An ode to the urban entrepreneur. Hail to the urban entrepreneur. Folks hawking t shirts, hair braiding, even plates of home cooked food in our dense cities. Known often as a 'hustle' these side jobs are a whole underground economy of their own. They also have a long history. For example, in 1920s Harlem, there was the 'rent party' which shows the creativity of people working against systemic racism. This tradition lives on as a way to make up for the wage gaps in place. Every head of hair done on the side helps pay the car note, the rent, the heat. Work at home businesses have become popular, as craftspeople use their skills and talents to make a little extra cash.

Soapdeli misses the point. Yes, my process is different. It's different because I have different influences, different culture, different ways of being. When I go to my home church, our celebrations are of Kwanzaa, of black history month. When I talk to other blacks here, our experiences are common ground. We blacks here in Memphis have our own distinct culture, our own distinct way of speaking, our own distinct way of doing things. And our culture was not born with the birth of hip hop. It is old.

From our black insurance companies and banks to the legend of Tom Lee, who the park near the river is named after because he is said to have saved thirty white people, to the story of the black millionare who rebuilt Memphis after the yellow fever epidemic, we have history, we have roots.

And we have a different literature as well. I know bell hooks, I know Eric Jerome Dickey, the children in mom's class are reading Zane, although they aren't supposed to. We watch Tyler Perry on TV, and enjoy the Neely's.

We can draw from our old traditions as well as the new. And because of the depth of experience we have, we can infuse that into our works.

Also, hey, enjoy the works of the etsy artists of color. We are awesome. Awesome *because* of our roots, and because of our culture.