Joscelin Mackey, an author, principal designer, and founder of Accessible Design Studios celebrated the grand opening for Fayetteville’s first and only Black-owned commercial interior design firm earlier this month.

Mackey invited the Atlanta metro community to celebrate the studio’s grand opening which included appearances from notable representatives including Fayetteville’s Mayor Edward Johnson, and World Changers Church International CEO and Minister Vernon Harrison.  

Attendees also had the chance to participate in a virtual reality experience demonstrating the evolution of technology within the interior design industry.  

Accessible Design Studios is one of the roughly 400 registered interior designers in the state of Georgia to receive a license from the Secretary of State to stamp their own non-structural construction drawings for building permits which represents a very small percentage of professional minority women commercial interior designers in the state to hold this designation.  

This certification is a major accomplishment for Mackey due to the statistic of there being less than two percent of Black interior designers in the United States, and only a handful of Black interior designers in the Atlanta metro area as of 2023. 

Mackey has also been a member of the Fayette County community for over 24 years, is the Director of Community Service for the Rotary Club of Fayetteville, a member of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, a Professional Member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), and a Member of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW).  

Mackey said she is proud to have her first brick-and-mortar location in her beloved city where she’s lived for more than 20 years and completed some of her first projects, including the interior design of a local barber shop, pharmacy, and retail showroom over the past 15 years. Mackey’s projects expand to commercial buildings in the Atlanta metro area and beyond, including medical spas, salons, medical offices, corporate offices, and more.  

Joscelin’s husband, Rick, with their two daughters Kelly and Valerie said they are all very happy for Mackey’s accomplishments and hard work.  

“I feel extremely proud and happy of my mom,” Kelly said. “This is a big accomplishment for her. I’m just super excited for this new coming for her finally with opening her business to the community and to the world.” 

“I’m just super proud that we are another minority of minority business, because not only is she a black woman, but she is also black,” Valerie said. “In an industry that can’t do what everybody in this industry can do, she’s a very small percentage of people, even in the state of Georgia, that can stamp her own plans, which is a huge deal, which is even a smaller percentage of black women that can do that period in the United States of America. So, I’m just excited to be able to bring that into Fayetteville where we’re the only ones in the city of Fayetteville that has that capability. I’m happy to give that to the community and she can share her talents with everyone.” 

“That’s my wife and I support everything that she does. I feel like there are so many things, but I’m specifically proud of the fact that this is her baby, and I watched the entire process and entire iteration of how she brought this to life,” Rick said. “I’m proud to say that she’s doing something great, not just for herself, but for the city of Fayetteville and for black women across America.” 

Additionally, to help up-and-coming and experienced interior designers continue to grow in the industry, Mackey has developed a book titled “Designing for the Senses, a Neuroscientific Exploration of Interiors”. 

Mackey wrote this book to enlighten designers and design enthusiasts on the influence the built environment has on the mental, emotional, and physiological well-being of its users. She also recognizes that the design of spaces is not merely an aesthetic endeavor but a powerful tool for shaping human experiences.  

Q&A with Joscelin Mackey: 

The Atlanta Voice: How are you feeling about opening your first interior design studio? 

Joscelin Mackey: It’s like birthing a baby. I started in two design years and years ago but moved into this building right after COVID. So, the ribbon cutting has been a long time coming. At least six months. Opening an interior design studio has been a longtime dream of mine and I’m honored to be part of a small number of Black interior designers in the country who were able to take interior design to the next level. I’m also appreciative of my clients who’ve trusted me with their vision for their businesses over the past 15 years. My clients have encouraged me to continue the work as a trailblazer in the interior design industry and I look forward to encouraging more up-and-coming Black interior designers to stake their claim in the industry.   

AV: Why did you decide to start Accessible Design Studios?  

JM: When I graduated initially from Interior Design School back in 2011, that was during the recession. During that time, I had to get out and find business because no one was hiring. So, I’ve always been kind of entrepreneurial anyway. When COVID hit and Delta said that they weren’t laying anyone off, they let everyone go who had contracts and so I was contracted. So, I said, well, I know what to do and so I just put my stake in the ground and said, I’m just going to step back. 

AV: Was there a moment that inspired you to start Accessible Design Studios? 

JM: Probably COVID. I’m sure if not, I probably would still be working on projects. I was designing Delta Sky Clubs as part of that team, traveling a lot and so if it had not been for COVID, just making me slow down and ask myself, ‘what is it that I really want to do or what should I be doing, what would be doing that?’ I think that you need an interruption in life to kind of focus. 

AV: Why did you think it was important to include a virtual reality experience demonstrating the evolution of technology within the interior design industry? 

JM: There’s nothing like being in your own space. So, I can show you construction drawings because I do those. You probably wouldn’t be able to read them right now trying to describe them or I can draw a drawing or give you something two dimensional or even try to do like a three-dimensional rendering and that might take you to the place, but it’s not. When you put those goggles on and you can feel like you’re interacting with the space that we’ve created for you, that you get a real sense of what’s going on and what you’re looking at right there. That’s kind of just like the sketch, but once you put the goggles on, then you can color, you can move through the space. 

AV: What was your idea and intention behind your book, “Designing for the Senses: A Neuroscientific Exploration of Interiors”? 

