KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Blakk Co. is a social club in Kansas City created for people of color.
Network of community leaders meet up to empower and uplift one another and build connections through conversations and collaborations.
Christina Williams and Tamela Ross co-founded the company during the height of the pandemic, when George Floyd protests were happening across the country.
The social club was initially started for Black men so that they can have a safe space to be themselves and share their thoughts and emotions.
The membership grew and expanded to now include women.
“We need social spaces that are outside of restaurants where we can kind of have really safe, difficult conversations, show up and be our authentic selves, be in spaces where people can identify with one another,” Williams said. “Almost everyone that visits our location, they always say I always leave different than when I came.”
For Women’s History Month, The Blakk Co. launched what is called the "Black + Brown Owned Sispreneur Series."
It is all about identifying Black and brown women making history in our community and connecting them.
“We were looking for a way to acknowledge that and to honor that,” Williams said.
Dozens of women gather every Wednesday for a two-hour event and had open conversations about various topics like philanthropy, lifestyle, inspiration and food.
Participant Debra Roark says it is a space she has been needing.
“Being some place where, a place where we can all get together on a consistent basis,” Roark said.
Roark said she worked at the Ford Motor Company for 31 years. She says at The Blakk Co., her ideas feel heard and appreciated.
“Them actually seeing you and listening — that’s the whole thing,” Roark said.
And for Rita Strickland, she first came to the meetings as a way to be a better ally to the Black and brown Community. She says the value of conversation has been priceless.
“We can have a good time, we can laughm but it’s also important that we can talk about finances, how to build wealth, how to you know grow in your interpersonal skills at work — I mean we talk about everything,” Strickland said.
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