In the flurry of the year’s end, I never got a chance to really go in depth about a really exciting opportunity I was selected for. Late last fall, I was chosen as a winner of the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative, an amazing program by The Natural Diamond Council, in partnership with Lorraine Schwartz. Created to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) jewelry designers, this year-long program aims to diversify the diamond industry.
The diamond industry can be an extremely difficult industry to break into as an emerging BIPOC designer because it is a tight knit, generational business that is often passed down through family and industry members. I’ve always wanted to work with diamonds but always felt very intimidated with where to even start in an industry that seemed so shrouded in mystery. Through this year long program, I will be learning the in's and outs of navigating the world of diamonds and will be working on producing my own fine collection. I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and use this opportunity not only to succeed for myself, but also to blaze a trail for the next generation of BIPOC designers. I look forward to making this part of the jewelry world a more diverse space and am so excited to have you follow along with me on this amazing journey!
