After moving to Atlanta and seeing the inconsistencies in how Black-owned businesses were supported and showcased, I desired to create a space that elevated the excellence of Black businesses. But I knew I could not begin or stop at only creating a marketplace.
Presently, in the age of COVID-19, we have been intentional about purposefully pivoting at this moment and ensuring success despite the ongoing crisis that has forced many Black-owned businesses to shutter. In March, we were forced to shift our marketplace from in-person to digital. We had two weeks to build, train, and get people excited about it. While it was not the same as the physical gathering, we had more than 6,000 people who participated.
COVID-19 has caused The Village Market to pivot into the digital space like never before. We have partnered with CPAs and corporations like Shippo and Google for StartUps to host monthly technical assistant and development classes for small businesses. We began the State of Black conversations series on Instagram live to discuss ongoing challenges in the Black community in the age of COVID-19.