Recent UNCG graduate, Charity Colman, mixes her love for the arts and business mentality to create a business, with her friend Alexis Franks, that would not only benefit her fellow National Pan-Hellenic Council members but her community as well.
Recent UNCG graduate, Charity Colman, mixes her love for the arts and business mentality to create a business, with her friend Alexis Franks, that would not only benefit her fellow National Pan-Hellenic Council members but her community as well.
“Coming into college as an art major, there is a lot of discouragement from people wondering what you can do with an art degree,” said Colman. “So I wanted to do something that would uplift both African-Americans and the arts by showing that there are no limits to what you can do with an art degree.”
Founded in March 2012, Colman and Frank’s business, Imbrace: Upscale Greek Apparel, specializes in Greek organization t-shirts but also creates art and clothing that is positive and uplifting to all African Americans.
The t-shirts run between $15-25 because Colman believes that clothing should be made out of quality material.
“I crossed AKA at UNCG,” said Colman. “Looking around and at the things everybody sells, sometimes it seems like people just throw letters onto anything. If we are supposed to represent greatness we shouldn’t take that.”
The business also creates pins and buttons for churches and other businesses around the Greensboro area and hopes to expand and provide items such as Greek paintings and paddles.
At the moment the company does not have a physical location, but interested persons can purchase items online at www.imbracegreekapparel.com
In addition to providing apparel, Colman and Franks also hope to aid ex-convicts by providing them with second chance staffing as part of a rehabilitation program after jail and plan to aid communities by starting a non-profit organization.
The non-profit organization will help to uplift the arts in African-American communities.
“We want to encourage African-Americans to pursue a degree and career in the arts through mentoring, sponsorship programs and by providing scholarships,” said Colman. “By doing this we hope to encourage individuals to embrace their dreams and touch their fears.”
A launch party will be occurring on May 2 from 6-9 p.m. at Krest Terrace to celebrate the business’ start. The gathering is free and is open to the public. It will have live entertainment as well as a DJ and it will be cocktail attire event.
For more information concerning the business, individuals are encouraged to tweet @imbraceme or email them at [email protected]
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- Liliane Long, Contributor