Video series highlights seven Black filmmakers telling the stories of their favorite Black-owned small businesses
Vimeo, in partnership with Mailchimp Presents, today unveiled a new Stories in Place collection a grant-funded video series that chronicles small businesses from around the world as they navigate the current business environment. The latest collection features the work of seven Black filmmakers who captured the behind-the-counter stories of their favorite Black-owned businesses.
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First launched in April 2020, the Stories in Place program empowers creative professionals to use video to tell the real stories about small businesses and the incredible people behind them. Vimeo and Mailchimp Presents joined forces to award grants to the participating filmmakers and featured businesses for their contributions to the collection. The platforms will also leverage their combined global reach to promote the video series across the web and spotlight each of the businesses.
“Stories in Place was developed with the central idea that video connects us; it’s the most powerful medium we have today for human expression. We’ve brought together two essential pillars of the Vimeo community— creatives and small businesses— and provided them with a platform to tell important, inspiring stories about life during this historic moment,” said Harris Beber, CMO, Vimeo. “In the shadow of a global pandemic and ongoing racial injustice, the new Stories in Place collection shows the spectrum of experiences across Black small business owners and their communities. We couldn’t be prouder to partner with Mailchimp Presents in sharing these seven stories with the world.”
“In a year where so many businesses, and Black-owned businesses in particular, are fighting for survival, the opportunity to support filmmakers telling stories of those businesses feels especially meaningful,” said Sarita Alami, Head of Programming, Mailchimp Presents. “Vimeo was the perfect partner to bring these seven powerful stories of Black entrepreneurship–shot during the most uncertain of times–to life.”
Together, these videos make up Stories in Place:
- “Zionly Manna” by Curtis Essel — Blending archival and 16mm footage with an intimate one-on-one interview, this dynamic film profiles Jahson Peat, owner of ‘Zionly Manna Vegan Restaurant’ based in Peckham Rye, South London.
- “Mitchell’s the Bowl” by Troy Browne — On the brink of the family business being passed down to the next generation, Claudette Mitchell reflects on her father’s legacy bringing West Indian food to Nottingham and providing for his family.
- “Rebyrth Wellness” by Cydney Tucker — This is the story of Atlanta-based Doula Imani Byers working to save the lives of Black mothers in their journey from pregnancy to motherhood.
- “Mosaic on a Stick” by Travis Wood — Inspired by colorful mosaic artwork, this mixed media piece follows the story of multiracial artist Lori Greene, owner of the mosaic studio and community art space “Mosaic On A Stick” in St. Paul, Minnesota.
- “Harriett’s Bookshop” by Raishad M. Hardnett, Aidan M. Un — Just weeks before the pandemic hit, Jeannine Cook opened Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia as a way to celebrate women authors, activists, and artists. Since then, her work has taken on a larger role in the fight for sovereignty and protection for Black women.
- “STUDIO-SOLE®” by Amandla Baraka — After being struck by COVID like many other small businesses, RaShaad and his parents found a way to bring life to the city of Newark, New Jersey, through their Sneaker consignment shop, Studio Sole.
- “Kanyoko Boutique” by Ng’endo Mukii — Njeri Mereka is a smooth-talking, hymn-singing, 67 year old grandmother who runs Kanyoko Boutique in Nairobi, Kenya, a business she unintentionally started from the trunk of her 1990 Toyota Corolla.
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