'Harlem Ever After' Event Highlights Black Women-Owned Businesses
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A pop-up party in celebration of a new Harlem-themed streaming series is highlighting Black women-owned businesses throughout the community. The entrepreneurs are recovering from the effects of pandemic with help from a variety of supporters.
At the "Harlem Ever After" event, beautiful booths highlighted a shining array of luxury products, made by women locally in Harlem.
"This is an opportunity that shows, the things Black women create are for everyone," said Jessica Spaulding, who owns Harlem Chocolate Factory.
Spaulding's creations are one-of-a-kind, blending flavor and flair.
"I grew up going to chocolate shows my whole life and never seeing anything that reflected my culture," Spaulding said.
Spaulding said she and her entrepreneur friends have benefited greatly from rising corporate and community support. After having to shut down her storefront last year, grant funding kept her afloat.
Amazon hosted the event as part of its mission to uplift Black women-owned businesses, and to promote its new series "Harlem," which follows fictional women who live in the neighborhood.
Spaulding still lives in the real world of running a micro-business and often has to enlist the help of her son and daughter to craft thousands of bon-bons and truffles, but she is encouraged that change is on the horizon.
"Bounce back is not easy," she said, "but we're still kicking and we're still here."
The pop-up shopping event continues on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at Harlem Parish.
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