FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Hundreds filled the Fayetteville Town Center on Saturday, Feb. 25, to support Black-owned businesses during the semi-annual Black Business Expo.
The event featured over 75 different businesses and non-profits. Two of those non-profits, Lighthouse Solutions and MY-T-BY Design, were founded by sisters who says they are working to bridge gaps in their community.
"I'm here representing the L.I.F.E. Cycle Project, which means living in front of everything with no fear, living in front of your health with no fear," Stacy Harper, founder of Lighthouse Solutions said.
The L.I.F.E Cycle project says their goal is to help improve the lives of individuals who live at or below the poverty line by promoting feminine wellness, providing menstrual hygiene education, resources to healthcare access and through the distribution of period products.
Seven years ago, Stacy Harper founded Lighthouse Solutions with the goal to improve the quality of life for kids and families in the community. They have a few initiatives to give back to those in need.
"We do 'Feet on the Street' where we're in your face listening to the stories and we're helping you navigate to those proper resources here," said Harper.
Her organization focuses on 4 wellness initiatives: emotional, personal, community, and empowerment. All for different community needs.
"All of these wellness initiatives kind of go hand and hand together because, at the end of the day, it's boosting your emotional well-being," Harper explains.
Harper often collaborates with her older sister Lakisha Bradley and her organization.
"Everyone knows that I am the nonprofit arm of MY-T-BY Design Therapeutic Art Studios. Everything that you see, all of our initiatives, all of our curriculums has a woven thread of art," Harper said.
"To be able to work literally 2 doors down from her is a huge blessing because it allows us to take the work that we currently do going out to the community to the next level because you can't do it alone," said Lakisha Bradley, founder of MY-T-BY Design.
In 2017, the company started off as a mobile service and then later moved to open a studio. MY-T-BY Design has been known for helping the community heal through art therapy, an alternative mental health service. Bradley says art is beneficial to reduce anxiety while connecting with the community at the same time.
"Last year we hosted 4,500 individuals through the canvas in total since launching MY-T-BY Design and we've empowered over 15,000 individuals through the canvas. That's a lot of canvases and paint," Bradley said.
Research shows that only four percent of Black-owned businesses survive the startup stage, even though 20 percent of Black Americans start businesses. The next Black-Owned Expo is in August during National Black Business Month.
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