This Black History Month Commanders.com is passing the page to local Black business owners to talk a little bit about their story in their words.

I've always loved art since I was young. My parents are from Jamaica, so they had a lot of Caribbean art hanging around the home I was growing up in. So, I always knew that when I was old enough to have my own place, I wanted to have art on my walls that reflected my upbringing and lifestyle.

To me, collecting art from Black artists is not about investment; it's about legacy. It's about having something to pass down to my family. That's important to me, because we're telling our story, and these artists are telling their story through their art. So, just being able to explain the artist's vision to others and our family and having them pass down those stories from one generation to the next is a lot more attractive to me than just buying art and make money from it.

I come from an entertainment background and run my own company, so I look at it the same way as supporting a musician, a singer, a rapper or any other creative in the beginning of their career. It's important for me to help them when they start because they need that support at that time, and it helps drive their career knowing that someone enjoys their art and wants to share it with other people. Those little things go a long way for someone who's starting out, not just in art, but in any field.

I got more off a feeling when I choose art to add to my collection. If it provokes an emotion in me or makes me feel a certain type of way, I'm going to be drawn to it. This art that I purchase is going to be something I hang in my home. I may hang a piece that makes me happy so that it's the first thing I see coming down the stairs every morning. For example, the piece I most recently bought is from an artist named Jamal Peterman, who lives in Prince George's County. I hung it in my foyer going up to my bedroom so that it's always there for me to look at. I might hang a piece that makes me feel relaxed in my living room. It has to move me in some sort of way.

You can also see my emotions change in the art that I choose, especially in the figurative works and abstract paintings. I have a piece by Demetrius Wilson called "Revealer" that's dark and red. You can feel the emotion and calming presence of the piece. In the figurative works, you can see the different elements of history in them.

I look at supporting Black artists as if I have a responsibility to share their work with as many people as I can. As an African American, we don't get taught a lot about investing in art or supporting the arts. So, I want to spread that art as much as possible to show people how valuable it is.

I think the representation for us as African Americans provides visibility for those whose contributions have been marginalized or overlooked. That narratives from our people, being able to preserve those narratives and pass them down to generations and share them with other cultures that might not be familiar to us is so vital. 

We address a lot of social and political issues in our artwork. African American art touches on racism, inequality and just our overall identity. To me, making a meaningful investment in making sure those issues are expressed can be so impactful, not just for the artist, but for you and your family. 

I want to make sure I'm doing my part to preserve that legacy.