My Mother (land) Dressed Me
ANGEL A. WELLINGTON
ith a shift in cultural norms comes a new appreciation for all things colored. There is a national defining of what it means to be black in our country and a celebration of what God, our collective Creator, gave each shade to share. Not since the 1970’s have we seen this much interest in who we are and the greatness that birthed us. The present political tensions have contributed to a desire for ancestral research and re-established the goodness of our own blackness. From visiting the mythical Wakanda to vowing to pray while Kaepernick took a knee, we – the children of darker-skinned royalty – have faded to black. So, this is as good a time as any to wear what makes us feel connected to our authentically beautiful and blessed selves. There is no longer as much veiling who we are and how we got this way. We have never just shot a ball, sprinted, swung, or served-it-up like normal. Gifting dictates extra. And we are, finally, at ease with hair that coils and springs, skin that is as black as the sweetest berries, music that we make, dances the way we do them, words we create, and fashion uniquely tailored to our creative impulses. The prints and patterns we like are as bold and glorious as we are, by divine design. 28 | ENTREPRENEUR PLATFORM MAGAZINE
That is what Kedar F. Brunson believes. That is what his wife, Cheryl, agrees with; and what his aunt, Annie V. Jordan, knows. Together, they are joint business owners of CK Marketing and Q-Bella-V Design. African-American garb is their specialty. They are the triple-threat awakening a re-evaluation of the style our “mother” gave us. “She” is the endued continent across troubled waters – Africa. While living in poverty, the child Annie discovered that lack and long legs were enemies. The remedy, her mother suggested, was making her own clothes to avoid the taunt that was sure to accompany “highwaters (pants peers considered too short).” Heeding mom’s advice, Annie took to the sewing machine, discovering a natural knack. Today, in their business, the skilled seamstress is the on-hands genius while nephew, Kedar, lends his creative fashion-sense to all their brand. Cheryl advises and sees to it that administrative details keep the family business alive and thriving. As today’s clothing market has expanded with the introduction of online retailing, it helps to have a niche. African attire has traditionally catered to a particular demographic, but this family is
