When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. My Black lemonade is metaphoric for my legacy in the Black culture, a legacy that is built from the gains we achieve with the minimal resources we are given. We’ve taken that knowledge, grown, started businesses, and prospered. Now, we are more intentional with creating generational wealth. Black people are explorers and for that reason, this platform serves as a directory for travelers who want to support black owned shops. Around the world.

My Black Lemonade was birthed in Chicago, IL on June 28, 2020 by Natasha Noire while being quarantined during the Covid-19 pandemic. It had been a little over month after the death of George Floyd when our world was in shambles. seeing constant abuse of our Black people in the media. This was a time where a mixture of emotions filled the air like tear gas. Unity. Pain. Rage. Wisdom. Despair. Weariness. Strength. Hope.

I thought of how we could create a positive outcome from this negative outcry. I thought about our strength as a people and how we overcome every struggle we meet. I was struggling with all this and needed a place of peace for my mental health. Music.

The 13th Annual Roots Picnic: Virtual Experience was on YouTube. They had the entire Black culture including Michelle Obama, D-Nice, Tracee Ellis Ross, Deon Cole, SZA, Lil Baby, Kerry Washington, Janelle Monae,  Elaine Welteroth, and so many more. The part that excited me the most was the intermission where they promoted small black businesses during this horrible economic time. Support.

Again my thoughts ran rapid asking myself how would I have known about these businesses if it had not been for this major platform? What other small black-owned businesses do we not see? Who is celebrating the small wins in our communities? I’m sure there are people but I wanted to be one of them– loudly. We are dope, our inside jokes are dope, our heritage is dope. The more I thought about us, the more I wanted to know about each one of us. So, I created a platform where I could learn about the owners and not just the business. My Black Lemonade.

MY BLACK LEMONADE is a ceremony for my people who managed to shine light through their small businesses. I wanted to focus on uplifting our people when they don’t think we see them. We’ve figured this shit out and flourished. If we have no other reason to celebrate, we can always toast to us… to the Culture!