Celebrate culture, small businesses at The Reach Project’s For the Culture Market

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – The Reach Project is kicking off Black History Month with an event that’s all about the culture.

It’s For the Culture Market is Saturday, Feb. 3, at Visit College Station from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be 60 vendors, food trucks and live music.

A special component of the event is that it’s a launching pad for many small business owners.

“Uplift the vendors by coming out and showing your support,” Jennifer Ross Hasan said. “When they feel the community’s behind them, then that empowers them to want to do more to continue to be a success as an entrepreneur.”

Hasan represents The Reach Project and the African American Museum and will have an informational booth at the event. It’ll have artifacts from the museum and details about upcoming events.

Along with this, there will be other resources and services like haircuts from the GoldStar Barber Studio.

You can learn about some of the vendors on the lineup below.

Karissa DuBose & Floyd Durens

First-time vendor Karissa Dubose is the owner of Lazy Oaks Art. She uses discarded materials like things from landfills to create her pieces.

“I make sure to create beauty again out of every piece that I make,” Dubose said.

Floyd Durens will be bringing smoke to the market with his business SHO-Nuff Smokehouse BBQ. He’s known for his oxtails, pulled pork, ribs, links, brisket and ribs.

“Old-fashioned backyard barbeque,” Durens said. “I mean, I put it on the pit, start to finish. I don’t put it in the oven.”

Dayzia Josey & LaToya Simon-Stewart

Dayzia Josey is the owner of Sophisticated Cosmetics. The first-time market vendor creates lip glosses, bath salts and body butters.

She said she loves making these products because it’s like a science experiment.

Her mother and first-time vendor LaToya Simon-Stewart is the owner of Tootie’s Tender Care Childcare. She’s also a notary and a licensed Red Cross training provider for CPR, first aid and babysitting.

She’s excited to be a part of the market and share the experience with her daughter.

“We’re all about being an example for our children,” Simon-Stewart said.

Johnny Martinez-Carroll

Johnny Martinez-Carroll is an author and life coach. He wrote “The Pathway to Greatness” and “The Silent Dreamer.”

He also co-authored “The Impact of Influence, Volume 5.”

Martinez-Carroll is a returning vendor and is excited to be a part of the lineup.

“It gives us small business owners and entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase what we do, and there’s a lot of talent here in the Brazos Valley,” Martinez-Carroll.