The Joy of Making: How To Do What You Love

Join us for an evening of inspiring stories from our esteemed panelists as they share how they used their creativity, honed their skills, and moved into action to create a viable business. Join our panelists, Taiyana Cobb, Esther Iverem, Madonna Green Parker, Lakeisha Rahman, and Oahib Shepsumaat to learn tips and advice that will aid you in taking action on the idea you love!

Taiyana Cobb is a licensed esthetician in the state of Maryland, as well as a Self-Care Enthusiasts. At the age of 23, she became a solo entrepreneur, founding both a holistic day spa business, BYANA BEAUTY, LLC, and a self-care brand called BSKYN. Skin care and self-care have been something that she developed a passion for, specifically after the birth of her first child. Taiyana strives to convey that passion to her clients in the form of improving their self-confidence through skin care and self-care. She knows how much of a struggle it can be to maintain one’s skin, as well as focus on maintaining a clear and relaxed state of mind.

Taiyana has made it her mission to assist, as well as pass on the knowledge that she has gathered over the course of my time as an esthetician. She spent years sharpening her knowledge and skill in this field by working at top-notch luxury day spas to extensive continuing education pertaining to esthetics skin care, body waxing, aromatherapy, Ayurvedic skin care healing studies, and Holistic healing. Taiyana officially started her company, Byana Beauty, in 2020 to provide a more holistic approach to skin care & self-care to those in need and spread awareness of the importance of self-care and skin care in your everyday life. (Byanabeauty.com)

Esther Iverem is a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and independent journalist. Her diverse body of work, which includes a show on Pacifica Radio, four books, two digital media projects, and several visual art exhibits, is about social justice and human existence—its history, current state, and possible futures. Her work is also about the environment, including its mysteries extending into the universe.

She is creator, producer, and host of “On the Ground: Voices of Resistance From the Nation’s Capital” on Pacifica Radio, founder of the pioneering Black website SeeingBlack.com and a founding member of DC Poets Against the War/Split This Rock. She is a recipient of numerous awards and honors. She is a 2018 Fellow in the Humanities for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and received a National Arts Journalism Fellowship at Columbia University. Her latest book, Olokun of the Galaxy, uses poetry and images to tell a story of Olokun, an African spirit for the deepest ocean, and to honor the Earth’s ecosystem and the millions who perished during or descended from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. She is also the author of We Gotta Have It: Twenty Years of Seeing Black at the Movies (Hachette Book Group) and two other books of poems, The Time: Portrait of a Journey Home and Living in Babylon (Africa World Press).

(EstherIverem.com)

Madonna Green Parker has embraced artistic expression all her life. Her artistic journey began as a small child with weekly visits to the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland. After exploring several mediums, she realized that jewelry design inspired her the most. In 2004 she opened Marvelous Creations by Madonna specializing in eclectic and fashionable, custom, one-of-a-kind wearable art and artisan jewelry. In 2015 Madonna narrowed her focus even more, specializing in Aluminum Wire and Paper Design.

Her artistic exposure has been extensive. Madonna has been on Artworks with the Denali Bead Circle, has been featured in several publications including the Baltimore Sun, has been the featured artist at art shows, frequently showcases in local galleries, serves as a traveling teacher, teaching wire and bead design, sells her custom waterproof paper beads and Aluminum Wire to fellow jewelers at gem & jewelry shows, collaborates with and sells to stores and museums including the Smithsonian in 2020 and so much more (Marvelouscreationsbymadonna.com).

Lakisha Rahman is a co-owner with Bilal Rahman of KiKi’s Cuisine.   KiKi’s Cuisine is a family-owned business based in Baltimore Maryland. In 2005 Lakisha started baking homemade navy bean pies in the kitchen of her basement apartment. She wanted to give her family alternate, healthy snack options. They enjoyed it so much that she started to share it with close friends and family. They encouraged her to sell pies during the holidays. As the years went on, she received more and more orders until she outgrew her kitchen and in 2019, KiKi’s Cuisine was born.

KiKi’s Cuisine specializes in "all things navy bean". Every dessert created uses the navy bean as one of its star ingredients. Everything is baked from scratch using only the finest ingredients, the primary one being LOVE! They sell desserts at local events and pop-up shops throughout the year. They also sell via their website with a pickup/shipping option. (KiKiscuisine.com)

Oahib Shepsumaat is a principal member of BAMI Products.  BAMI Products is a family-run business that started in our kitchen as a result of personal skin challenges. Their products include homemade soaps, salts, deodorants, massage oils, body butters, and scrubs. As a manufacturer of their own products, they have control over what goes in them. Bami Products uses the highest quality raw materials to produce a quality product. Their goal is to make a good moisturizing product without compromising on cost. To accomplish this goal, they use Grade A olive oil and shea butter as the main ingredient in most products. BAMI Products has been a member of the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild since 2002. (Bamiproducts.net)