JM: Most people, when they think of interior design, they get interior designer and decorating kind of misconstrued. To do what I did, you go to school for four years and to become a registered interior designer and you must take an exam? It’s the NCIDQ. It’s an 11-hour exam with three parts. So, in that process, you’re learning about health and safety. Then, in school, you learn about health and safety, and then you start realizing that is not enough to be aesthetically pleasing and it’s not enough to be functional. However, there are real people interacting with real space that have real needs. So, your neurological system is affected by lighting, affected by smell, and just in all your senses. Interior designers have a responsibility to design spaces that are about the safety and welfare and so that’s why I wrote the book.  

AV: Mackey of Accessible Design Studios is one of the roughly 400 registered interior designers in the state of Georgia to receive a license from the Secretary of State to stamp their own non-structural construction drawings for building permits which represents a very small percentage of professional minority women commercial interior designers in the state to hold this designation. How do you feel about this? 

JM: That’s not good enough, right? We have for one, as an interior designer, have a lot to just get a name. Our name is owned by decorators, and we must continuously say ‘I’m like an interior architect because I can start writing instruction guides, but we can’t use the word architect because it’s protected, and our title is not protected. We just get the word registered before it. So, for one, there’s not enough understanding about our specific niche in interiors. Only 2% of all interior designers, including decorators within the country, are black and that’s just not enough either, because we need to be represented. Unless you have a proper sampling of what is the United States, then you’re not getting diverse environments. So more of us need to become schooled more less need to become educated through certification and more of us need to become registered.  

AV: How does it feel to be part of a small number of Black interior designers in the country who were able to take interior design to the next level? 

JM: Sometimes it’s a lonely walk, right? Because not only is this a white-dominated industry and an interior design is a white-woman dominated industry, and architecture is a white man dominated industry. So, sometimes when you want to have real conversations about issues it’s hard to find.  

AV: What do you think you can do to be able to do to bring more people of color into the interior design industry? 

JM: I wrote my book, but also, I’m working on creating a platform to begin speaking to get a larger mic and platform. I’m going to begin using that to talk to more of us to kind of shine the light in schools where children don’t even know that this is an opportunity. I know our children don’t know that this is an opportunity or even what it is. So, it’s just finding that stage. Getting that large money and hiring more people that look like us.  

AV: What are your business goals for 2024? 

JM: Well, currently, I have this building with two sides (A and B). So, once I hire a few designers, which is the goal, and to get some more projects going as we move into this year to expand and to begin to develop on the other side of our office space.  

AV: Any advice to future business owners about taking the plunge? 

JM: There are a few things about being an entrepreneur I want future business owners to know. You must be a person who is tenacious, one that doesn’t understand the word ‘no’ because it doesn’t exist. Also, be a person with grit because you’re going to need the stick-to-it-ness in a person that knows how to surround themselves with the right people. If you have those things, then you have an advantage and if you don’t, maybe you need to work for those that do. 

Mackey’s book can be purchased on Amazon, or at accessibledesignstudios.com.  

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January 9, 2024 – The long-anticipated day has finally arrived for 10 of the nation’s most trusted and innovative Black publishers, who have worked hard over the past three years to grow Word In Black into a national news site focused on solutions to racial inequities in America. As of Jan. 1, Word In Black has officially incorporated as a public benefit company. 

Word In Black is the only media startup of its kind and serves as a future model for the industry. It was incubated inside Local Media Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Local Media Association. The incubation period allowed for significant testing and experimentation which in turn led to rapid growth. The 10 publishers and the LMF team worked hand-in-hand throughout the last three years to drive this growth. As part of this transition envisioned in the original 2020 business plan, LMF sold the assets to Word In Black, PBC, and will continue to provide support as a shareholder in the new company.

What makes it so successful is combining the large and loyal audience of the 10 publishers with the new national brand, along with third-party management services that don’t drain local resources. Almost all of the support, both commercial and philanthropic, includes all 10 publishers and the national brand, reaching a combined audience of more than 1 million. All 10 publishers have been able to add mini-beats to their newsrooms focused on health and education, along with access to content developed by the national reporting team. It’s a winning formula that has not been tested anywhere else. 

The public benefit corporation will be supported by the Word In Black Racial Equity Fund, a component fund of LMF. This support will ensure the great journalism funded by philanthropy continues to grow. Word In Black employs a newsroom of 10 FTEs along with contracted freelancers. The staff includes reporters and data journalists focused on health, education, finance, climate justice, religion and more. Read the 2023 Impact Report to learn more. 

The new corporation’s shareholders include the 10 publishers, their companies, LMF, and LMA/LMF CEO Nancy Lane. All shareholders contributed to a capital raise to strengthen the infrastructure on the business side. The company will continue to be managed by LMA and LMF for at least the next three years to ensure a smooth transition and manage the growth.

The shareholders elected the first board of directors, as follows: Dr. Frances Toni Draper, CEO, The AFRO American, board chair; Elinor Tatum, CEO, New York Amsterdam News, first vice chair; Patrick Washington, publisher, Dallas Weekly, second vice chair; Denise Rolark Barnes, CEO, The Washington Informer, treasurer; and Nancy Lane, secretary.

“This is a day to celebrate an important step in the evolution of Word In Black,” said Dr. Draper. “Launching a digital news site focused on racial inequities in America, in collaboration with nine other leading Black publishers, has been game changing for all of us. The transition to a public benefit corporation allows us to take Word In Black out of the pilot phase and develop it into a much larger national brand that is unapologetically Black.”

In the future, the group believes there will be opportunities to include more of the nation’s leading Black publishers. “We are already working with other like-minded local Black publishers on content campaigns involving large brands,” said Dr. Draper. “We look forward to casting a wider net as opportunities arise. Publishers that want to be involved are encouraged to contact us.”

