By: Mikayla Davis
The third annual Black Maker’s Market took place Wednesday, February 12 from 2 to 5 p.m., right in time to celebrate Black History Month. The event, organized by the Office of Student Development for William Peace University, was originally set to take place on the main lawn but was instead held in the gym due to weather. The market was open to WPU students as well as the entire Raleigh community.
Graduate assistant for the Office of Student Development Brinley Warren, noted that the purpose of the event is to “bring our WPU community and outside community together to support small, locally black owned businesses in the Raleigh area.”
Warren informs that vendors were recruited through Instagram, Google, and direct messaging. Expect to see all of the businesses in attendance at the event to be listed on a recap posted to the life at WPU Instagram.
One of the booths featured was Styled By Jasmine Boutique providing handmade Afrocentric jewelry and accessories. The owner Jasmine sells her products online primarily through her website and Instagram. She started her business 10 years ago and has been operating full-time since 2019.
This year marks Jasmine’s second appearance at WPU’s Black Maker’s Market. Additionally, she attends three to four events monthly mainly consisting of outdoor pop-up markets. She suggested that an outdoor event could have had better visibility for potential customers.
OMG Juicery was another local black-owned business participating in the event. Operated by Layla Yasmeen and her mother, Melita Quick, OMG Juicery focuses on creating cold-pressed juices with no added water or sugar, meant to detox and cleanse. The two just opened their very first store in Cary, NC last November.
Keep an eye out for the announcement of next year’s event, you won’t want to miss it!
Showcasing her handmade Afrocentric jewelry and apparel, Jasmine of Styled by Jasmine Boutique has attended the past two Black Maker’s Markets hosted by WPU. The event is held to encourage students and the community to support small black-owned businesses.