She Did That. Holiday Bazaar Returns With Joy

When Renae Bluitt looks at the journey of She Did That Holiday Bazaar, she can't help but feel a sense of awe. What started with fewer than 10 vendors in a Harlem beauty shop has grown into New York City's most intentional holiday marketplace for Black women founders — and now, thanks to a powerful partnership, Black men entrepreneurs as well.

On Dec. 6, the Bazaar returns to Brooklyn's Industry City for a day dedicated to "celebrating Black entrepreneurship, building community, and shopping with purpose," as stated in the event's official release. Bluitt, the founder and executive producer of She Did That, calls this gathering "the most important work that I've done in my entire career."

"In my early years of my career, I was doing PR in the agency and corporate world. I started my own consultancy, at which point I got to get a really intimate look at how small businesses, particularly those run by Black women, were being operated," Bluitt said. "I was just so impressed with how much Black women are able to do with so very few resources. I was just so inspired. And I was like, people need to hear these women's stories."

She built that platform first with the In Her Shoes blog, then the She Did That. documentary, and today, a whole ecosystem. "I really believe in this community," Bluitt told BLACK ENTERPRISE . "It's more than people just participating in the events. These women are showing up for each other throughout the year. We are showing up for them throughout the year with different opportunities and really creating an ecosystem for us all to be able to lean into each other and not just survive, but thrive and do it together."

Bluitt sees the Bazaar as a place where founders can strengthen their customer base, be discovered by corporate decision-makers, and unlock partnerships that live long after one weekend. "We've seen that happen. So that's like part of the magic of what we've created."