“As chair of the board for Local Media Foundation, I could not be more proud of the work that has been done over the past three years,” said Larry Lee, publisher, The Sacramento Observer, and a shareholder in Word In Black. “We have been sharing our learnings with many others in the industry which has led to the formation of several new collaborations including News Is Out, a queer media collaborative. We believe this model is scalable and important to the long term sustainability of local media.”

As part of the transition, Word In Black is hiring a director of business development to cultivate sponsorships, events, reader revenue and branded content opportunities. 

Without the support of corporations, foundations and individuals, Word In Black would not exist. The board of directors would especially like to thank Google News Initiative, Conrad Hilton Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Comcast Foundation, Commonwealth Fund, Deloitte, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, McKinsey, Henry Luce Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Wells Fargo, AARP, Biogen, Meta Journalism Project and many others.

For more information about Word In Black and the WIB Racial Equity Fund, visit: www.wordinblack.com/aboutus and www.wordinblack.com/racial-equity-fund.

About Word In Black

Amsterdam News Publisher Elinor R. Tatum conceived what is today known as Word in Black, the acclaimed and historic collaboration of Black newspaper publishers to collectively address racial inequity in partnership with the Local Media Association, after the murder of George Floyd.

Since its launch in late 2020, Word In Black’s reporting team has relentlessly confronted inequities, elevated solutions, and amplified the Black experience by collecting and sharing stories that inform, inspire, and center truth.

Through this collaboration, Word In Black aims to accurately frame how the nation understands and addresses systemic issues of race, justice, and equity. Collective understanding leads to collective impact.

The 10 publishers that make up Word In Black are: AFRO News, The Atlanta Voice, Dallas Weekly, Houston Defender, Michigan Chronicle, New York Amsterdam News, The Sacramento Observer, The Seattle Medium, The St. Louis American and The Washington Informer. Cumulatively, these publishers have operated for more than 800 years.

About Word in Black Racial Equity Fund

The Word In Black Racial Equity Fund, a component fund of Local Media Foundation, supports the work of Black-owned and operated local news media by providing critical journalism resources for Word In Black, a collaborative effort of 10 of the leading Black publishers. 

The Fund supports journalism projects focused on solutions to racial inequities. Funding generally supports journalists who work for Word In Black, as well as journalists working for the 10 publishers. The Fund currently covers costs of 10 Word In Black journalists: an education reporter, education data journalist, health reporter, health data journalist, newsletter editor, climate justice reporter, community and audience engagement manager, finance reporter, religion reporter and the managing editor. The 10 publishers work with the WIB team to localize the stories in their markets, as well as producing their own original reporting.

About Local Media Foundation

Local Media Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization affiliated with Local Media Association. The LMF mission is to ensure a healthy future for local journalism, which is essential to a strong democracy, by reinventing business models for news.

In line with this mission, LMF worked with 10 of the nation’s legendary Black publishers to incubate Word In Black, a digital startup unlike any other in the industry. Over a three year period the national site, as well as the 10 local publishers, experienced significant growth. The organization believes this is a model that can be duplicated in other ways and in other markets. 

LMF manages other national collaborations including: Oklahoma Media Center, News Is Out – Queer Media Collaborative, Solving Sacramento, LMA Covering Climate, and New York/Michigan Solutions Journalism. LMF also manages the Local News Fund, which has helped hundreds of local and national news outlets fundraise for journalism projects, along with the Knight x LMA BloomLab, Lab for Journalism funding, Family and Independent Media Sustainability Lab and much more. More information at: www.localmedia.org.

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On a cold Tuesday afternoon, a group of 15 people walked up to the front window of the Madam C.J. Walker Museum. Located on Hilliard Street, just a block down Auburn Avenue from Ebenezer Baptist Church, the museum is a regular stop on tours through the historic Sweet Auburn District. Those tours don’t always mean business for the museum though. 

“Here comes another parasite tour,” exclaimed Ricci de Forest, the owner and operator of the museum. “That’s what I’m dealing with.”

The tour guide, a youngish white female, pointed at the window and mouthed something that seemed satisfactory to her guests before moving the group of Asian and white people back onto Auburn Avenue and down the street. 

According to the retired hairstylist, curating and managing the Madam C.J. Walker Museum, which was opened by de Forest in 1999, wasn’t part of the plan. 

“That was not in my wheelhouse,” said de Forest about opening a museum in honor of one of America’s first Black female millionaires and a Black hair care pioneer. Born in Delta, Louisiana, Walker, whose birth name was Sarah Breedlove, passed away in New York in 1919. And though she never lived in Atlanta, de Forest felt like her legacy should have a home in one of the city’s Black meccas. The museum was once a Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Shoppe, a type of franchise that Walker allowed to be built across the country in her name in order to sell and use her hair care products. The shop once served Black women in the Sweet Auburn District, now for a $7 entry fee the space serves a different need, according to de Forest.

“This place is the pinnacle of Black excellence and the promotion of female empowerment,” said de Forest. “The whole foundation of our success as businessmen and women was built on Black women like Walker. I stand in complete gratitude to these women.”

de Forest, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, told the story of how he came about leasing the space that now houses the museum. It was empty the first time he drove by in 1999 when he noticed the name on the front window. “I immediately pulled over and got out of my car in order to take a closer look,” de Forest recalled. 

