The Brown Mamas Marketplace returns to Pittsburgh on Saturday, November 29, 2024, coinciding with Small Business Saturday. The event, organized by Muffy Mendoza, founder of Brown Mamas, Inc., aims to support Black women entrepreneurs by providing a space for them to sell their products and learn about various aspects of running a business. Mendoza started her initiative in 2012 to help local Black mothers achieve better health and economic outcomes.
She recognized the lack of resources available for Black women entering entrepreneurship, especially first-generation business owners. “There was not a lot of information out there about how to start a business or how to maintain one,” Mendoza said. The marketplace will feature a variety of vendors, including food, jewelry, and clothing businesses, as well as community organizations.
Mendoza intentionally scheduled the event for Small Business Saturday to highlight the need to support Black-owned businesses in Pittsburgh that don’t have storefronts. “Brown Mamas Marketplace is about creating a place where moms can sell their products, be supported by the Pittsburgh community, and also learn about different aspects of business,” Mendoza said. The event focuses on three key areas: womb, wealth, and wellness.
“As a mom-preneur, you have to be holistic in your approach to living a good life,” she added.
Return of Brown Mamas Marketplace
Guests at the event will hear from speakers like Tayler Clemm, who teaches about womb wellness, and Kahlil Darden.
Clemm will present home herbal remedies, including how to create tinctures and plant medicine for everyday ailments. “It’s geared toward new moms and their entire families. I’m really excited to share this with my sisterhood,” Clemm said.
Tanya Willson, owner of a business specializing in decorative bags for discreetly carrying personal care and feminine hygiene products, emphasized the importance of local support. “We, as local businesses, can’t be successful without the support of the local community,” she said. “We’re already competing with Target and Walmart, which have a jump on the competition.
We’re just trying to share a piece of ourselves through our products.”
The event will be held on Smithfield Street from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. “We wanted to have it in a space where not only could we support Black-owned businesses through shopping but every aspect of the event, from the décor to the venue, supports a Black-owned business,” Mendoza said. The next Brown Mamas Marketplace is set for spring 2025, and Mendoza is eager to see the event become even more dynamic as it evolves. “We just wanted all different types of mom-owned businesses to be represented and helping them get the tools they need to create community for themselves,” Mendoza said.
