At La Alameda Square, a famous market in Cali, Colombia, a woman named Mrs. Doria sells beautiful, hand-made Black and Indigenous products from artisans of the Pacific and Caribbean regions. Her business supports tradition, autonomy, and cultural preservation.

In 2023, on a trip to Colombia, the Loyd family met Mrs. Doria in her shop, and the vision for a cross-cultural market opportunity emerged. Two years later, her crafts are crossing borders into the United States and building Afro-diasporic connections in Bronzeville, Chicago.

The following page outlines this story of alchemy and cultural exchange.

FULL TIMELINE OF EVENTS