A student of hair cair, de Forest’s career has seen his hair and makeup work in the pages of Essence, Shop Talk, and Professional Salon magazines. He also owned a popular salon in Atlanta before retiring. When he saw the shop he said he knew what he had to do next. He went to the barbershop next door and asked about who the owner might be. The Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Shoppe had seen better days and people said it would need a lot of interior work done in order to have a beauty salon up and running again. De Forest had other ideas.

“Immediately it was for personal reasons,” de Forest said when asked why he started renting the spade. “The highlight of my career was to work in an original Walker property.” 

That work would become more collection and curation, and less combs and curls.

When you walk into the Madam C.J. Waker Museum you are transported into a Black space. The black-and-white photos of musical luminaries such as Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder, Tupac Shakur, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Chaka Khan immediately command your visual attention. The photos are on the ceiling and the walls. Other photos of de Forest’s mother, mentors, and inspirations sit on tables stationed around the room. de Forest says he asks visitors if they can name 20 of the people in the more than 50 black-and-white photographs around the room. If they succeed he allows them to pick a vintage 45-inch record from a box.

There are walls of records -jazz, funk, soul, classical- aligning the walls of the museum as well. Though a large portion of the records are de Forest’s, there are many that belong to the late father of a friend, Chatel Mullen. The collection of vinyl belonged to Isaac Mullen and Chantel believed it would be best to donate the records to de Forest and the museum rather than to a record store, for example. When we arrived to interview de Forest that Tuesday afternoon, Sam Cooke’s 1960 classic “A Change Is Gonna Come” played over the loudspeakers, which also were donated to the museum.

“That’s how the community can help a museum, by donating,” de Forest said. “As a community, you have to pitch in. When I started preserving this place the community started to bring me stuff.”   

To generate funding for the museum, which de Forest said he financed himself, there are Black books and vintage albums for sale, and of course, there are the tours. Visitors will get a look at some of the tools of the trade, including Madam C.J. Walker-branded products in their original containers and tins. Hot combs and curlers in the displays at the center of the room are also originals that de Forest found inside the shop. He cleaned them up and immediately put them for all to see.

“I had a very small budget, but I was hell-bent on preserving this place,” de Forest said. He recalled telling his wife about his plans to convert the former hair salon into a museum/gift shop and remembers her using a couple of four-letter words during her response to his asking what she thought.

de Forest also credits women such as Annie Turnbo Malone and Sarah Spencer Washington, a pair of Black beauty pioneers and successful businesswomen in their own right. Photos of both are on display inside the museum. 

“This museum is important for me, but it is also humbling,” de Forest said. “I am completely guided and driven by artistic excellence. I just answered the message my ancestors sent me.”  

Local business owner Dwaine Go dropped by later that afternoon. A frequent visitor to the museum, Go said the first thing that comes to mind when he thinks of the museum is “home.”

“This museum is the preservation of the values that we have as a people,” he said. 

de Forest added, “I’d like for the legacy and some of the fiber of Auburn Avenue to remain.”

As Stevie Wonder’s 1973 hit “Higher Ground” played in the background, de Forest added, “This place is a legacy, it’s larger than life.”

For old Atlanta and new Atlanta alike, the Madam C.J. Walker Museum can be seen as higher ground in a way.

The Madam C.J. Walker Museum is located at 54 Hilliard Street, N.E. is open Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 4 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 3 p.m.

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Picture this: a young, ambitious, brimming with ideas yet bound by the economic constraints of his background. This is where the story of Ross Y. Dixon begins a narrative that has now culminated in the release of his first book, “Grind to Greatness,” set to release on  Amazon on December 30th.

But who is Ross Y. Dixon, you might ask? An Atlanta native, an awarded entrepreneur, and now a newly published author, Dixon is not just a man with a success story; he’s a visionary who chose to create his own destiny. His memoir, a compelling read for young entrepreneurs and dreamers alike, is more than just words on a page. It’s a journey, a mentorship, and guide to aspiring expats looking to move out of the United States and still operate business here.

In a candid conversation, Dixon shared his thoughts on the book: “Grind to Greatness isn’t just a book; it’s a blueprint showing my mistakes and wins. It’s for those who like to think outside of the box, for those who seek a life beyond the ordinary. It’s for the go-getters, the game-changers, and black families.”

The narrative of “Grind to Greatness” is as intriguing as it is motivational. It’s the story of Dixon’s own transformation: from a young black adolescent grappling with financial challenges in Atlanta to becoming a successful entrepreneur and real estate strategist.  Dixon’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is precise: “Leverage your skill sets and stay agile. Learn how to pivot as business is a constantly evolving arena, and to stay ahead, one must align with the right people.”

What makes “Grind to Greatness” stand out is Dixon’s blend of personal anecdotes with actionable strategies for success. He doesn’t just inspire; he guides. And it’s not just his business acumen that he shares. Dixon also delves into his life-changing decision to move his family abroad, offering insights into international living and its impact on spiritual and professional growth.

“Sharing my story through ‘Grind to Greatness’ is more than a recount of my life. It’s about igniting that spark of greatness in every reader,” Dixon remarked.  As we eagerly await the release of “Grind to Greatness,” one thing is clear: Ross Y. Dixon is not just an author; he’s a trailblazer setting the path for others to follow. For more on Dixon’s remarkable journey and to order his book, visit www.rossydixon.com.

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The crowd outside of Mr. Everything continued to grow as City of Atlanta council member Byron Amos talked about what the restaurant means to the Westside Village neighborhood it has been in the past 30 years. Amos and many others were braving a cold morning temperature to celebrate Mr. Everything’s 30th anniversary of business on the west side. 

