Meet 23 Black Bay Area Entrepreneurs at Juneteenth on the Waterfront
June 6, 2025
Kick off a month of Juneteenth celebrations tomorrow, June 7, at the fifth annual Pop-Ups on the Plaza: Juneteenth on the Waterfront. Meet the 23 local Black food and craft makers who will set up shop on the Embarcadero Ferry Terminal Plaza and in the plaza in front of the Ferry Building to offer delicious food and drink, handmade preserves and sauces, craft items, apparel, and more. While you shop, enjoy music from a local DJ, engage in live screenprinting with the Haight Street Art Center, and let your little ones make a Juneteenth necklace at our kids’ craft station.
Juneteenth commemorates the anniversary of Black emancipation in the United States. When it was first recognized as a national holiday in 2021, Foodwise and MegaBlack SF hosted the first-ever Juneteenth on the Waterfront to showcase Black-owned businesses on the San Francisco Waterfront. With support from the Port of San Francisco and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, the event has become an annual tradition, inspiring the Pop-Ups on the Plaza series, an initiative of Foodwise’s Building Equity program.
Food Businesses
Auset Ahmed Selassie, Bessie Carter Co.
From getting a culinary school in her home state of New York to working with farmers in Italy and France, Auset Ahmed Selassie has been specializing in vegan and vegetarian cooking for almost 20 years. Bessie Carter Co, named after her great-grandmother, offers rich brownies, fluffy cakes, and other desserts meant for those with dietary restrictions. Don’t miss: Sweet Potato Brownies and Chocolate Praline Cakes
Marcus Simpkins, Brutha’s Honey
At his hives in Vallejo, California, Marcus Simpkins harvests honey and honeycombs for nearby restaurants and stores. Find him at several farmers markets in Northern California with a variety of honey products, both edible and non-edible. Don’t miss: Fresh honeycombs and beeswax chapstick
Ricquel Thomas, Cali Sweet Cakes
Ricquel Thomas has spent many days baking with her mother, a tradition that she carries into her business, Cali Sweet Cakes. Through La Cocina, Ricquel found a way to channel her experience in culinary school and kitchens into running a business. At her booth, find comforting, homemade Southern desserts straight from her childhood. Don’t miss: Mini bundt cakes and cookies
Brownie and Princess Sims, The Final Sauce
Growing up, Brownie and Princess, “the Sims girls,” watched their Aunt Marion make pots full of her famous barbeque sauce, stirring it with a big wooden spoon for hours. Brownie finally recreated the recipe in 2014, but The Final Sauce wasn’t complete until Princess joined her sister in the kitchen. With Brownie’s creativity and Princess’ business savvy, The Final Sauce has flourished. Don’t miss: Ultra-spicy barbecue sauces and marinades
Vicktor Stevenson, Gourmonade
Gourmonade is a portmanteau of ‘gourmet lemonade,’ meaning that their products are always made with fresh and locally sourced ingredients. A participant in En2action’s Ujamaa Kitchen, Vicktor opened Gourmonade’s first kiosk on Valencia Street in 2018. Don’t miss: Handmade, small-batch lemonades in flavors like Beymonade (strawberry), Daily Driver (coffee), and Jasmine Palmer
Tatiana Thomas, Josephine Southern Cuisine
Tatiana’s traditional Southern food is meant to make you feel like you’re at your grandmother’s house on a Sunday, sitting around the table and eating a hearty meal. Over time, she’s grown her business with the support of Mandela Partners. Don’t miss: Mac and cheese, collard greens, and fried chicken
Imani M-Glover, The Lemonade Bar
Imani has had an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. After Imani got married, she and her husband invested in a hot dog cart, where Imani started selling freshly squeezed lemonade. In 2018, she went all in with The Lemonade Bar, which sources local ingredients for fresh and frozen lemonade. Don’t miss: Lavender lemonade and strawberry frozen lemonade
Alisha Wilson, Lil’ Alijo Catering & Events
Born and raised in San Francisco, Alisha learned to cook from her mother and aunt. With the support of En2Action’s Ujamaa Kitchen program, Alisha launched Lil Alijo, which offers the kind of savory satisfaction that can only come with a unique fusion of Caribbean, Cajun, and Creole cuisine. Don’t miss: Rice combo plates, Jamaican beef patties, and baked goods
Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste, Maison Porcella
Maison Porcella, led by Chef Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste, uses traditional French techniques and locally sourced ingredients in their artisanal meat products. Trained in top kitchens and refined under charcuterie master Gilles Vérot in Paris, Marc crafts pâtés, rillettes, Parisian-style ham, and more. Don’t miss: Sausages, hot croque monsieurs, and charcuterie boards
Alicia Waters, Maldoni’s
Berkeley native Alicia Waters named Maldoni’s in honor of her sons. She first opened her business to feed homeless individuals in her neighborhood, but with support from Mandela Partners, her soul food operation soon grew to feed her larger community in Oakland. Don’t miss: Stuffed potatoes, peach cobbler, and banana pudding
Christina Wilson, The Pleasure Principle Supperclub & Dining Events
With over five years of culinary experience, Christina started The Pleasure Principle Supperclub, a party-food-and-drink-loving catering business. Christina is inspired by the Bay Area’s abundance of fresh produce, which she incorporates into all of her dishes and sauces. Don’t miss: Take-and-bake Caribbean pastries and pepper sauces
Remy Howard, Remy Creations
Raychelle Howard, a San Francisco native, found her passion for cooking and catering at a young age. In 2021, she launched Remy Creations through En2Action’s Ujamaa Kitchen and has since then been catering, bartending, decorating, and providing rentals for events of all sizes. Her classic Cajun dishes are always heavily seasoned, served piping hot, and hearty enough for delicious leftovers.. Don’t miss: BBQ chicken and ribs, baked beans, links, and potato salad
Sitalbanat Muktari, That Hausa Vegan
Sital is a Nigerian American chef whose vision is to introduce Hausa food and culture to the world. Sital grew up on signature Nigerian and Hausa dishes like tuwo da miyan kuka (baobab), jollof rice, acca (fonio), zogale (moringa) and patte (porridge). With a vegan focus, Sital is excited to bring Hausa food to the Diaspora with continued support from Oakland Bloom. Don’t miss: Jollof rice plates, suya tacos, and more
MarQuita Petties, That’s My Jam
MarQuita grew up helping her grandfather in his garden, an early memory that grew into a love for fresh produce. That’s My Jam only uses simple and recognizable ingredients in their products, avoiding pectin, excess sugars, and thickeners. Their natural jams come in a variety of unique and bold flavors. Don’t miss: Jams in flavors like spicy strawberry fig, blueberry lavender, and mango masala
Craft Businesses
Jasmine Curtis, Avocurl
Tired of products that left her hair dry and damaged, Jasmine began making hair products in her room using edible ingredients like avocado oil to heal her hair and scalp while she studied biology at Cornell University. Her hair care line is made by hand with natural ingredients, representing Jasmine’s commitment to toxin-free hair care. Don’t miss: Handmade avocado-infused natural haircare products
Nicole Williams, Belle Noire
Nicole started Belle Noire (French for “Beautiful Black”) to connect women makers in Africa and the African Diaspora with a local market. Nicole, a third-generation San Franciscan, offers unique fans, earrings, and necklaces through In The Black marketplace. Don’t Miss: Handmade beaded earrings and necklaces
Nicole Thrower, Bismillah Boutique
In 2010, Nicole founded Bismillah Boutique, an Antioch-based candle and skincare brand. She crafts handmade candles embellished with crystals and skincare products in a range of soothing scents. All of her candles are made to order, and even when popping up, you’ll find that no two products are the same. Don’t miss: Handmade candles and skincare
Cianni Jackson, CIK Apparel
CIK Apparel is owned and operated by Cianni, a San Francisco native and mother of three. She began the apparel line in June 2020 and has since started selling her clothing, stickers, pins, and patches at the In The Black marketplace, all centered around celebrating Black Girl Magic. The letters “CIK” are a legacy nod to her children, who often accompany her to pop-ups. Don’t miss: Signature camo Black pride jacket and enamel pins
LaToya McInnis, Cocoacentric
After working at several fashion conglomerates, designer LaToya McInnis decided to start a brand that allowed her to express her own creativity and expertise. A member of In The Black marketplace, Cocoacentric provides sustainably made jewelry and accessories to uplift and empower women to feel beautiful. Don’t miss: Small-batch gold jewelry studded with pearls
Ayodele Kinchen, Duafe Designs
Ayodele Kinchen grew up in a pan-African home in Palo Alto. After graduating from Howard University, she launched Duafe Designs in 2004. Her waist bead boutique and gift store, located in Downtown Oakland, features signature hand-made waist beads and an array of body adornments for girls and women of all ages, sizes, shapes, and seasons. Don’t miss: Waist beads, cultural accessories, handbags, and custom-beaded eyewear
Kim Leonard, En Vie Naturals
Before starting En Vie Naturals in 2009, Kim worked in the cosmetics industry for 16 years. Put off by the amount of animal products and harmful chemicals she saw on ingredient labels, she was motivated to start her own business focusing on natural, vegan beauty products. You can also find her products at the Mission Community Market and In The Black marketplace. Don’t miss: Aromatherapy sprays, hand and body butter lotions, and joint pain relief care
Dr. Thomishia Booker, Hey Carter!
Founded by Dr. Thomishia Booker, Hey Carter! is a children’s brand that centers around creating important representation for Black children. Their picture books include titles like The ABCs of Black Girl Hair Love and Brown Boy Joy. More of their products, including children’s apparel, are available at In The Black marketplace. Don’t miss: Children’s books and “Brown Boy Joy” and “Black and Proud” t-shirts
Myesha and Mohammed Shuaibe, Melanin Gang
Spouses Myesha and Mohammed Shuaibe created Melanin Gang to “amplify Black voices, celebrate resilience, and inspire greatness.” They make all of their sweatshirts, hoodies, and shirts in-house. Each piece of clothing features a one-sentence motivational quote designed to uplift the Black community. Don’t miss: Comfortable loungewear and tote bags with inspiring quotes
Support these makers at Pop-Ups on the Plaza: Juneteenth on the Waterfront tomorrow, June 7, at the Ferry Terminal Plaza and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.
Topics: Building Equity program, Celebrations, Small business