely search for volunteer opportunities around the world. But, she wanted to do more.
Through this organization, Moriah curates volunteer work experiences for college students around the world. The volunterns (volunteer interns) are able to gain hands-on work experience for their respective major and industry while helping communities in need around the globe.
So far, she has been able to place students in 13 counties and her latest partnerships are within communities on the continent of Africa. Moriah personally visits the communities before making the decision to work with them.
“I want to change the world through education abroad. My husband and I are passionate about education reform and we want people of color to receive education in a way that will better serve them.”
Courtesy of World of Need
How it works
Students from universities across the U.S. can apply directly on the organization’s website. They must answer online interview questions as well as submit a current resume.
They can select the country that they are interested in going to and the major or career field they are seeking to gain experience in.
Moriah then creates a project based on what will give the student the best experience. She sends that to the respective leaders of the country that the student will visit, for added suggestions.
Courtesy of World of Need
There are three programs that students can choose from under World of Need. The voluntern program which lasts 2-8 weeks, the gap year program which is 12-24 weeks, and a study abroad program that’s roughly 1-2 months. Professors can also request a faculty-led experience where they, in turn, take their class to a country, while they aim to focus on a particular subject matter.
The trips can range in price from $900- $2,000 and students are responsible for the costs. However, Moriah and her team do offer scholarships and financial assistance to those in need. There is also the option for students to receive assistance from their university.
Opportunities are inclusive of tours, accommodations, and meals, but each package varies.
To learn more about World of Need’s programs, you can visit the website: www.worldofneed.org or find them on social media at @worldofneed.
After several setbacks, Roosevelt Gilbert has opened Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport’s first barbershop and salon. Did we mention it’s also Black-Owned?
The Barber Shop Atlanta recently opened its doors after months of complicated construction. It is located in the domestic terminal near TGI Fridays. There is also a location at North Dekalb Mall.
“I’m just glad to be open,” Gilbert said to the AJC. “We had to go through a lot.”
The shop is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. You can get services such as men’s cuts, women’s cuts, as well as an executive facial.
The airport has been in talks to bring a salon or barbershop into its terminals since 2009. The original tenant didn’t work out and they began searching for someone to fill the contract in 2013. After several rounds of contracting, Gilbert’s shop was chosen to move in.
Be sure to show them some love if you are flying through Atlanta!
When Abi Olusanya decided to move to Denmark, she was looking for a new adventure that would push her outside of her comfort zone.
What she didn’t know at the time was that being uncomfortable would create an opportunity to support black-owned businesses in Denmark.
“In Denmark, access to products for black women is difficult,” Abi said. “You either order online from a brand you already know and love or make do with the limited options available.”
According to Abi, there are not enough products in Denmark that are suitable for black women – which comes to no surprise as more than 90 percent of the population identifies as European descent.
The BlacBox was designed as a highly personalizedsubscription boxfor black women in Europe but Abi confirmed with Travel Noire in an interview that the company ships around the world.
From makeup, hair and skin care products, and more, the BlacBox provides subscribers with black-owned products every other month.
Here’s what else Travel Noire learned:
Travel Noire: What’s your ultimate goal of the BlacBox?
Abi: There are two goals for the BlacBox: to boost the black economy and to give black women easy access to frequent pampering and self-care that is personalized for them.
TN: what’s inside the BlacBox?
We partner with black-owned businesses who not only understand our challenges (because they’ve experienced them themselves) but are creating solutions for us.
[Subscribers will find anything] from make-up, skincare and haircare products tailored to your unique profile.
And the best part? We send a range of their products straight to your doorstep every other month.
By sourcing all our products from black-owned businesses, we are playing a part in protecting the livelihoods of black families around the world. This is incredibly important given today’s current climate and we wrote a blog post explaining this a little bit more.
A huge benefit of working with black-owned beauty brands is that their products are sometimes even better than those we currently use, as most are created specifically to tackle the challenges that black women face. This makes it even easier to personalize our boxes to each subscriber, as black-owned brands understand and have created products to suit the different shades, skin types and hair types that black women have.
For us, it was a no-brainer to merge the two together, giving black-owned brands access to their target audience and allowing black women to experience personalized pampering and self-care in a way that is both wallet-friendly and hassle-free – all while supporting black-owned businesses.
TN: Do you ship to other countries?
Abi: We do! We ship to any country in Europe and we are planning to expand outside of Europe in 2020. If you are currently not based in Europe but you’re interested in the BlacBox, create your profile and let us know where you are located!
TN: Anything else you want our readers to know?
We’re currently offering all new subscribers 5% off their first payment with the code “treatyourself”. This offer is valid until the 31st of December.
