San Francisco

San Francisco Pop-Up Event Celebrates Black Women-Owned Businesses

The event at the Embarcadero Ferry Plaza offered a space for businesses owned by Black women to show off their specialties.

NBC Universal, Inc.

To celebrate Women’s History Month and Black-owned businesses, the non-profit Foodwise teamed up with the Port of San Francisco and other partners to host the pop-up event “Celebrating Black Women Makers” at the Embarcadero Ferry Terminal Plaza on Saturday. 

14 small businesses took part, mostly offering food and drink. A few vendors also offered other goods, like candles or skin care products. 

The entrepreneurs offered their specialties from tents sent up near the ferry building. 

Tina Stevens, the owner of a baked goods business called A Girl Named Pinky, said events like this are important. 

“It means we get more exposure from people who don’t normally know we exist,” she said. “Now they know, so this is a good thing.”

The Operations Coordinator of Foodwise, which also operates the Ferry Plaza Farmers market, told NBC Bay Area they started started planning the pop up because there was demand to highlight more Black-owned businesses. And they said many of their vendors came from their partner programs.

“A lot of our vendors came from our Building Equity Program,” said Deven Okry, “These organizations work with BIPOC entrepreneurs. So we partnered with them. And we got the vendors situated and settled in to be here today for the event.”

Some people even came in from out of the city to support the businesses. 

“I think this is awesome. They need to keep this up every year,” said Stephanie Peterson, from San Leandro. “I’ve only been to two places where I have purchased items and loving everything I’ve seen so far.”It’s the first in a series of such events celebrating Black-owned food businesses planned for 2023. The next one will be held on Juneteenth, June 10.

For more information, visit foodwise.org.

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