COMMUNITY
By Kari Adams | Photos by Jenn Terrell Photography
Fostering Community
Black-Owned Northwest Arkansas helps residents and businesses find a sense of belonging
When Jasmine Hudson and J’Aaron Merchant moved to Northwest Arkansas for work in 2013, they found themselves in a new area with no guidance on how to navigate it. And they soon realized many others were in the same position.
Hudson and Merchant met about a year after moving to the region and quickly became friends. Understanding they had a story to share as two single Black women learning how to find their way, they created the blog Jazzy Jae NWA to connect with those who might be experiencing the same thing.
“What happened was, we started getting a following,” Hudson said. “People moving in to work for (corporate offices) were like, ‘Hey, I am moving there. Can you help me find somewhere to get my hair done?’ or ‘I am trying to find a place of worship that is familiar to me.’”
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It was happening so often that the duo created a separate Instagram page called Black-Owned Northwest Arkansas to consolidate the information, which then grew into the nonprofit it is today. The mission is “to empower, celebrate and support black culture, businesses, and experiences in Northwest Arkansas through intentional storytelling, community engagement and strategic partnerships.”
Hudson said the question that spurred it all was, “How do we make sure the Black community feels as though they belong in Northwest Arkansas?”
Soon, Hudson and Merchant realized the potential for an event where Black-owned businesses could gather in one place. In 2019, they held the first Black-Owned Business Expo at Record in downtown Bentonville with about 20-30 vendors, and it was a hit. “We instantly outgrew the space,” Hudson said. “So many people came, and we were like, ‘Oh, there’s something to this.’”
Today, the expo features more than 60 vendors and averages about 2,500 attendees. Always scheduled during Black History Month, the next expo is set for Feb. 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fayetteville Town Center. It is free and open to the public. The organization also hosts an expo in August — Black Business Month — if funds allow.
Vendors range from health and wellness to clothing and food, covering everything in between. Dr. Ashley McElroy of Amethyst Chiropractic in Bentonville has been involved since the beginning. For McElroy, it’s all about visibility.
“It’s a great way for people who didn’t know that these services were provided by Black-owned providers to access that and learn about it,” McElroy said. “Even though I’ve been open since 2019, every year, I meet people who say, ‘I had no idea there was a Black chiropractor here. I would love to see a Black chiropractor.’ Just because it’s a little more comfortable for some people.”
McElroy said it can be hard for small businesses to stand out in the community, especially Black-owned businesses that might not have the funds for large advertising campaigns. “The Black-Owned Business Expo provides a lower cost of entry for marketing for small businesses, but the return is exponential,” she said.
It is also a way to connect. “The sense of community is so strong,” McElroy said. “You are feeling a community that you don’t get to feel every day. That is what you are experiencing, and that is what everyone who attends gets to experience.”
Ola Atilola, owner of Asami Naturals in Gentry, has also participated since the expo’s early days. At his booth, he connects with people by offering tea samples and sharing his extensive knowledge about tea and cocoa.
When people think about tea, Atilola said Asia is often the first place to come to mind, but Africa is also a big player in the industry. However, once large corporations buy the tea and slap on their label, the origin is lost. Atilola created Asami Naturals to put more money in the pockets of small African tea and cocoa farmers while sharing each product’s unique story.
The Black-Owned Business Expo is an avenue for this. “It’s a place for us to share what we have with like-minded people but also people who didn’t even know we existed,” Atilola said. “Every small business needs some sort of community to be able to raise awareness for their product.”
And, at the end of the day, it does always come back to community. “Think of it like a big family reunion,” Hudson said.
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There is music, dancing and mingling. People greet friends they see often and those they haven’t seen in a while. And people meet new friends and learn about what Northwest Arkansas has to offer.
When Hudson recalls her favorite part of what she does, she thinks of the two sides to this story.
“One is the actual businesses that find their clientele and make record-breaking sales that day so that they can sustain themselves and thrive in the area,” Hudson said. “And the other is whenever we are at the expo, someone will come up to us and say, ‘I just moved here, and I had no clue. I was ready to leave, and now, I feel confident I can make a life for myself and my family here.”