For Haitian-Canadian couple Miriam and Stevens Charles, it was simply the norm to see family members whipping up batches of kremas during holidays and special gatherings. The drink consisting of nutmeg, cream, cinnamon, coconut, vanilla, and pure grain alcohol was something that their grandmothers and aunts would spend hours in the kitchen making. It was a major part of Haitian culture.
Around 2013, the couple realized that this renowned recipe could not be found for purchase anywhere and you had to know someone that could make it themself.
So, they set out to create the recipe to be sold in stores.
“I didn’t have a background in the spirit industry, but I researched everything I needed to know to build the brand and start the business,” Stevens Charles told Travel Noire.
Courtesy of LS Cream Liqueur
In 2014, LS Cream Liqueur was born. The first sample of the recipe was prepared and sent off to Las Vegas for a major spirit tasting competition where it received the gold medal. The brand went on to win several other top awards as well.
“This was the turning point for us and we knew we had a great product on our hand,” Stevens said.
After winning the gold medal, officials in Haiti caught wind and made a personal request to have the brand come to the country to promote. While spirit laws are different in Haiti, the brand was able to get placement in a few chains and a major hotel on the island.
Courtesy of LS Cream Liqueur
LS Cream works with suppliers who try to source the vanilla, sugar, and nutmeg from Haiti.
“We want the world to see Haiti in a better light. When one of us does something well, it inspires others to follow. We figured it was time for a Black-owned cream liqueur. Everyone has had a bottle of Bailey’s in their home and we want to tap into that market.”
As of today, the spirit can be found in over 200 points of sale across New York, Miami, and Canada. It can also be purchased online via the brand’s website and shipped to 33 states.
Courtesy of LS Cream Liqueur
In 2020, the couple plans to produce more of the drink after selling out during releases over this past year. The recipe is gluten-free, kosher friendly, and contains less sugar than most products on the market.
“We don’t want this to just be a wave,” Stevens said. “We want to inspire the next generation and show that it is possible to have success.”
To learn more about LS Cream Liqueur or to purchase your bottle, you can visit the website www.creamls.com. You can also find them on Instagram: @lscreamliqueuer or Facebook: LS Cream Liqueur.
Parents looking for a Black Santa will now be able to find one, thanks to an app created by a Black mom.
Jihan Woods, who is in the medical field by trade, created
the app after struggling to find a Santa that resembled her twin sons.
Studies show that children with a positive attitude about their racial identity tend to do better in school are less likely to engage in risky behavior, as reported in CBS News.
In just 30 days, the Dallas psychiatrist raised more than $5,000 through a Kickstarter campaign and created the “Find Black Santa” app.
“I really wanted my children to see a Santa Claus that looks like them. It’s important to me that they experience diversity in all aspects of their lives, Santa included,” Woods, a psychiatrist, states on the websitedevoted to the free app.
The free app lists Black Santas in 35 states and Washington,
D.C.
“The turnout is incredible — there are so few options
as it relates to the availability of having an African-American Santa,” Terry
Lipsey Scott, executive director of the Dr. G. Woodson African American Museum
in St. Petersburg, Florida told CBS News.
According to Scott, some parents drive hours to have their children photographed with a Black St. Nick.
“That self-esteem element even in the holiday season is
so important,” Scott stated.
Welcome to College Park, GA, where across the county, black-owned businesses are doing more than surviving: they’re popping up and thriving.
A recent study conducted by the small business financing company Guidant Financial and the online credit marketplace LendingClub Corporation found that Black businesses grew by more than 400% in 2018 compared to 2017.
In another report, minority-owned restaurant
businesses are steadily on the rise with more recent data revealing Black-American-owned
restaurants shot to 49 percent since 2007.
And there’s one area in particular where these studies intersect.
Located on the southern boundary of the city of Atlanta in College Park, is a trio of Black-owned restaurants on Main Street creating what Atlanta Magazine calls “the newest hotspot for thriving Black-owned restaurants.”
According to the publication, Real Milk & Honey, an all-day brunch spot, Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar, serving fried oysters, jam up wings, and more, and Soul Crab ATL, has transformed the once-quiet strip into an “Instagram-ready destination.”
Instagram| @virgilsgullahkitchen
It’s a sight that resident Thomas Nichols thought he would never see.
“I been in that area since the 60s …there were no Black-owned eateries or restaurants,” he stated. “I welcome the change and glad to hear Black ownership in the area.”
The restaurant owners attribute their success
to various factors, including community enthusiasm and the fact that people are
looking for multiple dining options in close proximity.
