Nineteen Fifty-Six Vol. 1 No. 2 Voice

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA.
THE MELANIN MARKETPLACE: LOCAL BLACK BUSINESSES RUN
I AM.
WHO
Amber Evans, graduate with a BSW in Social
Work from West Point, Georgia who currently
resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
WHAT
“Each shirt has a daily reminder of who the
Great I AM. is and what He can do. I design
socks, shirts, and bags. You choose your
favorite colors and styles to purchase.”
WHEN
“I was in a city year meeting with my other
corp members listening to them share their
stories. One person shared how they started
to dream bigger despite their circumstance
and I knew then I needed to do the same. So
I started searching for ways to put my dreams
into action.”
WHY
I started my personal relationship with God
about a year ago during a really tough time
in my life. I was really sad and I felt alone
despite being surrounded by people, smiling
on the outside but crying and stressed on the
inside. Church changed that for me and I feel
whole now. After graduating I moved to Tulsa,
Oklahoma as a part of City Year attempts to
provide services for public schools. I wanted
students to keep pushing for their goals. I
still felt like I wasn’t doing enough in life so
I started to put every idea I’ve ever had to
motion starting with the I AM. brand because
God is the one who has turned my life around
and I just want to share it with everyone who
may be where I was once before. Young lives
ending and or being taken right near me and
seeing it affect my friends and community. I
have to live for the ones who couldn’t fulfill
their dreams. I don’t want there to be one
dream that I didn’t at least try to achieve.”
CRAZYFAITH_IAM
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THE MELANIN MARKETPLACE: LOCAL BLACK BUSINESSES RUN BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSIT