Vendors, music fill Kilcawley today for African Marketplace

YOUNGSTOWN

Being accused of getting fresh with someone often carries a negative connotation, but doing so is an attractive quality for Carla L. Brown.

“These make great accents for any room,” the Warren woman said, referring to her hand-crafted dolls that serve as covers for a variety of air fresheners. “The body is the air freshener itself.”

Brown and her husband, Larry Brown, run The Art of Freshness LLC, a business that specializes in making the colorful dolls that feature small baskets filled with potpourri. The Browns’ appearance also provided an attractive showcase for Saturday’s annual Black Marketplace in Youngstown State University’s Kilcawley Center.

The gathering, which featured numerous items for sale and plenty of entertainment, was one of the university’s Black History Month events.

An estimated 40 vendors displayed their wares at the marketplace, which was a celebratory way to recognize and honor black people’s contributions to history, music and culture, as well as another way to connect with the community, noted Dr. Tiffany Anderson, director of YSU’s Africana Studies program and an assistant English professor.

Read more about the event in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.