BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES

When it comes to Detroit, many people find inspiration throughout the city. For Shayla Johnson that inspiration and something she’s passionate about, transformed into a unique business. “I love fabrics, I love patterns, and I enjoy illustrations that are really painterly and concentrating on themes like Detroit architecture and the florals that are here, " Shayla Johnson, Owner of Scarlet Crane Creations told “Live in the D’s,” April Morton. Johnson started her business a decade ago, and offers a variety of handmade items. “A lot of my illustrations are a part of the collections that I create, which include tea towels, throw pillows, and bags and other soft goods,” Johnson said. She says her most popular items are the one’s with Detroit themes. She finds her inspiration in the exterior of Detroit architecture, but also in areas that are in plain site, yet oftentimes go unnoticed, like a ceiling panel in the Guardian building or a small detail in the Penobscot building.

Detroit’s historic Avenue of Fashion is located on Livernois Avenue between 6 and 8 Mile Road. Before malls, it was a place people would go for luxury shopping and local organizations want to bring that back.

As Black History Month comes to a close, a group in Detroit is quite literally laying the foundation for Black-owned businesses to thrive on the city’s east side.

There’s a special event for foodies kicking off this weekend. It’s Detroit Black Restaurant Week, an event that showcases our community’s black-owned restaurants and this time around there are more restaurants than ever taking part.

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Welcome to Le Don Collection -- it’s the newest store in Downtown Royal Oak on South Washington Avenue, “We’re art, fashion, sneakers.”And Saturday, the owner Le Don will open up his second clothing store to the public. His first one is in Southfield and the new one is in Royal Oak. “It’s a scary thing to open up a business in times like this,” said Le Don. He’s competing in his late 20s, “Being one of the youngest Black men in Royal Oak and being Nigerian is different. More information can be found on the Le Don Collection’s official website here.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday and his wife Lauren recently launched the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Impact Fund, which is funded by the rest of Holidays checks from the NBA. With Holiday expected to receive up to $5 million during the remainder of the NBA season, he has dedicated the funds to black-owned businesses, black and brown organizations and historically black colleges and universities. Up to $1.5 million in Los Angeles and Compton which is where Jrue and the Holiday family is from. $500,000 to colleges and universities which includes historically Black colleges and universities. The Holidays garnered inspiration from the recent Black Lives Matter protests and racial injustices that occurred to provide this resource for Black and Brown communities.