Rebranding Chicago: Interview with Aquillia Mikel
Aquillia Mikel is a high school teacher and the creator of Rebrand Chicago, a Black Friday shopping alternative in Chicago. She is an alumna of Depaul University and a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority with a passion for education, creativity, and supporting black communities.
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PHILLIP: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ACCEPTING MY INVITATION FOR THIS INTERVIEW. I THINK WE “MET” ON INSTAGRAM AND I’VE BEEN FOLLOWING YOUR WORK EVER SINCE YOU SHARED BLAVITY’S PIECE “13 YOUNG BLACK POETS YOU SHOULD KNOW.” WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH YOUR INSTAGRAM, WEBSITE, AND BLOG IS FANTASTIC.
Aquillia: Thank you! I have tried to create a space where people can come to see many faces, actions, beliefs, and movements of Black people. There is more to us than the mainstream perception.
P: CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE REBRAND AND HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN AROUND.
A:My family taught from me a very young age about what it means to be black. I memorized speeches, visited the Dusable Museum every King Day, watched Roots- the whole nine. So, I knew what it meant to be black- I just didn’t know how bittersweet it could be. I didn’t know how dope it could be, either. I didn’t truly understand that I was constantly being marginalized, because I didn’t think I faced any real racial barriers. It wasn’t until Trayvon’s murderer was acquitted did I realize that I knew very little about loving myself. I knew very little about loving people who looked like me. I didn’t understand the strength and beauty of being black until that moment. I remember sitting in the car when the verdict came through- and I just cried. I knew I had to do something. I just didn’t know what. But then Black Friday came around and I decided to forego the family shopping trip and my sister and I took my little cousins to the Civil Rights Museum when I was visiting my family in Memphis. Ideas started to flow from there as I told my family and friends how I wanted to affect change. I’ve been around for less than a year, but I am here to stay.
P: AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE SHARE SOMETHING SIMILAR. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEARNING ABOUT YOUR HISTORY AND UNDERSTANDING YOUR PLACE IN THAT HISTORY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. SOMEHOW, WHAT WE LEARN ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE BECOMES PURELY ACADEMIC BUT THE EMPATHETIC ASPECT GOES MISSING.
I’M SO HAPPY THAT YOU MENTIONED BLACK FRIDAY, TOO. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT FINDING BLACK BUSINESSES THAT YOU FEATURE ON YOUR PAGE?
A: I started with black businesses that I knew my parents supported. My mom supports our people like no one I have ever known! I used to be so embarrassed by that- but what did I know? She’s been such a great resource through all of this. Also, my dad volunteers at The Black Star Project so he learns about black businesses and passes them to me. We’re all Greek as well, so I followed Greeks who were becoming or are entrepreneurs. But, I still wanted to expand the search. I started specifically looking for 21-40 year olds on Instagram who I thought were really cool or influential. When I found Ebony Costain of Ujamaa Box, that was a gold mine. There are also other Instagram pages that make lists of black businesses to follow and support. From there, I started to find black business owners who were young in Chicago and followed who they followed. Whoever they thought was cool or whoever they supported- I followed. And I’m not an artist- but artists support each other hard. So, I knew if I found one- I could pretty much find them all. They roll deep.
P: RECENTLY, SAIDA GRUNDY, AN INCOMING PROFESSOR AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY, TWEETED ABOUT HER IDEAS OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND GOT INTO TROUBLE FOR IT, RECEIVING HARSH CRITICISM FROM ALL DIRECTIONS. A FEW PEOPLE DID SUPPORT HER, THOUGH, AND ONE OF HER TWEETS I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN REVIEWING YOUR WORK WAS AS FOLLOWS: “EVERY MLK WEEK I COMMIT MYSELF TO NOT SPENDING A DIME IN WHITE-OWNED BUSINESSES. AND EVERY YEAR I FIND IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.” THERE IS SO MUCH IN THAT BUT HER TWEET WAS READ MOSTLY AS BEING ANTI WHITE BUSINESSES. I DIDN’T READ IT THAT WAY. BUT I’LL ASK YOU; CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BLACK BUSINESSES TO BLACK PEOPLE AND HOW DANGEROUS A DEARTH OF BLACK BUSINESSES CAN BE FOR CONSUMERS?
A: Black businesses are crucial- and without them the effects are detrimental to our people. We will never be able to truly understand ownership, the importance of ownership, truly financially support our schools or our communities without these businesses. I’m sure people have heard this by now- but it bears repeating. We’re not broke. Our neighborhoods are not broke, our money just doesn’t make it’s way back to us. We spend our money elsewhere because we’ve been told that if a business is White or, in general, more “Other”, it is more reputable. We are getting kicked out of our neighborhoods that are becoming gentrified, and any black business that exists there will not be serving people that look like us. If we did want to come back and support these businesses- we would have to travel to do it.Then, we don’t fit the new demographic or target audience. So, we go where it’s more convenient. It’s been a cycle for too long. And just because your pro- Black- it doesn’t mean you’re anti anything else. It means that you have made a purposeful decision to love something that people have taught you to hate for generations. Also, spending money for a week at these businesses is a good place to start. However, if you want to make a difference, you have to actively search and support these businesses long term. If black communities only circulate our dollars for 6 hours, what real difference are you making in a week? Just food for thought.
P: THERE IS ALSO THE BELIEF BY SOME BLACK PEOPLE THAT BLACK BUSINESSES ARE UNPROFESSIONAL AND HAVE POOR QUALITY SERVICE AND PRODUCTS. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE WHEN EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR DISCOVERIES? IS THE RECEPTION APPREHENSIVE? OPEN-MINDED?
A: It is generally apprehensive- which is why I like to showcase the businesses I love and support. I take people with me and I write about them on the blog. I am starting Rebrand Meetups. I make a huge deal about it. From there, people are usually open to trying more of these businesses. My friends and family know what I do, so they will also tell me what businesses are out there when they hear about it. However, when people do visit a Black business with poor service- friends will text me and say things like “This place needs a Rebrand.” 🙂 I don’t need or want to be the Olivia Pope of black businesses. I just want you to know it’s there and to show it some love. Then, when you give feedback to that business or you invest in it to make it better, they’re more willing to listen to you and make positive changes. We improve by building each other up.
P: EXACTLY. THE IDEA THAT COMMUNITY STRETCHES BEYOND OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. IN YOUR POEM “THE (BLACK MALE) EXODUS” YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT I’VE HEARD CALLED “BRAIN DRAIN” IN BLACK COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS WHEN THE MOST BRILLIANT AND THOSE WITH THE MOST POTENTIAL LEAVE COMMUNITIES BUT DO NOT RETURN. YOUR TWIST ON IT, THOUGH, IS FROM THE SIDE OF BOTH UNDERSTANDING THAT SO MUCH VIOLENCE CAN RUIN THESE LIVES BEFORE THEY EVEN REACH THE POTENTIAL WE FEAR THEY’LL NEVER BRING BACK HOME. IT’S A GREAT, COMPLICATED, MELANCHOLY POEM. CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS POEM? HOW DID YOU FEEL WHILE WRITING IT? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT BLACK COMMUNITIES LOSING PEOPLE THROUGH VIOLENCE AND SELF-PROTECTION?
A: Teaching students of color taught me so many things about the world I live in- this was one of the moments. The mother of one of my students wanted to move her son out of the city to a neighboring state because of the violence in her neighborhood. He was a great kid- an AP/Honors student, and he was doing great in school. The day she came to transfer him- I felt like I would never have a chance to see him grow up. What could I say? She had tears in her eyes. He wasn’t the first one to leave, either. I had another black male student move down South. I still communicate with him- but all of the wonderful things he’s doing now- he’s not doing in Chicago. He’s not affecting the people he grew up around because they’re not seeing his progress. And then- the shootings. The deaths. I have no words. I have had students who were shot or targeted by gangs- and I can’t describe that feeling to you. It seems that Black communities never get a chance to start over. They can’t regroup. The people that we are trying to raise as a fresh start are being buried at alarming rates.
