Annaya Chelcy wants Birmingham residents to know that Black businesses matter. As a viral local content creator and founder of The Local Tourist Collective — an event-hosting and experiential marketing agency — she brings her large audiences to small, local businesses that may be overlooked in the city. For Chelcy, her platform serves as both an outlet for creativity and advocacy.
“Black-owned businesses do not get marketing support at all,” Chelcy told the Birmingham Times. “What I find is that Black-owned businesses only get that major support system around Black holidays, such as Juneteenth and Black History Month. Those are the only times that money is allocated towards these businesses specifically.”
With over 100,000 followers on Instagram and more than 60,000 on TikTok, Chelcy has built her platform by supporting and advocating for these businesses year-round…