These Philly teens run small businesses and want to inspire their peers to do the same

A group of Black teen business owners gathered for a block party Saturday — selling everything from custom hijab headwear and vegan skin-care products to buffalo chicken dip — to uplift one another and inspire other Philadelphia-area youths to follow their dreams.

“I want it to show people that not all the teens in our streets are running around doing things they’re not supposed to be doing,” said Qawyyah Powers, 17, who organized the event as part of her senior project at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber. “We are trying to make a name for ourselves.”

Her hope through the “Stop the Violence Teen Pop Up Shop,” she said, was to show peers there’s a community available to support their ambitions.

“The streets is not the only way for people to get out,” she said. “I want to support my people, and I want my people to support my people.”

The teens set up tables in block-party style in the city’s Mantua neighborhood in partnership with Dimplez 4 Dayz, a youth empowerment nonprofit started by Akayla Brown, a now-college student who started the organization in 2016 to give back to her community through positivity.

Here’s some information on each of the young entrepreneurs and how you can support them:

After losing a close friend to gun violence in early 2020, Sanaiya Moore, 18, started painting to cope with the pain. Moore, a senior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science, started selling her paintings before transitioning to crochet. Now, she sells custom-made clothing items — everything from hats and ski masks to full outfits.

“Doing this feels like a triumph of my trauma,” she said.

Product: Crocheted clothing

Price: $25 and up

How to buy: Instagram @ShopNavinchi

Kalea Dickerson, 17, started selling customized hijabs last August to help better connect to her Muslim culture and make new friends, she said. Dickerson, a senior at Simon Gratz High School, uses rhinestones and iron-on patches to glam up the headwear, designing each item by hand out of her North Philly home. She accepts custom orders and has some premade.

“I want to focus on making people feel pretty,” she said.

Product: Custom hijab headwear and scarves

Price: $12 and up

How to get in touch: Instagram @_.islamicPeacebyKD or email islamicpeacebyKD@gmail.com

Tramain Garvin, 14, just launched his catering business about a month ago, and he’s eager to show Philadelphia his cooking skills. Garvin, an eighth grader at Belmont Charter School, says his specialty is steak, but he’ll cook whatever you request. That means everything from quesadillas to chicken Alfredo.

He was inspired to start the business after attending the Dimplez 4 Dayz youth workforce development courses and has mostly catered for its events thus far.

Product: Whatever your heart desires

Price: Varies

How to order: Instagram @Mainn_Catering_LLC

Sierra Jones, 17, turned her nickname, CeCe, into a business.

Jones, a senior at George Washington Carver, hand-makes tie-dyed sweatshirts and other clothing out of her West Philly home, and adds inspiring messages. She has stock items and takes custom orders.

“I’m trying to show people life doesn’t have to be so miserable if you see everything more clearly,” she said. “You don’t have to get into this cycle of tearing each other down.”

Product: Tie-dyed clothing

Price: Varies, but sweatshirts are $40

How to order: Instagram @ceeverythingclearly

Founder Qawyyah Powers, 17, of Olney started selling her homemade banana pudding about two years ago after friends and family complimented it so highly. She’s added buffalo chicken dip, which she says is the best in the city, to the menu. People can order various sizes for pickup and delivery.

Product: Homemade banana pudding and buffalo chicken dip

Price: $7 to $14

How to order: Instagram @_.kastreats

After exploring her own spiritual journey, Kiersten Williams, 18, decided to lean into the power of crystals. The senior at First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School has made crystal jewelry for the last seven months.

Product: Crystal bracelets and necklaces

Price: $8 to $25

How to buy: Instagram @healingwithKW

For Elijah Barker, 17, his natural skin-care business started from being bored during the pandemic and watching YouTube videos. The senior at Science Leadership Academy taught himself to make vegan soaps and body scrubs — with scents like lavender honey and white tea and ginger — in his North Philly home’s kitchen.

Product: Soaps and body scrubs

Price: $6 to $10

How to buy: Instagram @ShopSkinCafe, and on Etsy.

Angelo Walker, 19, and Michael Cleaves, 20, offered free haircuts during the pop-up event. They plan to go to Dimplez 4 Dayz, at 3509 Haverford Ave., every two weeks to give free cuts to anyone in the 19104 zip code, to help the area’s youth feel comfortable and confident, and look professional, they said.

You can find them at Faheem’s Hands of Precision in South Philly during the week.

Product: Haircuts

Price: Free

How to get in touch: Walker’s Instagram is @Lo.Cutzz and Cleaves’ is @MikeDiced