Black Sisterhood Celebrated At Inaugural Hallmark Mahogany Honors Brunch

Eva Marcille, Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche, and Egypt Sherrod were among the honorees.

Hallmark Mahogany hosted its inaugural Hallmark Mahogany Honors brunch on April 28 in Atlanta. Women from all over the country gathered to receive their flowers.

Hallmark Mahogany is known for its diverse collection of greeting cards that feature messages of love, acceptance, condolences, and friendship in the language of the minority. Although the Mahogany branch is a relative newcomer compared to its parent company’s 114-year legacy, it has carved out a significant presence in the four decades since its establishment.

The company has found multiple routes to reach out and touch Black women. Through the Mahogany lifestyle website, e-commerce hub, and movie franchises, consumers and entrepreneurs are offered a space where honoring, celebrating, and supporting emotional connections among Black families, friends, and other loved ones is the norm.

The Hallmark Mahogany Honors was a natural extension of the brand’s mission. A ballroom at the Intercontinental Buckhead set the tone. While enjoying a delectable brunch, Black women communed as only they could. Shoulders bounced, heads nodded, and many danced between tables as the sounds of Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige flowed around the room.

After a prayer, guests were treated to a one-on-one conversation with Award Winning Musician, Actress and Entrepreneur Fantasia Barrino. The “Free Yourself” singer spoke candidly about her financial burdens. She vulnerably told the audience about losing everything financially three times. To emphasize her loss, she told a story of ordering pizza for her family and her credit card declining. Fantasia emphasizes how each of those failures led her to another lesson in business. She lamented that her gift was given to her and that others had “prostituted” her talent for far too long, which inspired her to become a businesswoman and truly lead her own enterprise.

Hallmark Mahogany honored Black women, creatives, and entrepreneurs throughout the brunch. Among the honorees were Eva Marcille, Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, and Egypt Sherrod, just to name a few.

Aliche told BLACK ENTERPRISE what it means to be acknowledged by a body of her peers.

“There’s one thing about being celebrated. It’s another thing to be honored by your own people. There is no honor more higher than being honored by people who look like you because they see you. They know all that you’ve gone through, and despite what all the fools say and what is happening in the world, they elevate you. And so, it’s just an amazing honor.”

Hallmark Mahogany honored the women using its strength—words. The team at Hallmark Mahogany crafted moving poetry to encapsulate its honorees’ gifts, talent, and beauty. It was indeed a sight to behold.