prgrssn

I am beyond excited to share that I am an @artspubliclife L1 fellow! This fellowship has granted me the great honor of opening up my first retail shop alongside two other amazing brands, @callie_decor + @somagems When I started my brand, I never had any expectations other than promising I would try and give it my best. J. Cole perfectly summed it up when he rapped “success is in the effort, so if a nigga tried his hardest I’m at peace knowing God ain’t deal it in this group of cards for me.” That means that I honestly am pursuing this dream with the understanding that it may not work out the way I want it. But I want to emphasize that following your dreams is never a waste. And by defining my success based on the only thing I can control, my effort, I know that even if it doesn’t work out, I didn’t fail. The real failure is not honestly trying. If you know me personally, you know the words I live by are “the best thing I never did was quit, but the best thing I ever did was start.” So whatever is on your heart, please start. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself. I tell people it took 8 years for my brand to make sense. Why? Because after all the tears I cried at my computer, the prayers I whispered to God throughout the day, the overdraft notices I regularly got from TCF bank, I can finally say I am a store owner. And it came to me at the perfect time. In God’s time. In the end, regardless of what happens with prgrssn, no one can take away all that we’ve accomplished. I’ve had the chance to travel around the country with my friends, inspire strangers and tell stories that mean something to those willing to listen. But most importantly, I’ve become a better version of me because of my journey. And to me, that is the ultimate success. Please join us next Friday, March 15 for the grand opening! RSVP link is in my bio. Tickets are only a head count so please pull up even without one. I have also restocked the website with some warehouse finds for those trying to cop something before we open. I love my community + see you all soon (:

Peace family! As a preview to our “Who Do You Belong To?” collection release, we will be hosting a trunk sale straight out of the whip in two locations throughout the city. We will be selling garments from previous collections at 20-70% off *along* with a special sample from the new collection for only $30. Yeah, you saw that right. $30 for a prgrssn piece so come get your first one! Kick it with us & preview our new collection all from the trunk 💫

“Who Do You Belong To?” Peaceeeee family! (: Some stories aren’t as simple as they seem, and some legacies aren’t defined by others expectations. It took some time for this one, we’re building something special. New collection on the way. See you in May 💕

A note for 100 years of Black History and more history to make 💫

To do anything once is already a miracle. But nine years? To commit yourself to something for nearly a decade is special. That takes consistency, diligence and faith. But none of it would be possible without my village. To celebrate 9 years of @prgrssn , we hosted an anniversary party with our good friends at @drinkmondaycoffee To honor the moment, I “wrote” a love letter to some of the most impactful people that have sustained the brand over the last nine years. Continuing my semiotics work, each person was gifted a uniquely designed BANJO! print that highlights what I admire about them most. But what I initially considered a love letter truly reads more like a prayer. I asked God to light the path towards each of their heart’s desire as they have lit the path for my own. Happy birthday to my favorite brand in the worldddddd. Cheers to a lifetime of documenting Black stories: past, present and future :^*

Pilot Episode 4 - “Community Is My Co-Sign” ✈️ As we look back on this year, every milestone was made possible by your support. The community is the driving force behind prgrssn's continued growth and success. So thank you. The community's endorsement means the world to us, and that's all the validation we need. Happy Holidays, family, and onward always! Excited to celebrate with you on Saturday. RSVP link in bio 💫 📸: @a_newvariety

Pilot Episode 3 - “Pepper’s Hangout” ✈️ When we finally got to Vegas, we created a full immersive experience at @complexcon ! We built Pepper’s Hangout to bring the storyline of Bessie Coleman and Pilot Pepper full circle. We dropped the “BAS” collection to critical acclaim from attendees and designers alike. It takes a pilot to guide the plane, but it takes a community to land it safely. 📸: @a_newvariety & @joshallenmedia

Pilot Episode 2: "Why Do I Fly?" ✈️ A major highlight was taking the brand back on the road for ComplexCon. The 30 hour drive gave our program director a lot to think about. After over 8 years of navigating the skies, sometimes you still have to build the plane as you fly it. One thing is certain though, you can’t build it alone. 📸 : @a_newvariety & @joshallenmedia

To highlight our successes over the past year, we’re retracing our steps. Starting with Pilot Episode 0 “Prologue” - Pepper’s Chili Parlor 👟🍛 In order for Bessie Coleman to earn her pilot’s license, she had to save up money to afford a plane ticket to go to flight school in France. She worked as a nail technician and a line cook in a chili parlor to raise money for her dreams. So, use the environment around you to build your community. You have all the tools around you to make your dreams a reality. For our second installment of Sole Food, we hosted 20 amazing black women to a Michelin-star dinner curated by Chef Keenan Brackett (@itskeenanbrackett ) at .etc Chicago (@etc.chicago ) along with Chef Lamar Moore (@chef_ljm ) detailing the journey of Bessie Coleman and the chefs through food and of course sneakers. Special thank you to our wine sponsor @sipmichaellavelle for providing us award-winning bottles for the event. 📸 : @a_newvariety

Peace Chicago, happy birthday to us!!! <3 Year 8 was very transformative. While 2025 was definitely not the easiest, you know community held us down and we grew tremendously because of your love and support. So this Saturday, we are celebrating y’all in our final activation of 2025 in the city that raised us. Join us at @drinkmondaycoffee for *free* drinks, birthday cake, sounds by DJ Ryan Moses (@mixedbymoses_ ), and an immersive art installation showcasing some of the most important people on our journey over the past nine years. We’ll be selling some of our bestsellers from the Bessie Coleman collection along with a limited edition prgrssn ‘9 Year Anniversary’ tee. Thank you Chicago and see you at the party :^*

Bessie’s Aviation school reporting for duty at Complexcon 2025! Come visit Peppers Hangout and the Brave Newstand at booth H18 and say hi to the crew ✈️

We’re taking the Bessie Aviation School on the road…come meet us for Pepper’s next adventure! See you soon Vegas (: @complexcon Director: @murrahj_ @joshallenmedia Featuring: @naira.bills @who.is.tuck