Mr. Everything was established across the street from its current home in 1993. The family-owned business was started by husband and wife Jason and Monica Smith as a way to offer a more healthy dining option for customers in the Atlanta University Center and surrounding neighborhoods, said Jason, a native of Queens, New York. 

“It feels good because the community supports us and we are proud that the community continues to support us,” Jason said as people streamed inside the two-story restaurant. On the second floor of the restaurant a pull-apart cake designed to look like the “Mr.Everything” logo was on a table.

“It feels amazing,” Monica said of the celebration. “When we started this business in 1993 our goal was to serve the community. That still stands today.” 

There are three other Mr. Everything locations in Fairburn, Fayetteville, and a second Atlanta location on Greenbriar Parkway. Monica says the family is looking forward to the coming year with plans for the restaurant to expand in 2024. 

Monica said the business was trying to open a location inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport before the Covid pandemic hit in 2021 and those plans were put on hold. There are also plans to open five more locations next year, including inside the country’s busiest airport” she said. 

“We are very humbled to still be here and excited about the future,” said Monica. The couple has eight children and 10 grandchildren, some of whom were on-site for the ribbon-cutting. “They were so excited to cut the ribbon,” said Monica. 

Five Atlanta Police Department officers walked into the restaurant with one thing on their minds: lunch. They too were at Mr. Everything to celebrate three decades of business in the community. Upon seeing them enter, City of Atlanta Executive Director of the Office of Constituent Services Greg Clay joked to a friend, “This is the safest place in the city right now.” 

An Atlanta native, Clay was there to present a proclamation from the city to the Smiths. He had been coming to Mr. Everything since he was in high school and said he understood what the restaurant meant to the community then and now. 

“30 years of quality food and customer service for any type of small business is a huge accomplishment,” Clay said. “Not only that, but they are community folks.” 

Shade` Jones, chair of neighborhood planning unit L, said Mr. Everything’s success, growth, and solid business practices “is a great statement for what can happen in our community.”

“It’s really exciting to see the expansion within our community,” she added. “It’s an optimistic example for the businesses in this community.”

Mr. Everything has been on the right side and the left side of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, near the Atlanta University Center. Jones said that means it has been a part of two different neighborhood planning units during three decades of serving its popular rice-based meals and sandwiches, but one thing has remained the same, she says. “They have always been on the west side,” Jones said.  

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While the holidays are a time for celebration, many families in our community struggle to make ends meet, especially with the current economic challenges. Recognizing this need, 3D Girls, Inc., a local non-profit dedicated to empowering girls and mothers in metro-Atlanta, is bringing back its cherished holiday tradition. Their 9th Annual Holiday Giveback Event is a shopping experience designed to restore dignity and spread holiday cheer to 106 single-parent families; 255 children experiencing hardship.

“We understand that asking for help can be difficult, especially during this time of year,” says Raioni Madison, Executive Director of 3D Girls, Inc. “But we want families to know that they are not alone. 75% of our network is facing unemployment, and many are experiencing this need for the first time due to inflation and economic uncertainty.”

This year, the organization’s annual holiday shopping event is taking place in person. The nonprofit team has created a pop-store in their office space for families to shop for toys and goodies for children ages 0-12. Dedicated volunteers serve as ‘personal shoppers’, gift wrappers, and childcare support to allow parents to receive a joyful holiday experience.

“We don’t want families to feel like they’re just picking up a handout,” explains Madison. “We want them to feel celebrated, empowered, and most importantly, loved. This in-person shopping format allows us to deliver holiday cheer while restoring the dignity of choosing gifts for your child..”

The event, taking place on Sunday, December 16th, boasts thousands of toys donated by generous partner agencies and individuals. 3D Girls, Inc. volunteers have transformed the space into a magical winter wonderland, complete with festive decorations and holiday spirit.

“This is about so much more than just toys,” says Madison. “It’s about showing families that their struggles are seen, their needs are heard, and they are not alone in this journey. We want to bring them joy and hope during this holiday season.”

3D Girls, Inc. is still accepting toy donations for the event. To learn more about how you can support their mission, visit their website at www.3dgirlsinc.org or follow them on social media @3dgirlsinc on Facebook and Twitter.

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Disney Experiences, formerly Disney Parks, hosted nearly 100 Black small business owners from the Atlanta-based Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida early this week, organizing an experience designed to equip emerging business leaders with the skills needed to generate a positive economic impact within their communities.

Attendants were lodged inside Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts for the duration of the trip, spending a majority of their afternoons and evenings alongside RICE leadership, stakeholders and members of Disney’s supply chain accelerator planning team. Each pupil “graduated” from the program on Wednesday, receiving a certificate of completion and a round of congratulations from Mickey Mouse himself.

As the lead financial sponsor of RICE’s Supply Chain Accelerator Program, Disney presented a slew of educational sessions and workshops for the team, one of which was developed and hosted by the company’s exterior training arm, Disney Institute, giving Black business owners first-hand experience in adopting the mindset needed to operate successful ventures.

Leaders from Disney Institute introduced a service-oriented approach to entrepreneurship through its teachings, emphasizing that great service is necessary to properly run a business, regardless of size or revenue. Cast members at Disney brought this notion of exemplary service to life through their kind and courteous treatment of RICE entrepreneurs and stakeholders over the course of the trip.

Disney Institute also invited the group to tour exclusive parts of Magic Kingdom Park on Tuesday afternoon, where attendees identified real-life examples of the managerial concepts taught during the institute’s training session.

