Buzzin' Black Friday

Join us for BW's third year of supporting Black-owned businesses — featuring 30+ vendors and food trucks.

About Buzzin' Black Friday

During a summer 2022 civil rights alternative break trip, a light bulb went off for political science major Daisjah Brown '25. While working in areas that were predominantly home to Black populations, the BW students noticed many of the businesses serving the communities were not Black-owned, which sparked a discussion.

"We tackled questions like … what barriers do Black-owned businesses face when starting up? How do income and wealth disparities play into this? Lastly, where are these businesses located around Cleveland, and what can we do to show them to our campus?" the Mansfield, Ohio, native said.

When she returned to Berea, Brown went to work on the issue, and Buzzin' Black Friday was born. "I came up with the idea of having a vendor fair to help show Black entrepreneurship and the circulation of the Black dollar and help create a more inclusive community at Baldwin Wallace," Brown explained. 

Now a senior slated to graduate in May, Brown is handing the reigns over to Annel Hodges to keep the event going.

Read more about this student-led initiative.