DENVER — Inside New Hope Baptist Church in Denver, the main hall filled with color, conversation and the scent of handmade goods as more than 30 Black- and Latino-owned small businesses gather for the second annual Harambee Holiday Market.
The two-day event, hosted by the AYA Foundation, is designed to celebrate community, culture and entrepreneurship, while creating an affordable way for small businesses to reach new customers during the holiday season.
“Harambee means ‘all pull together,’ and that’s exactly what’s happening here,” said Tonoa Manuel, chief operating officer of the AYA Foundation. “We’re a community foundation that supports economic mobility through small business and entrepreneurship.”
Manuel said affordability is at the center of the market’s mission. Many pop-up markets and festivals charge booth fees in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars, a cost that can be too steep for new or growing businesses.
“It costs $50 for these vendors to set up for two days, and that’s it,” Manuel said. “We’re not here to make money. We’re here to support small business and give them the opportunity to be seen, heard and valued by the bigger community.”
The market features everything from books and jewelry to handmade bags, quilts, teas and skin-care items. Many of the items are rooted in culture and tradition.
“We have handmade quilts. We have bags from Africa,” Manuel said. “These are things you’re not going to find on Amazon or in a local chain store. That’s the beauty of shopping small.”
For Sandra Guilford, owner of Miss G’s Reading Emporium, the market is a chance to bring culturally representative literature directly to families. Guilford runs a mobile bookstore specializing in books by Black authors and stories that reflect the lives of the children she once taught as a fourth-grade teacher.
“When I retired, I decided that I would try to find books by Black authors and sell the books by Black authors that represented our kids in a good light,” Guilford said. “Some people hear about me from somebody else, but then it’s hard for them to find me. Events like this help us get our name out there. We buy things from each other, we talk to each other, it’s a community.”
Guilford also keeps her books priced affordably. An important aspect of this market is to also be more affordable for the consumer in comparison to the average pop-up market.
“I try to keep everything under $20,” Guilford said. “Books are really needed, and all kids should have books at home with characters that look like them.”
In a neighboring booth, Farnosh Family, founder of Sun Ghee, demonstrated samples of her infused clarified butters. She says the product brings people together through flavor and tradition. This is her second year as a vendor.
“We make infused flavors like chives and parsley, rosemary and sage, or even cinnamon and ashwagandha,” she said. “This is a great way to get in front of new people, especially those looking to support local.”
Family said the market’s diversity is part of what makes it stand out.
“There’s so much represented here; books, apparel, handbags, lotions, teas,” she said. “If you’re looking for something different than what you’d find in a big-box store, this is where you should go.”
The AYA Foundation hopes the market continues to grow into a larger expo, giving even more entrepreneurs access to customers and opportunities.
“There are a lot more Black and brown businesses than people realize,” Manuel said. “Events like this allow you to have access to that, and every dollar spent here stays here. Every connection made helps build long-term economic mobility.”
The Harambee Holiday Market runs until 8 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at New Hope Baptist Church and admission is free.
