One of the first steps towards a deeper knowledge of a community’s culture can be found through discovering and studying the things they hold dear.
Married couple Jannah and Kiyanna Handy have made this their life’s work with their renowned Brooklyn antique store BLK MKT Vintage, which is located on Marcus Garvey Blvd.
Their passion for unearthing and selling gems serves as a reminder of the richness and history found within everyday items. And through their newly released coffee table book that shares the same name as their establishment, Kiyanna and Jannah’s work reaches an even broader audience. “Here y’all are with a business and practice to help us get closer to all the ways we and our ancestors have existed throughout history,” acclaimed Black filmmaker Spike Lee wrote in the foreword for BLK MKT Vintage: Reclaiming Objects and Curiosities That Tell Black Stories.
St. Louis was one of the lucky cities to have a stop on the book tour. Presented by Undo Bias, Kiyanna and Jannah brough BLK MKT Vintage to St. Louis. The organization’s co-founder, Zenique Gardner-Perry, facilitated a conversation about the book and the couple last Friday at The Saint Louis Art Museum.
During the talk, they discussed their goal of sharing the importance of collecting – and of building generational wealth within the Black community.
Perry asked questions about their process and their identity as queer Black authors.
BLK MKT Vintage proved itself to be quite the conversation piece.
The book features a wide range of Black imagery and artifacts. There are pictures of magazine covers and movie premieres juxtaposed with images of home goods and everyday items from Black households throughout the years. Many of these items were discarded as junk. However, with their collection these items gain value through the history they share and stories they tell. The pair thought of their audience first when creating BLK MKT Vintage. Their intention was to ensure that it would be accessible to everyone – and was full of historical exploration linked to Black history. Kiyanna and Jannah decided to add a number of anecdotes about their collection to accompany the imagery.
“If the pictures get you and you stay for the prose or you come for the prose and stay for the pictures, we wanted to make sure we had something for everyone,” Jannah said.
The pair took turns sharing stories about their process of reclaiming the rich Black history that has been lost to us as a people.
The book is the first time the pair has displayed their identities separately. They are excited to share this collaboration of their voices and demonstrate their unique approach to the reclaiming work that has bonded them through the years.
Born and raised in Brooklyn just around the corner from each other, but they didn’t meet until they both attended Rutgers University. Kiyanna was an expert at thrift shopping. Because she grew up wearing hand-me-downs, Jannah shied away from second hand stores. Kiyanna encouraged her to come along on a shopping trip. They bonded over the experience and developed a deep connection with each other and the art of shopping to celebrate the past and reclaim for the future.
BLK MKT Vintage has the power to inspire a journey of self-realization, reinforce one’s current identity and self-expression, and foster a deeper sense of purpose and dedication to one’s community.
Kiyanna shared that her mother was recently diagnosed with dementia – and has had difficulty reading since her diagnosis – but has flipped through the book multiple times since receiving her copy.
“The images take her back to when she was younger, and our family history growing up in Brooklyn,” Kiyanna said. “The images and tactile memory are so much a part of this work. So, whether storytelling through imagery or prose, we just wanted a little something for everybody.”
For more information, visit www.blkmktvintage.com
Living It content is produced in partnership with Regional Arts Commission.
