THE COMMUNITY
The Austin community on Chicago's West Side is rich in history and culture. Because of years of disinvestment though, its economic health has been significantly impacted. According to the Austin Quality of Life Plan, “$160 M dollars are spent outside the community annually because residents feel there are too few retail, dining and grocery options.” However, the plan also cites that there are opportunities for growth and a demand for more local stores” (Austin Forward. Together. 2018).
THE COLLABORATION
AAABNA, the Austin African American Business Networking Association was our community partner for My Black Owned: Austin, Chicago. AAABNA, led by executive director Malcolm Crawford, is a fervent supporter of businesses in the area and one of the 8 official Chicago Business Centers.
Kayla Palmore, the project coordinator of AAABNA, served as our co-producer for the project bringing both local business insight, consumer marketing knowledge, and media production skills.
THE STORIES
Thank God for Raw & Vegan Treats
Thank God for Raw & Vegan Treats is an Austin-based business owned by Chef Michelle Scott. The delicious vegan treats and meals that Chef Michelle and her team create make their way across Chicagoland and to places like the Austin Town Hall City Market, satisfying the stomachs of
vegans and non-vegans alike.
Wecycle Changing the View
Wecycle Changing the View is an Austin-based business that offers landscaping, snow removal & painting restoration services to residential & commercial properties. Led by owners David "Malik" Fleming and Delano Lee, it's a company homegrown in the Austin Village.
Splyt N Half
Located at 5815 W Madison St., is an Austin-based business owned by Chef Evelyn Phillips. This soulful kitchen gives you the choice of having your favorite soul food items, keto-friendly options, OR BOTH if you want.
The Roasted Leaf
The Roasted Leaf was actually the first business we captured for this project. Owner Devin Sims allowed us to interview him about his business for the announcement video created to launch the project during National Black Business Month.
Located at 5925 W. Chicago AveThe Roasted Leaf is a cigar and coffee cafe that provides a welcoming place for people to enjoy a cup of coffee or a quality cigar.
THE WORKSHOP + SCREENING
To provide a way for featured business owners and others to learn more about video marketing and increase their skills we hosted a workshop titled A Picture is Worth 1000 Words: Video + Photo for Social Media. The workshop provided practical knowledge and a hands-on activity where attendees worked in groups to create vertical videos using popular brands and props. After the workshop a screening of the My Black Owned: Austin, Chicago videos was done to further amplify the stories of the winning businesses.
Photos courtesy of Zachary Keltner.
