As a boutique & as individuals, we believe Black Lives Matter. Throughout the month of February, we took a specific focus on sharing local black owned wedding vendors and influential Milwaukee figures. While we will continue to share resources and educational tools, here are a few of our highlighted community members.
Chandra Rogers (@chan_d79)
Chandra Rodgers is the Senior Vice President of Community Affairs / Community Reinvestment Act Officer at Associated Bank. In 2020 she was recognized as a Game Changer, Driving Equity Forward at the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee Game Changer event.
KBattle Photography (@kbattlephotography)
Katrice has been a photographer for as long as she has been able to hold a camera! She learned early on from her father and now photographs all over the Milwaukee area. You can catch Katrice on The Knot’s “Best of Weddings Hall of Fame” with her personalized style.
Marcelia Nicholson (@marcelianatalie)
Nicholson is an award-winning activist, who is the first Afro-Latina woman to be Chairwoman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Nicholson is also the Fifth District Supervisor for Milwaukee County. Outside of these she serves on the Boards of the Milwaukee Public Library and Milwaukee Art Museum.
3041North (@3041northevents)
Serena and Keith Terry strive to create a full-service event planning experience after planning their own wedding. Their method is to design from scratch and work with you to stay within your budget. Every package they offer has the ability to be customized. When booking this venue, there is an on-site wedding specialist who will be with you every step of the way.
Ashley Thomas (@__ashthomas)
Ashley is the executive director of Hope Street Ministry - a non profit in Milwaukee serving men, women, and children in Milwaukee. Hope Street was named Nonprofit of the Year in the 2020 Wisconsin Leadership Community Choice Awards. Ashley received her BA in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison on a full-ride athletic scholarship for basketball. When Ashley is not at work, she is working towards her Masters in Theological Studies.
Mikel McGee & 414loral (@414loral)
414loral is a grass-roots floral initiative that started in owner Mikel McGee's kitchen in Milwaukee. Mikel prides herself on providing stellar customer service and transparent pricing. At 414loral they collaborate with customers to handcraft an experience that is truly something to smile about. Many of 414loral’s regular customers become extensions of family, and believe that we are “all for one and one floral!"
Vel Phillips (1924-2018)
Velvalea Hortense Rodgers left an indescribable mark on Milwaukee. Vel Phillips spearheaded the fight for open housing laws in Milwaukee during the civil rights era. Her work on Common Council included introducing an ordinance to ban housing discrimination in the city. Her list of firsts is definitely impressive! She was the first African American woman to graduate from the UW-Madison Law School, first woman to be elected to the Milwaukee Common Council, first African American judge in Wisconsin, and after her election to the secretary of state office in 1978, the first African American to win a statewide election.
In 2018, North Fourth Street was renamed Vel R. Phillips Avenue.
Anomalous Campbell & Anomaly Catering (@anomaly_catering)
Anomaly Catering will “take your taste buds on an adventure with every bite.” This full-service catering company will provide what you need for any event - customizable healthy menu selections, servers, and dinnerware - all for an affordable cost. Anomaly Catering provides catering for weddings, date nights, and other events, plus healthy cooking demos and educational courses!
Supervisor Sequanna Taylor (@supervisorsequannataylor)
Sequanna Taylor is on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors and is 1st Vice Chair. Taylor also represents District 3 on the Milwaukee Board of School Directors for Milwaukee Public Schools, and was named Woman of Excellence in the 2020 Wisconsin Leadership Community Choice Awards Taylor believes “ together change will happen, one day at a time, enhancing our community is the number one priority.”
Cheri Denise Events, LLC (@cherideniseevents)
Cheri works with clients to create an atmosphere that represents who they are. Planning exquisite events, attending to all of the details, along with exceptional service. Her goal is to design beautiful and memorable events that represent your personal brand and exceed expectations.
Kathy Thornton-Bias is the second woman to lead the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee since it was founded by a woman more than 133 years ago, and she is the first African American woman to hold this position. Kathy has received widespread recognition from several esteemed publications including Ebony Magazine, which placed her on their “Power 100” list, and Essence Magazine, which included her on their list of “Game Changers.”
Confectionately Yours (@confectionatelyyours_ggg)
Confectionately Yours by GGG (formerly Greer's Gourmet Goodies) specializes in southern style desserts, celebration cookies, hand-made candies, wedding cakes, and more. In 2018, they competed in Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge. They believe that if you "bake with love, people will taste the difference."
While this marks the end of Black History Month, we recognize that this is not just a month-long effort, and there is so much to be done to support and lift Black voices. We are not done, and we will continue to work every day to be better, learn, and make a daily commitment to our minoritized brothers and sisters.
We encourage you to do the same and learn what you can do better to be an agent for change. You can read more about our promise here.