BLCKNLIT

In this episode, Priscilla and Jasmine speak with Dominick Adams, co-founder of Somewhere, a recently opened mixed-use retail space and cafe located in Southeast D.C. - minutes from where he grew up. He shares his story of making a career switch from working at the airport, to a corporate job, and later diving into the fashion industry managing Major - the first boutique streetwear store in D.C. We learn how his varied career path led to the creation of high-end retail concepts, including Somewhere, which bring international streetwear brands to the District, and connects creative communities along the way. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

In this episode, Jasmine and Priscilla talk to Anika Hobbs, the founder of Nubian Hueman, a local brick & mortar and online store featuring unique clothing and art by designers representing the global Diaspora. She also founded the Black Love Experience, an annual event showcasing black-owned businesses, products, and artists. We learn more about how she left a global fast-fashion company after working there for over a decade, to open her own store and create an event that provides a space for people of color to connect and experience love on all levels: community love, friend love, and self-love. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Aerica Shimizu Banks started her career in Environmental Policy, eventually working with Google on Patent Policy and Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Initiatives. She's currently the Public Policy and Social Impact Manager at Pinterest, where she works to create ecosystems that benefit marginalized communities. On this episode Aerica discusses the importance of recognizing the systemic racism in our country that impacts environmental and social issues, and why she chooses to share her story and use her voice to advocate for people of color, specifically women entrepreneurs. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Eric Moorer, Sommelier and Manager of Domestique, a local D.C. wine shop, stops by the BLCKNLIT podcast to pop open a few bottles of wine and take us on a journey into the world of vino. He shares his story of how he first became obsessed with the wine industry, as well as tips on how to enter the wine world professionally, before teaching Jasmine and Priscilla how to taste wine like a pro. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Jasmine and Priscilla talk with Tenaj Moody, the founder of Light to Life, a domestic violence awareness program offering workshops and events to young adults and teens on the prevention of abusive and unhealthy relationships. Tenaj survived an abusive relationship at the age of 16, which led her to start Light to Life, and provide women with the necessary tools to build healthy relationships. On today's episode, we not only hear how Tenaj started her organization, but we learn the early warning signs for abuse, and the steps one can take to leave an abusive relationship and trust love again. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Jasmine and Priscilla talk with freelance writer Shayla Martin, a former hospitality publicist, and current travel and lifestyle writer who seven years ago, after a traumatic event, realized that she was struggling with alcoholism and needed to take a risk to change her life. Shayla shares how sobriety plays a role in her work life, dating life, and how she's working to create a podcast featuring people of color dealing with addictions, offering them a platform to tell their stories. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Jamea Richmond-Edwards is a D.C. based mixed media artist whose work has been featured in some of the top galleries, museums, and experiential shows across the globe. Her work uses found objects and multiple mediums to create collage-style depictions of the black experience. On this episode of BLCKNLIT, Jasmine and Priscilla uncover the inspiration behind Jamea's artwork and how she expresses black joy and black womanhood through her craft.

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Jhavon Kashif is the owner of Nailbed & Bar, a luxury, eco-friendly nail spa East of the Anacostia river, a majority black and historically underserved neighborhood in Washington, D.C. As the first black-owned nail spa of its kind in the area, Jhavon strives to prove that black owned businesses can reclaim the identity of the community by servicing its people with quality standards in a postive environment. Jhavon shares how she got her business off the ground, why it was important for her to hire people of color, and tips for those hoping to open a service business of their own.

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James Beard Award winning chef and author, Kwame Onwuachi, is no stranger to setbacks, having overcome a difficult adolescence and later opening his first restaurant at 24, only to have it shutter in less than a year. We close out our last episode of the year, with someone who has dominated 2019, running one of the top restaurants in D.C., Kith/Kin, publishing a memoir - Notes from a Young Black Chef - and landing a movie deal on his life story. Chef Kwame tells us how he hustled relentlessly to achieve his dreams and used his failures as fuel for his wins.

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When you think of a flourishing community you likely imagine a place with access to educational and creative programming, affordable healthy food, and a safe space for members to interact. Today’s guest, Mahammad Mangum, didn’t always see these components in the community he grew up in so he created it with The Village Cafe, a socially-conscious, community-minded cafe in the Union Market neighborhood of Northeast D.C. On this episode, he explains what his idea of community is and how he and his partners, three young black men from D.C., created a business for the community by the community. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.