Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamelia and Kewanda Walker.
Hi Jamelia and Kewanda, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My wife and I are a lesbian couple who’s both originally from different parts of Georgia. She’s from Harris County, GA, which is next to Columbus, GA. I’m (Jamelia) from Savannah, GA. We both moved away from our home town for better opportunities. Having full-time jobs we felt there’s something more we could do. We founded Helping Hands of Joye nonprofit in 2017 to assist those in need. Outside of our full-time jobs, Kewanda’s a licensed realtor that services individuals and families in their search of a home or rental property. After having our son last year we decided to start a T-shirt shop for families. We named it after our son Phoenix “Little Phoenix Tees”. We just want to show him through our corporate jobs, nonprofits and our businesses that there are multiple ways to make a living and it’s ok to navigate through life to figure out what you want to do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our biggest obstacle was having our son Phoenix. We went through the IVF process for almost two years to have a successful transfer and our baby boy was born on December 20, 2019. On the nonprofit side, it’s been hard to get funding but we still make our yearly back-to-school event happen yearly for the families in the Savannah, GA area. Lastly, entrepreneurship with Little Phoenix Tees hasn’t been easy. We design and press shirts in-house and when designing, you never know what will draw the customer in to make a purchase. It’s definitely been a learning experience but we’re up for the challenge.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Little Phoenix Tees is a family T-shirt shop. What sets us apart is that we’re two moms that started making tees for ourselves and a little boy and wanted to show them to everyone else. Kewanda’s corporate job is in IT on the healthcare side. Jamelia’s corporate job is in Finance (Construction Lending).
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Jamelia- very active in little league girls basketball, dance (ballet and tap), then transitioned into cheerleading. I did a lot in church, Sunday school, vacation bible school and the youth choir. I always had a thing for helping others but staying to myself. Kewanda- an active person from softball to basketball. Riding four-wheelers or dirt bikes with cousins and friends. Friendly but also super quiet. Basketball being her main passion, she ended up with a scholarship in basketball to Savannah State University.
Pricing:
- $10-$30
Contact Info:
- Email: Info@littlephoenixtees.com
- Website: www.littlephoenixtees.com
- Instagram: Littlephoenixtees, mrsandmrswalker & kee.therealtor
Image Credits
Cover photo- @mir_hoffmann-instagram Full Name- Miriam Hoffmann
