In commemoration of Black History Month, an annual observance of milestones marked by African Americans, it is essential to support the Black community by shopping local. Elmira is a town that is rich in Black history. From its pivotal role in the success of the Underground Railroad to its historical landmark in the Civil War prison camp, Black history is truly vested in the heart of our community. It is no surprise that according to city records, Elmira was once rich with successful Black-owned establishments. About eighty years ago, it was possible to walk down any city block and expect to find a flourishing Black-owned business, whether it was an eloquent bookstore or a soulful restaurant. This golden age for the Black community was primarily an outcome of Jim Crow laws, which forced African-Americans to form more insulated communities separate from white people. It led to a boom in entrepreneurship all across the country, primarily in urban areas where the majority of Black people lived. Small Black businesses were appearing at what seemed like a record speed. Unfortunately, gentrification and other facets for racial discrimination, such as looting and race rioting, infiltrated Elmira over the past 100 years causing the number of Black-owned businesses to plummet. 

Residents of Elmira are now overseeing a drought of these thriving small Black businesses, which so heavily defined the city of Elmira for several decades. The Covid-19 pandemic is a contributing factor to this downward trend as it wrought economic havoc on the Black community through the Paycheck Protection Program: granting government loans to small employers as an initiative to combat unemployment. More than half of Black business owners who applied for the program reported that they were denied funding due to failure to meet criteria, which did not pose a challenge to their White counterparts. As a result of this disproportionate access to resources, almost fifty percent of Black business owners were forced to shut their doors during the pandemic. 

The concept of economic empowerment for the Black community is comprehensive. It  does not merely include shopping at Black-owned businesses, but also increasing equal access to other factors such as employment and healthcare. Black people in the United States comprise one of the largest consumer markets in the world, spending about one trillion dollars per year. With this spending power, it is no secret that one of the biggest tools for regaining economic prosperity is the Black community’s dollars. This being said, it is also the responsibility of White allies to funnel their dollars into Black-owned businesses when possible. There are hundreds of thousands of Black-owned businesses in the United States alone that are in need of support. Excitingly, many of these incredible businesses are right in our backyard of the Elmira-Corning region.  

Small businesses are the heart of our community and the success of these establishments are often vested in the determination of their owners. This has been the narrative for Cairo Shazer, the founder and owner of Poet Customs, throughout his several years of working in the fashion industry. About four years ago, Cairo began his journey with Poet as a high school student. It is difficult to comprehend the concept of owning and operating a business, regardless of its size, at such a young age. For many of us, the weight of being a high school student is strenuous enough without the added pressure of conducting a business. For Cairo, his humble beginnings as an avid sneaker collector and aspiring designer have led him to his current status as a decorated entrepreneur of Elmira. The origin of Poet Customs happens to be very organic as Cairo began designing a logo with the word “poet” depicted on the front of his shirts as a means of matching his clothes ot his shoes. “I started wearing my products to school and friends would ask me where they are from. I told them that I actually made the designs myself and just started handing out clothes for free. I never imagined actually making a business out of what I love, which is fashion,” said Cairo. While he may not have ever imagined being able to establish his very own company, Poet Customs is now going on its fourth year in business and second year in a shop. Cairo credits his success to pure determination, stating “consistency is key.” He could have given up his love for designing at any point in his journey, but he remained committed to the practice and that is the biggest reason for his success today. The key to jumpstarting Poet was finding a tangible market for his products, which he found to be younger high school students just as he was when he began his journey in the fashion industry. When asked about his favorite aspect of owning and operating a clothing store, Cairo said, “being able to see people’s visions come true in real time is the most rewarding part of the job.” Ultimately, Cairo loves to create and being able to see a customer’s face light up with excitement when they see the finished product reminds him of all the reasons he started Poet Customs. Cairo Shazer will remain a phenomenal ambassador for both the fashion industry and Black community of Elmira for many years to come!

Another local agent for the Black community within the vast world of business is Randy Reid, the owner of Reid Media Group: an advertisement agency started in 2011. The primary purpose of an advertisement agency is to create, plan, and devise advertisements for various businesses and organizations. For Randy, he has indulged in the universe of advertisement, marketing, and promotions for over a decade. He began his journey with owning and operating Reid Media Group in 2011 when he chose to leave a job at WETM-TV to pave his own path in the media industry. “It is definitely a fast pace and took me a long time to adjust to the culture of meeting deadlines for my clients and producing work that meets their criteria,” says Reid. Over the last two years, Randy has made undergone a great amount of changes in both his personal life and business. He moved to Maryland a little over a year ago, but still runs Reid Media Group located in Elmira. Over the past two years, Randy has broadened the horizons of his market by consulting with politicians and nonprofit organizations such as Meals on Wheels and Elmira’s Civil War Prison Camp, which is a local cornerstone for Black history. According to Randy, the most effective technique for building a business from the ground up is vested in networking. He credits the majority of his successes to building connections with the people of Elmira and collaborating with other small businesses. While the Elmira region has definitely missed Randy’s activity in the community over the past few years, his impactful work with Reid Media Group will likely remain a significant presence in Elmira for decades to come!

The cosmetology and beauty industry is a sector of the economy that has been revolutionized by Black women. In Elmira, residents are able to enjoy the luxuries of Black-owned beauty salons coupled with the cultural significance for the Black community. A beacon of Elmira’s beauty industry has been established by Olinda Sapp in her ownership of Annie’s Beauty Salon. Annie’s is a beauty supply store that sells hair care items such as protective styling tools, shampoo, conditioner, bonnets and a variety of other products. Olinda acquired ownership of Annie’s when the original owner became ill with cancer. She has been able to fulfill the legacy of Annie’s over the past several years and continue her mission of helping the people of Elmira, from all walks of life, feel beautiful. When asked about what makes her work so vital to the Elmira community, she says, “there’s a need, a desperate need, and we all want to look beautiful like anyone else.” It is undoubtedly true that the presence of Black-owned salons is necessary to each and every community. All people long to experience pure beautification in its rawest form, which may differ across various cultures. The amazing aspect of beauty is that all forms of it are valid and people can feel confident in their appearance regardless of the characteristics that dominate their demographic. With Black-owed beauty salons in the Elmira area, such as Annie’s, the Black community has the profound opportunity to tighten cultural ties through beautification. Olinda Sapp is one of many influential Black woman of the region and her accomplishments with owning and operating Annie’s beauty store should be recognized!

In acknowledging the accomplishments of local Black figures in Elmira, it should be understood that uplifting the successes of the Black community is not solely for the month of February. Black History should be celebrated throughout the entire year, which is an action that can be pursued by shopping local. After all, small businesses are the heart of our community. Recognizing the work of Black-owned establishments is an adequate tribute to celebrating Black history month locally. Black small business owners deserve recognition for their hard work and efforts to strengthen the fabric of our community.