#ifetayo

Unless you missed Part 1 of her interview, then you already know Ifé, owner of Hecho en Harlem Jewelry is my current entrepreneur crush. 

Guys, I’m in so deep.

For days now, I’ve been trying to decide how to authentically represent just how much Ifé’s work moves me. And still my current language feels inadequate. It’s just ... so good. It gives me the feels as cool and overly emo kids say.

I could continue to go on about how Ifé’s work is a rich blend of strong lines, delicate details, and what feels like an intimate secret. But I won’t try to make you deal with all that. As I said, the words: they sometimes fail me.

What hasn’t failed me yet is my intuition. It’s the part of me that recognizes spirits (whether they want me to or not), telling me most of what I need to know about them before we even develop a relationship. With Ifé, my intuition said I still had something to learn.

And I was fine with that, too.

So I just asked whatever came to mind.

I figured, we had connected because I wanted to promote Hecho en Harlem in our #khafrachristmas15 promotion, why not do the thing anyone would? So, I asked her about family and the holidays.

As expected, Ifé was immediately open with me. She discussed her complicated history with American holiday traditions as well being raised by a “militant, Afrocentric mother [who] ‘did’ holidays” differently.

For Halloween, I was only allowed to dress up as famous figures from Black history. In the 5th grade I went to school dressed as Bessie Coleman. I even had an index card with a written blurb for the many inevitable blank questioning stares I would receive. 

We celebrated Kwanzaa, not Christmas, which, during the 80’s and early 90’s meant I had to explain what that was, to my peers every year. I didn’t have my first Christmas tree until I was 24 yrs old, and dating someone who “went super hard” on the holidays.

As an adult, I have come to love the holidays. I recognize the complicated and often problematic history that is tied up with so many of the holidays we celebrate, but at the same time, I love the togetherness it brings, the opportunity to build traditions and spend time connecting with family, be they biological or self-created.

That was an answer I could get with. Transparent, thoughtful - one that was willing to look for and value the good. I didn’t really need much else to be convinced that Ifé was constantly thinking about a construction of herself in community with those around her. I was super inspired in what she had to say next.

My business is a representation of me in every sense, and so I try to act accordingly in the way I interact with my audience. I am really very focused on the idea of building community, and so I organize a series of markets and pop up shops where I curate a selection of Harlem based merchants for an exciting and unique retail experience. That means that this winter I largely have been focusing on my Holiday Market, which [took] place on December 13th at Maysles Cinema, and [brought] attention, not only to local and African Diasporan artists and merchants, but also to this amazing art institution (Maysles Documentary Center) that offers documentary film screenings, Director Q+A’s and cinematic educational programming to the community, every single week.

I’m not entirely sure what direction I was going in with my questions for Ifé. All I knew is I believed this to be a rare moment in which I might access the brain of someone I respected both creatively and professionally, if those two can even be separated. I decided to let her educate me on what her customers have taught her:

As a newbie to the retail game, and to running a small business, one of the most important things I have gained from this process is the priceless benefit of observing and listening to your market. I find myself constantly striking a balance between considering my own voice as designer and the desires of my customers. I have gotten SO many great ideas from customers, a simple request can lead to a best selling item.

I did that whole “I like you, do you like me” thing:

I was honored to be asked [to be a part of #khafrachristmas15]! Running your own business is an effort of endurance, and it is a beautiful thing when others notice your hard work and want to support it.  Additionally, I view opportunities like this as community building. I appreciate the opportunity to expose my work to the Khafra audience, and vice versa. As my militant, Afrocentric, Kwanzaa celebrating mama would say, it’s all about that Ujamaa (cooperative economics)!

And then we got down to business. I imagine that we as entrepreneurs are building, presently, the future we hope to endure. I needed to know: if she had to pick a celebrity to help her build a revolution, who would it be? 

Guys, I was worried. This could have been a friendship deal breaker, the end of a love affair yet to officially begin.

But Ifé won. As I should have known she would.

Me + Meshell Ndegeocello

The woman is brilliant! I have every album and I am most intrigued by the constant evolution of her artistry -- no two albums sound the same! It is a beautiful reminder and symbol of the artistic process. We would have the mathematics for the revolution and the music to keep the movement motivated!

I’m actually going to just let you take that in ... a revolution, a world, made of mathematics and music, serendipity of sound, an army of pure aesthetic.

In the meantime, if you haven’t already, do yourself ( and my heart) a favor and check out Hecho en Harlem immediately.

with <3,

khoLi.