Additionally, RICE-backed business owners heard from local Black vendors contracted with Disney on Wednesday, listening in on a panel about expanding business practices, working with big retailers and embracing authenticity when developing a brand—another popular takeaway from the seminar.

“That’s the power of storytelling,” said Lisa Williams, founder of multi-cultural doll company

World of EPI, about authenticity during the discussion. “Because we get to see who we are…”

While many of this year’s participating entrepreneurs returned from last year’s event, some business owners joined RICE leadership in Florida for the first time this week. 

Chantel Powell, stakeholder at RICE and founder and CEO of natural kids deodorant brand Play Pits, said that RICE’s trip to Orlando marked her first visit to Disney World since she was about 10 years old, giving her a chance to observe the parks from a new and refreshing perspective as both an adult and an entrepreneur.

“I remember nothing (about my last time at Disney),” Powell said. “So, to see it with these experienced, entrepreneurial eyes—oh, my God, it’s incredible. It’s truly magical.”

Powell also said that she’s previously worked jobs in customer service before switching gears to start her own business, so Disney’s lessons on providing excellent service to clients and consumers particularly resonated with her.

“I was an executive assistant. I worked as a wardrobe stylist and assistant costumer in film and TV,” Powell said. “So, I’m used to being of service to people…”

A select few attendees even visited the parks at Walt Disney World for the very first time. 

Chisom Eke, founder and CEO of skin-sensitive skincare company Overlooked Beauty, said she had preconceived notions before traveling to Disney World, but her first experience navigating Magic Kingdom and EPCOT completely exceeded her expectations.

“I thought it was going to be like your typical amusement park,” Eke said. “But (after) coming here and after going through some of the info sessions we went through earlier (today), I’m like, ‘This place is absolutely amazing.’”

Intentionality was a central theme from Tuesday’s session with Disney Institute, with instructors from the institute stating that business owners should lead both intentionally and professionally in order to sustain financial success and encourage loyalty from their consumers.

Eke said that the intentionality behind Disney World’s operations was evident throughout Tuesday’s tour and that she plans to incorporate many of the lessons she’s learned on this trip into running her own small business.

“I think it made the experience so much better, because I know that… (Disney) did everything with care and with the customer in mind,” Eke said. “That helps me with even my business.”

The Russell Center and Disney plan to partner to host the event again next year.

The post Disney Experiences, RICE host second-annual training seminar for Black entrepreneurs appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

In the heart of the Atlanta University Center is 44th & 3rd Bookseller, a family-run bookstore owned by Cheryl Lee, 65, her husband Warren Lee, 68, and their daughter, Allyce Lee, 29.

Contrary to the assumption that the store’s name hints at a street in a metropolis like Chicago or New York, for example, the name has an entirely different meaning, according to the Lees.

The combination of the numbers 44 and 3 pays homage to the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, according to Warren Lee. During a visit to a Chicago bookstore, Warren Lee noticed the absence of Obama’s books in the store’s Black book section. This inspired Lee to make sure there would be a dedicated section in their own store. ”We were looking for the Black section, and at what was featured when I looked at it, there was something I didn’t see,” Warren said. “I called the manager and asked him to look at this section and tell me what was missing.” Before the manager could answer Lee, he added, “I said, you know, what’s missing is that you don’t have a book written by Barack Obama. And he’s the president, and this is his hometown.”

The “3rd” in the store’s name represents the themes it embodies—life, literature, and legacy—symbolized by numbers hanging above the cashier’s counter. The Lees take pride in the books they sell focusing on African-American authors and those from the African diaspora, featuring designated sections for self-help and international authors. The sections were curated and designed by Cheryl Lee’s niece, Rachel Brown, an Assistant Art Director at Spelman College.

Each member of the Lee family has a role in the bookstore; Allyce serves as the store’s head of marketing and public relations. After graduating from Howard University, like her father Warren,  Allyce joined the business. Her PR plan is centered around social media and email-based strategies, says Allyce. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have news/media outlets reach out to us with interest in our story and offerings,” she said.

Cheryl Lee, who is originally from Flint, Michigan, moved to Atlanta during her college years and said she had been contemplating the idea of a bookstore for years with her husband. During an interview with The Atlanta Voice, she shed light on the journey that led to the establishment of the 44th & 3rd Bookseller. Cheryl retired from her job at Coca-Cola as a financial manager in 2018 and started working on her long-time dream. “It’s been a lifelong dream,” Cheryl said. “I was in graduate school at Mercer and I wrote a thesis on independent bookstores, and what was the state of independent bookstores at that time.”

Before meeting his wife, Warren didn’t envision himself owning a bookstore. 

“My interest was in things that Black people needed, items that could be sold to or products made in Black communities internationally, which could be sold in the US markets,” he explained. Warren is a tax attorney by trade and majored in finance during his undergraduate studies at Howard University. 

“One time I was looking at coffee, and another time I was exploring spices because these were commodity-type items that could be sourced from African countries, and I considered reselling them here due to their practical use. I did have that interest for a while, but not books,” Warren said.

The business encountered the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the closure of a storefront location in Little Five Points in April 2020. However, the Lees adapted by transitioning to online sales a month later. That adjustment resulted in a remarkable 150% increase in business, according to Allyce. 

“The evolution of technology and social media over the past few years has been insane- so many people say that they find us on TikTok or Instagram and they travel from near and far to see us,” Allyce said. “On our end, it’s really fun for us to put forth content that appeals to our younger audiences and causes them to want to purchase or visit us at the store. Overall, it’s been fun and it’s amazing to see the success that digital and social marketing has made for our business.”

