Flourish & Thrive Academy Announces The 2021 BIPOC Mentorship Program Winners
In July of 2020, Tracy Matthews committed a $42K mentorship program for Emerging BIPOC Designers and Makers. The program begins February 1, 2021 and runs for one year.
Flourish & Thrive Academy was founded with the intention of breaking down the often elitist or exclusionary barriers to entry in the jewelry industry. We believe in helping all designers, makers, and retailers building the business of their dreams, with less stress and time wasted trying to figure it all out on their own. We are so excited to introduce this BIPOC art scholarship as the next step in continuing that mission.
The participants in the Flourish & Thrive Academy BIPOC Mentorship program will receive access to coaching, mentorship, and our best in business programs to help grow their jewelry businesses.
During the course of the year, the mentees are required to hit certain implementation milestones so that they grow their businesses during the mentorship. Every month, they’ll meet with their mentor, get feedback on their work, and stay on track for growth.
Even though we’ve hosted jewelry scholarship and mentorship programs before, our 2021 endeavor is the first of its kind for us. This year, our 6 winners will have the chance to compete to win a $5000 grant for their jewelry business at the end of the yearlong mentorship series.
The winner of the BIPOC jewelry scholarship’s grant competition can use the funds towards investing in collection development or marketing for their jewelry business.
This year’s competition was a tough one, with many talented and passionate applicants vying for the 6 spots. In total, there were over 300 people on the waitlist, 71 applicants, and 15 finalists. It was challenging to narrow it down to the final 6 winners amidst a sea of immense talent.
The winners display a commitment to growth, raw talent, a unique design perspective, and drive for success.
Let’s meet the mentees, shall we?
We’ve broken the mentorship into three levels: Foundations, Momentum Accelerate, and Momentum Elevate.
Mentorship Level: Foundations
💎 Emma-Louise Obika of Circle and Bare
Instagram: @CircleandBare
Emma makes a polymer clay and embroidery to create art for your earlobes and your walls. Everything is one of a kind.
💎 Alexa Wajed of Eat Off Art
Instagram: @ByAlexaJoan
Alexa is a multi-passionate product maker who loves to cook delicious foods. Her ear feathers are made of leather and mixed media.
💎 Cinthya Cuba de Zabal of Nina Zabal Jewelry
Cinthya makes modern, handcrafted, Polymer Clay, Acrylic and Titanium jewelry for the adventurous spirit. Her statement pieces are colorful and bold.
Mentorship Level: Momentum Accelerate
💎 Arti Mehta of Femme Boyant Designs
Instagram: @femmeboyantdesigns
Arti makes jewelry and adornments for queers, weirdos, and pals with a unique take on making a “statement” with the jewelry you wear.
💎 Jeneba Koroma of Limba Gal
Instagram: @LimbaGal
Jeneba is a jewelry artist and metalsmith who designs geometric jewelry inspired by African craftsmanship. Her collections feature an assortment of modern, unconventional jewelry essentials for those who value authenticity and individual style.
Mentorship Level: Momentum Elevate
💎 Bayoush Mengesha of Devi Arts Collective
Instagram: @DeviCollective
Bayoush (Bay) is a Vancouver based artist who designs ethically made and responsibly sourced handmade jewelry in silver and gold.
A big congratulations to these incredible jewelry designers, artists, and makers!
We are thrilled to support them on their journey. Our mission is to help them develop a strong brand position, elevate their offline and online presence, and increase their sales and impact through their art.
Want to really make our 6 winners day? Here’s how you can support our incredible BIPOC Scholarship Winners:
- Follow the designers above on social media and send them a big congratulations!
- Visit their websites to shop their collections and support their small businesses.
If you’re interested in getting mentorship through our programs here at Flourish & Thrive Academy, we invite you to Apply for a Business Accelerator Call. We’ll chat about your vision for success, discuss your current business strategy, and map out a clear path forward in reaching your goals.
