Native Marketplace at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, July 15

From a press release:

Native Marketplace at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, July 15

Our Native American Business Network is coordinating a Native Marketplace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 15 at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (36 Montford Ave, Asheville, NC).

This event is free and open to the public, and serves as a showcase for Authentically Cherokee, a group of contemporary Cherokee artists from Cherokee, North Carolina, historically referred to as the Qualla Boundary. Artists will not only sell their work, but also demonstrate their skills.  All in the community are encouraged to attend, learn, support and shop from 11-3 p.m.

Come meet talented Native craftsmen, including a modern wood carver who utilizes technology to etch, engrave and carve Cherokee designs; a basket weaver and jewelry maker; another artist who creates soaps and lotions; and others. If you plan on attending, please RSVP to Heidi Reiber at hreiber@ashevillechamber.org.

The partnership between ONABEN and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce was established as a result of ONABEN’s close work with Sequoyah Fund in Cherokee. There, ONABEN is providing training and technical assistance to the Cherokee, North Carolina community as part of a three-year grant with the Administration for Native Americans. This event is co-sponsored by the City of Asheville, Asheville Area Arts Council and Society of North American Goldsmiths.

Veronica Hix, Executive Director of ONABEN, welcomes people to visit the Chamber during the event, adding, “We are looking forward to this Native Marketplace and working with an amazing group of people, representing a wide variety of contemporary artistry. Not only does it provide a beneficial learning opportunity for these artists, but it is also a fun way to support local artists and small businesses!”

The Sequoyah Fund is an independent, non-profit Native American Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The organization evolved from a loan fund program of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Sequoyah Fund’s mission is to provide training, technical assistance, and resources to support entrepreneurship, business start up and expansion, and community development in the seven far western counties of North Carolina and on the Qualla Boundary.

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce is a member organization with more than 1,800 member businesses and organizations. Chamber members collaborate with area organizations and coalitions to support the community and each other with the mission of building community through business.

ONABEN – Our Native American Business Network is a national nonprofit headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ONABEN provides its Indianpreneurship® curriculum, training and organizational consulting focused on developing entrepreneurship in Native communities. The group is driven by its mission to support Indigenous individuals, economic development organizations and communities by increasing opportunities for sustainable economic growth through culturally relevant entrepreneurial training and organizational development.

For more information, visit http://www.onaben.org or call 503.968.1500.