Following their pandemic boom, the Lees would receive an offer from Morehouse School of Medicine President Valerie Montgomery Rice to open near the AUC campus in 2021. 

Successes aside, Cheryl considers 44th & 3rd Bookseller a small business, emphasizing the ongoing challenges faced by small enterprises. Addressing the hurdles of operating a small business, Cheryl highlights the importance of staying relevant, understanding the audience, and fostering relationships with major publishers. 

“Definitely do your research,” she explained. “Work with the American Booksellers Association. They are a wealth of knowledge, and they are so helpful.”

The 44th & 3rd bookstore has also taken on five students as part-time employees. Senior psychology major Sydney Coggins-Prioleau, 22, said of her time at 44th & 3rd, “I know I really love books, and I really love Black people,” said Coggins-Prioleau.

Another of the student employees is currently a senior psychology major with a political science minor on the pre-law track at Spelman College

In reflecting on the journey of the bookstore, from its roots in Little Five Points to their current place within the Atlanta University Center, Cheryl emphasized the importance of community support and fostering relationships with publishers.

“Our success is intertwined with the vibrant tapestry of the Atlanta University Center and the literary community at large,” said Cheryl.

The post Atlanta’s 44th & 3rd Bookseller: a family-run store honoring Barack Obama appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

A lady wiped tears from her eyes and hugged her two children as Warrick Dunn Charities Founder Warrick Dunn welcomed them to their new home on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 21. Despite a steady rain and cool temperatures, more than 40 people and assorted media gathered outside of a two-story home in the Sylvan Hills neighborhood to greet the family and capture the moment.

A single mother, she moved to Atlanta in 2006 and works full-time for an insurance company. Having a forever home for her children was a goal, she said. During the welcome home ceremony she said a few words and thanked Dunn and the other representatives from Habitat for Humanity, Aarons, and others for their help in making this possible.

A combined effort from Warrick Dunn Charities and Habitat for Humanity made the home possible for the family. Through the program, Homes for the Holidays, homes are earned by the families, but receive the benefits of charitable donations from various organizations. The event marked the 220th home celebration for the charity, according to Dunn, who brought his 86-year-old grandmother from her native Baton Rouge, Louisiana and his 15-year-old nephew with him for the occasion. “This is her porch for now,” Warrick joked about his grandmother who sat in a chair nearby.

The patio furniture and all of the furnishings in the home were provided by Aarons, according to Kendall Jacobs, senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion for Aarons and a Warrick Dunn Charities board member. The major appliances inside the home -refrigerator, washer/dryer, and stove, were also courtesy of Aarons.

“It’s beautiful because Warrick always says we’re giving people a hand up, not a handout,” Jacobs said. “To see them walk through a house that’s fully furnished makes you feel good.”

The donation is worth $10,000, according to a release.

Along with Dunn, a former star running back at Florida State University and NFL star during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, Congresswoman Nikema Williams, who represents the 5th district, which encompasses the Sylvan Hills neighborhood, was on hand. Having grown up in a small house without indoor plumbing, Williams spoke of how good it can be for the development and mental heath of young children to have a safe and secure home to call their own.

“I know the importance of a safe place to call home,” Williams said. “Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this blessing in your life.”

Warrick Dunn Charities also handed the family a check for a $5,000 down payment towards the home. The kitchen was also stocked with food and kitchen appliances (microwave, toaster, for example). Having done charity work throughout the state, Tuesday’s ‘Homes for the Holidays’ celebration was the 62nd in metro Atlanta, according to the organization.

“Today is a special day,” Dunn said. “We couldn’t do it without a great team of individuals.”

Editor’s Note: We do not use the name of the new homeowner and any family or the address of the home in our stories on Habitat for Humanity and Warrick Dunn Charities for safety reasons.

The post ‘Welcome Home’: Warrick Dunn Charities, H4H, Aarons makes a family’s dreams come true appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Atlanta-based entrepreneur, celebrity hairstylist, and owner of Studio Techilo, Aida Techilo is known for making hair magic with celebrities like Chilli of TLC, comedian B. Simone, and many luminaries. With nearly half a million followers watching every swipe of the flatiron on YouTube, Techilo is changing narratives and talking points, one product and video at a time.  

In recent years, Techilo has shifted from doing hair to manufacturing and selling best-in-class hair products including undetectable extensions, flat irons, and more. It is with this shift that she’s set her sights on cementing a legacy that has infinite growth potential versus relying on her physical body to create her revenue.  

While the Black hair care market size is expected to be worth around USD 4.5 billion by 2032, according to Market US. Black ownership in comparison is incredibly small and Black brands make up only 2.5 percent of revenue in the beauty industry, yet Black consumers are responsible for 11.1 percent of total beauty spending.  

To purchase Techilo’s products or to book services, visit https://www.studiotechilo.com.  

The Atlanta Voice spoke with Techilo to discuss her business, advice, and journey.  

The Atlanta Voice: Why did you decide to start your business?  

Aida Techilo: I’ve always lived here, and I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, so I was already set in stone. Once I found out what I wanted to do, which was be an entrepreneur in the hair and beauty industry, I didn’t know how far it was going to go and how big it became, but it’s always been in the works for me. That was always the plan.  

AV: When did you start your journey?  

AT: I started my journey in 2004. As soon as I got out of school, I went to hair school and from then I finished high school and maybe about a year worked at a salon for probably two years and from then I opened my own business. I went small and then scaled.  

