Rwanda Ray, Afro City founder (Brian W. Carter/L.A. Sentinel)
Contrary to what you may think, the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza (BHCP) is very much alive. Inside BHCP, Afro City is a ticket to the Mecca of Los Angeles Black businesses. Rwanda Ray is the founder of Afro City.
The native Angeleno was raised in the Crenshaw District and went to Hyde Park Elementary and Bancroft Performing Arts. She graduated from Cal State Northridge majoring in Radio, TV and Film. She is also the founder and creator of the hair and beauty expo, Afrolicious, which leads into how Afro City was created.
“It was during COVID, towards the end,” said Ray. “They had shut down all the events and gatherings so, we were just at home and so, when it was kind of getting better or the virus was kind of dissipating, I came up with an all-Black market called You Buy Black Marketplace in South Park in Downtown L.A.
Ray continued, “We also did another one called the Downtown L.A. Marketplace. After I did that, I decided I wanted to get a building to house small, black businesses and provide affordable retail space.”
Related Links:
California Must Ensure the Participation of Black Businesses in Upcoming Global Events
She took into consideration, from talking to many business owners over the years doing Afrolicious, that it would be more profitable to have Black, small businesses, all working together under one roof.
“Commercial real estate is so high, employee cost is very high, and utilities can be sky high and then here, at Afro City, you just play 1 flat rate and we market together, we sell together, we share customers,” said Ray.
She continued, “We do serve as an incubator, where you can learn the main business properties, stylings and licensing and we want to get you ready to have your own business and scale your business.”
Afro City currently has over 25 small, Black businesses selling a variety of products and merchandise. They offer 9 by 9 spaces and bigger with spaces as low as $100 to $150.
“We have a showroom for designers,” said Ray. “We have an event space where we you can do photography so, if you’re a member here, or Afro Citizen as we call it, our part of the collective, you can do photo shoots over there for free, any events that we have here, you can be a part of, it’s free—you don’t have to pay as a guest vendor.”
Donald Jackson, owner of God Bless Network (Brian W. Carter/L.A. Sentinel)
Afro Citizen, Donald Jackson is the owner of God Bless Network, a clothing line that features designs using graphic art and more to bring people closer to God.
“My business stems from me turning around my life two years ago to God,” said Jackson. “I’ve been called to preach and I’m studying for my ministry now and this is a part of the outreach of the ministry and the nonprofit organization that I’m going to start to help homeless kids, anybody that wants to get on track with whatever part of the life that they lack.”
Jackson shared that he wants customers to “get inspired by the words on the clothes that’s coming from God because most of them have scripture.
“I’m also going to have a Bible collection in my brand where it’s going to highlight the Bible where I can teach the Bible in fashion, where they can read scriptures. So, if they don’t open their Bible, they can see it on the clothes and then they start to get closer to God.”
Mama Sunshine is another Afro Citizen and owner of Mama Sunshine’s Treasures, which sells oils, skin and hair care and overall self-care.
“Our #1 selling product is our leave-in conditioner, it’s called Mama’s Mud Whip and our Moisturizing Mist,” said Mama Sunshine.
Her main business is located in Inglewood and is a private boutique by appointment only.
Afro Citizen Nedra Jamerson sells a variety of tasty honeys with her business, Go Bee Alive. You will find four different honeys at Go Bee Alive such as avocado, orange blossom, sage and wildflower.
“It’s some of the best honey that you’ll find around,” said Jamerson. “My honey is straight from the beehive, it’s local honey, we harvest right in Ventura County.”
She shared the avocado honey is good for coffee, waffles, pancakes and makes a nice glaze on salmon and in making BBQ.
“My best seller is going to be the sage,” said Jamerson.
Jamerson continued, “It’s a really good honey that’s good for this season because it really does help with the immune system so, cold, flu, sore throats, it’s a really nice smooth honey to help build your immune system.”
Afro Citizens, from left, (top), are Jennifer Cormack, owner of Stronger Strandz and Nedra Jamerson, owner of Go Bee Alive; (bottom) Mama Sunshine, owner of Mama Sunshine’s Treasures and Gary Banks, owner of Rope & Pearl Photos (Brian W. Carter/L.A. Sentinel)
Gary Banks is another Afro Citizen, who specializes in carpet sculpture.
“I do portraits of people with carpet that has evolved into fashion since I’ve been here,” said Banks
He calls his clothing line, Rope and Pearl. His clothing line includes jackets, jeans, tuxedo and you can also bring your clothing in for custom embossing.
“I’m the king of bling,” said Banks.
He got into working with carpets in the 1970s and his work caught the eye of the entertainment world. He’s created pieces for Redd Foxx, who convinced him to come to L.A. He eventually started his own business which contracted commercial art to many well-known establishments.
Last, but definitely not the least is Afro Citizen, Jennifer Cormack. Her haircare line, Stronger Strandz, is designed to give customers a natural way to keep your hair healthy and beautiful.
“I grew up with foster care siblings so, we all had one hair care routine, and it wasn’t all Black,” said Cormack. “My grandma was in charge so, she’s like I’m going to either use more or less, but it always didn’t smell great, certain products, they just had a certain smell, we were like, ‘ok, my hair’s growing, but I’m getting talked about.’”
Cormack continued, “I wanted to change that, I wanted to create natural products, and my grandma would call me all the time when I became an adult, telling me about the concoction she made and how it grows her hair and all these great benefits.
“That kind of ignited my love for just creating my own concoctions and realizing the benefits of certain products and realizing how many chemicals they put in them and it’s unnecessary. I also have a cosmetology license, I’ve worked in a salon so, I was seeing how simple things can be done for our hair and like, why does it take so much?”
Cormack created a braid spray and hair oil that are all made with natural ingredients.
“It’s just phenomenal as far as like you get an experience, it’s natural, you’re not going to worry about the list of chemicals,” said Cormack.
She continued, “In my oil for instance, I use avocado and flax seed are my main ingredients, rosemary and peppermint essential oil are also in here.”
Afro Citizens had a booth at Taste of Soul this year and rotated their products during the festival. Jackson shared the collective feelings of Afro City being a part of the festival.
“It was a blessing,” said Jackson.
“It was wonderful to see all the people in the community, all your friends you grew up with, people you don’t get to see that often and just to see everybody smiling and walking around, coming together and meeting new people.
“That’s what I’m all about being here, not just to sell the clothes, but to be part of the community and intertwined with whatever it is that we need to do next to stay together.”
Afro City invites the community to Black@The Mall on Black Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Afro City is located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza available on Instagram.
