Mahogany Hallmark hosted its Inaugural Mahogany Honors brunch, April, 28 in Atlanta. Women all over the country gathered to receive their flowers.
Mahogany Hallmark is known for their diverse collection of greeting cards that feature messages of love, acceptance, condolences and friendship in the language of the minority. The Mahogany branch, although a relative newcomer compared to its parent company’s 114-year legacy, has carved out a significant presence in the four decades since its establishment.
The company has found multiple routes to reach out and touch Black women. Through the Mahogany lifestyle website, e-commerce hub, and movie franchises consumers and entrepreneurs are offered a space where honoring, celebrating, and supporting emotional connections among Black families, friends, and other loved ones’ is the norm.
The Mahogany Honors was a natural extension of the brand’s mission. A ballroom at the Intercontinental Buckhead set the tone. While enjoying a delectable brunch, Black women communed as only they can. Shoulders bounced, heads nodded, and many danced in-between tables as the sounds of Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige flowed around the room.
After a prayer, guests were treated to a one-on-one conversation with singer and “The Color Purple” actress Fantasia Barrino. The “Free Yourself” singer spoke candidly about her financial burdens. She vulnerably told the audience about losing everything financially, three times. To emphasize her loss she told a story of ordering pizza for her family and her credit card declining. Fantasia emphasizes how each of those failures led her to another lesson in business. She lamented that her gift was given to her and others had “prostituted” her talent for far too long, which inspired her to become a businesswoman and truly lead her own enterprise.
Over the course of the brunch, Mahogany Hallmark honored Black women, creatives, and entrepreneurs. Among the honorees were Eva Marcelle, Tiffany “Budgetnista” Aliche, and Egypt Sharrod, just to name a few.
Aliche told BLACK ENTERPRISE what it means to be acknowledges by a body of her peers.
“It feels there’s one thing about being celebrated. It’s another thing to be honored by your own people. There is no honor than more higher than being honored by people who look like you because they see you. They know that all that you’ve gone through, and despite what all the fools, say and what is happening in the world, they elevate you. And so it’s just an amazing honor.”
Mahogany Hallmark honored the women using their strength — words. The team at Mahogany crafted moving poetry to encapsulate the gifts, talent, and beauty of its honorees. It was indeed a sight to behold.
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