A Black-Owned Holiday Decor Company Wants to Kake the Season Bright and Inclusive

Pictured are the founders of Black Paper Party, a company that specializes in selling holiday ornaments, wrapping paper and other holiday decor with authentic Black characters. Mandatory Credit: Courtesy of the Black Paper Party By Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN (CNN) — Madia Willis, Jasmine Hudson and J’Aaron Merchant were all working at the Walmart corporate headquarters in Arkansas in 2019 when they discovered they all had something in common. All three women loved Christmas. And, as Black women, they all wanted to see more Black representation in holiday decor. During lunch one day, they discussed business ideas that would allow them to leverage their interests and combine their skills in textile design and merchandising. They began by designing Christmas-themed wrapping paper and ceramic ornaments featuring Black characters and sold them on the online retailer, Zazzle. Willis said the feedback from customers was positive and they often asked for more product designs. “We knew we had something good going,” Merchant added. The trio continued to work on their business plan, but when the death of George Floyd in 2020 sparked a racial reckoning and renewed support for Black-owned businesses, they knew it was the right time to launch a company. “We...