Photo: Courtesy of Michelle Dalzon
Blavity spoke with Michelle Dalzon, the founder and chief visionary for the Black Owned Pop-Up Market (BOM). Read the interview below for more details about theBOM and why you should attend.
theBOM is a pop-up market destination that allows you to shop conveniently with black-owned businesses. If you’re in New York on Dec. 11, 2016, enjoy a carefully-curated holiday experience featuring black brands from all retail categories.
Vendors included at this year’s BOM:
Art Installation by Ronald Draper
ELo Lipcare
Catered by YUM YUM Chefs
Liquor by Luc Belaire Champagne and MYX Moscato
B: Tell us more about why you started BOM?
MD: I started theBOM to create a space where people could shop conveniently and discover black brands. There are so many lists and online databases all over the internet, but I didn’t see anything that actually energized people to buy black. To differentiate myself from what was already out there, I decided to work on producing an event where people could not only shop, but interact with quality black brands like never before. theBOM is an upscale pop-up experience where shoppers eat, sip and connect — all while investing in black brands. My goal is to make shopping black fun, cool and convenient.
B: What are 5 reasons why people should support theBOM on Dec 11?
MD: The 5 reasons why people should support theBOM on Dec 11th are:
1. Job security: Black-owned businesses are the second highest employer of our people behind the government.
2. Shopping black means we’ll actually start benefiting from our $1 trillion in buying power.
3. By supporting theBOM, you’re supporting our mission to increase the circulation of the black dollar and provide a platform for black brands to succeed.
4. theBOM is making it easy to shop and discover black brands
5. You’ll feel a sense of pride knowing you’re investing into your community and you’ll be gifted with dope products in return!
B: What are your thoughts on the vitality of economic empowerment for the black community.
MD: It saddens me that our equivalent to Chinatown, Little Italy or the Jewish community doesn’t exist, and when we tried to create something of the sort, it was met with hate and destruction (Black Wall Street). It is vital for us to re-create some form of economic empowerment within our community by shopping amongst each other even when it’s not easy. If there aren’t black businesses in your neighborhood then shop online, look on social media — they exist. If we all just made more of an effort to shop black, I believe we’d see changes. We’ve already seen examples of that from our ancestors. The shift is happening right now and we’re realizing the importance in supporting black-owned businesses and the power of our dollar. Starting off, theBOM will be a pop-up destination, but I am hoping in the future it will become more of a permanent location. It would be similar to Chelsea Market or BK Flea in NYC, but for black businesses. That’s my goal!
B: Why do you think it's important for our generation in particular to be more aware of black owned businesses during this holiday season?
MD: I think it’s important for our generation to be aware of and support black-owned businesses all year round and not just during the holidays. Ownership is the key to economic empowerment, and as more black people begin to see themselves in their local business owners and entrepreneurs, the community strengthens. It’s more than just shopping, in return for your purchase you’re helping that business owner send their kids to school, keep a roof over their head and pay their bills. My parents are entrepreneurs who, for the past 28 years, have run a beauty supply store out of Somerville, Massachusetts, and I’ve seen firsthand the outcomes of supporting black businesses.
B: NYC is changing rapidly. Gentrification is swift and disenfranchising vulnerable populations. Tell us more about how events like theBOM are important during this historical time.
MD: Events like theBOM remind us that we are resilient and self-reliant, we have all we need right here within our community. There are so many strong brands all around us waiting to be discovered, but since black businesses usually aren’t as mainstream, we have to do a little digging. Through theBOM I’m looking to dispel those myths we oftentimes hear that black brands are unprofessional, mediocre or expensive. That’s just not the case. If we want events like this and black businesses to thrive, we have to support them. I’ve done an extensive amount of research to make sure that every brand at theBOM is quality and holds themselves to a certain level of excellence — in return we provide top-notch service to our vendors. I don’t want to just throw another list at you, I want you to get to know who you’re buying from, interact with the brand, and have fun while doing it. Once you have ownership, you become the decision maker.
Purchase your tickets to theBOM here.