P: THAT’S SO HEAVY BUT SO TRUE. IF I MAY SHARE A QUICK ANECDOTE. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS DOING VERY WELL AND RECENTLY MOVED TO THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO BUT COULD NOT STAY IN THE APARTMENT HE’D STARTED RENTING. HE KEPT GETTING ROBBED. IT WAS A HARD THING FOR HIM TO DEAL WITH AND HE WANTED TO BE THERE BUT HE FELT UNWANTED AND UNSAFE. IT’S A STRANGE LINE TO TOE, TO WANT TO SUPPORT YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE BUT TO ALSO BE SEEN AS A TARGET INSTEAD OF AN INSPIRATION. IT HURT HIM TO MOVE. I, TOO, FREQUENTLY LEAVE THE CITY AND HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY MY FAMILY TO LEAVE. SOMETHING HAS GOT TO CHANGE BUT WHAT COMES FIRST? SUCH A HARD QUESTION.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT REBRAND PARTICIPATES IN? I SEE ON IG SOMETHING IS COMING UP SOON!
A: Yes! Get excited! Rebrand Meetups are something that I started to created a buzz about the actual Rebrand event happening in November. What will happen when groups of black millennials start supporting everything black? We shall see! The first one is happening June 18 and we will be going to see the movie, DOPE at AMC River East 21 (7pm). From there, meetups will happen every month so that these black ventures can continue to grow! I also love supporting local black events in the city and elsewhere. I just came from the Roots Picnic last weekend and I’m going to Afropunk in New York. I went to Afropunk in Chicago, so go check out that blog post! But, Philly, LA, and New York seem to have the young, black supporters on lock already. Rebrand is about putting Chicago on the map!
P: YES, LET’S TALK ABOUT CHICAGO. WHAT, TO YOU, MAKES CHICAGO SO SPECIAL? WHAT POTENTIAL DO YOU SEE THAT IS UNTAPPED IN WAYS THAT LA, PHILLY, AND NEW YORK HAVE TRANSCENDED?
A: I’ve learned to see Chicago as special because of people around me. I’m technically from Palmdale (middle of nowhere), California- but Chicago has raised me and for that- I do owe this city for making me who I am today. But, in the same breath, I think the city has separate factions of black creatives and entrepreneurs. Dancers stick together. Poets stick together. Visual artists, foodies, industry people- all stick together. People in those groups support one another or are willing to support others if they feel the cause is worthy enough. It’s not like that elsewhere. In Chicago, if you have to ask, you’ll never know. That’s why so many people don’t know about all the cool stuff that exists in the city- it’s only talked about in small circles. In my opinion, there’s room for growth.
P: I HAVE BEEN VICTIM TO WHAT IS OPENLY KNOWN AS CHICAGO’S CLIQUE-NATURE HAHA. WE HAVE GOT TO DESTROY THAT REPUTATION THAT I’VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. I THINK YOU ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY TO DOING THAT!
WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT REBRAND AND YOURSELF THAT YOU HAVEN’T SHARED THUS FAR? WHERE CAN READERS LEARN MORE AND TWEET YOU IF THEY ARE INTERESTED?
A: Rebrand is about reaching out. If I hear about businesses or people that are starting a movement, I want to be there. I want to repost. I want to write about it. It’s about changing the perception of not only black people in Chicago, but black people everywhere. I want it to be an agent for effective change. I don’t have a Twitter- but Rebrand does have an Instagram: @rebrandchicago. People can subscribe to my newsletter, “The Rundown” on the site to stay up to date on everything Black Chicago and Rebrand updates. The website is www.rebrandchicago.com. I love to meet people. I love to hear about all of the cool things black people are creating- so I’m always down to listen and collaborate. Speaking of which, Rebrand is still looking for black vendors and creatives. And photographers. Videographers. The whole deal!
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