I’ll never forget the day my mom came home from work and announced that she was going to quit her job as a teacher and start her own daycare…in our house. At the time, it seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream—not to mention a bit of an inconvenience to us as a family as well. But, in what seemed like a months time, my mother had done just that. And then years later, she and my aunt purchased a home to house the daycare she had built. It was a lesson not only speaking your dreams but doing the work to bring them into fruition—it taught me quite a bit about the importance of entrepreneurship, about making the necessary life and career changes to ensure your own happiness, and about the freedom that comes with having something of your own.
And while I didn’t always know what that “something of my own” would look like, it’s a message that’s always in the back of my mind.
The something of my own has been my book Bettah Days, which I’ve discussed on the site numerous times. Recently, a woman who has something of her own, jewelry designer Andrea Reed, approached me about hosting a market that would empower other women like us, specifically, Black women who have created something of their own and are ready to share it with the world. After partnering with my sister, Vanessa Wells, a graphic designer, the result of that conversation is the Uptown Underground Market. The aim and intention of this event is to empower Black women artisans, authors, entrepreneurs and even our costumers to continue pushing their work forward. The market will be held in New York City on Saturday, March 4, from 1-6 pm at 201 West 113th Street in Harlem.
Check out the vendors who will be showcasing their wares on the following pages.
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