AV: You’re a celebrity hairstylist who’s creating a blueprint evolving from hair hairstylist to beauty mogul, hair educator and online retailer. How was that journey/transition and what did it teach you?  

AT: Oh, the journey was difficult because we’re creatives. So, I didn’t know anything about the industry, like the business part of it. It was like I was thrown in and when I started getting popular, I began selling products and had to learn the business part of it, and it kind of taught me the importance of diversifying a skillset and not just being stuck behind the chair. Other than that, it wasn’t an easy process, but we got through it. We made it through it.  

AV: What does it take, in your opinion, to build a hair business from the ground up? 

AT: I would say first you have to have some type of love for the beauty industry. I know some people get into it just to make money, but I feel like for longevity reasons, you have got to love it. After that, just knowing what people want, you can’t stay stagnant and just think that that’s going to be the trend for the rest of your industry or your career more soon. So, I would just say in keeping up to date with all the trends that are coming, knowing what your clientele or what your people want and move in it fast, finding the right product, finding the best quality that you have because you want to keep your name and brand relevant. I have not only the best service, but the best quality product, because once you get a bad name out there, there’s no going back. So, you want to make sure that you’re consistent with everything.  

AV: Now, while the black hair care market size is expected to be worth around 4.5 billion by 2032, black ownership, in comparison, is incredibly small. What are your thoughts for black ownership in the current market?  

AT: On the business side, I feel like we need to network and start building relationships, like they can’t shop with us if they don’t know that our business is out there. Also, I think we kind of lack the marketing part. A lot of these other business owners are spending endless amounts of money on marketing and advertising, and that’s how they’re reaching out to our demographic. So, I feel like we need to get out there and just market ourselves, spend that money, and have that budget so that people know that we’re out there in the shop with this. Not only just having the best customer service, but also getting our names out there. You can’t shop with us if you don’t know that we exist.  

AV: Was there a moment that inspired you to start your business?  

AT: I’ve always loved doing hair. I knew that that was my angle from when I was in middle school and then I grew up with my family. They always owned businesses from gas stations. So, I kind of saw that and I knew I wanted to be a hairstylist. I didn’t know that it was going to go so crazy where we’re selling products all over the world and traveling and doing classes and YouTube courses and stuff like that, but I knew that I wanted to have my own hair salon and business now.  

AV: Are there any mentors in your life that inspired you to partake on this journey? 

AT: I would say a person that inspired me is probably Myleik Teele from Curl Box. I’ve never met her, but she’s just so inspiring. She created a lane in our industry, and she wasn’t scared and her marketing and everything is just so creative. I’ve never met her, but even her advice on life is just so inspiring and teaches the business aspect and it’s kind of hard when you don’t know that or have any mentors. However, I feel like without even meeting her, she’s the kind of somebody that inspires me like a mentor.  

AV: What are your business goals for the remainder of the year and even next year?  

AT: That’s a good question. It’s been a rough year for entrepreneurs, I would say, not in just our industry. So, we’re just gearing up for next year and to get through this last quarter of this year and trying to set ourselves up because of a couple ideas we’re looking to expand and open another location. So just doing that and getting ready for the next quarter, the first quarter of next year.  

AV: What do you hope to inspire in other stylists?  

AT: I would hope to inspire that there is life beyond the chair. A lot of times, when you are creative, you don’t know the business part of the industry and you just think, ‘oh, I’m just going to do this for the rest of my life’, and it takes a toll on our body. So, just knowing that there’s a lot of things that you could do and still be in the industry but not be behind the chair from whether you want to be a celebrity stylist or work on sets or be the Amazon of the beauty industry, there’s so much more. Just don’t wait for somebody to create your lane, create it, or follow the footsteps of somebody, but it’s just such a big picture and we can’t just be stuck in that one little room. So, I would just say, yes, pretty much be open to anything. Follow your passion.  

AV: With every industry, there comes challenges. So, in the beauty industry, what kind of challenges have you faced and how did you prevail through those challenges?  

AT: I don’t even know where to start because there’s so many challenges. There’s challenges every day in the business industry. As an entrepreneur, we go through so much every day. I would say being consistent was something that I had to work on. Good business and being a good business owner help and good business is going to get you so much clientele. They’ve been trying to nickel and dime and win every you know, every battle. You can’t win every battle, but just doing good business keeps the customers coming. Another thing would be customers. I was doing hair, and I was able to pick and choose my clients and once we got big like this, we were dealing with all types of customers, and I love what I do. Everything about it, it’s my passion. So, I am checking everything before we send it out. We were serious about the business aspect, so when we would get a complaint, it would really hurt. I had to sit there and say, ‘hey, okay, well we have to understand other people’s issues and take it as constructive criticism and learn from it’. So, I would say one of the hard parts was hearing criticism, knowing that I worked hard for something, and I just wasn’t selling or putting something out just to be putting it out. You don’t want to take it personal because it’s business, but when you really love what you do, you end up taking it personally. So, I had to take my feelings out of it and just be a business owner and see how it is as a consumer for myself and how I would want to be treated.  

AV: What kind of advice do you have for future business owners taking the plunge?  

AT: Never taking anything personal. I would say being consistent is always important and patient. Just being patient. Don’t give up on the first note, I feel like all these social media platforms make it seem like everything just comes easy and we’re opening businesses left and right, but they don’t really see what we’re going through in the struggles in the 24/7, not even 9 to 5 working. We’re working 24/7, so just being consistent, being patient, loving what you do, and what gets you far.  

The post Black Business Profile: Aida Techilo changes narrative one product at a time  appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.