Our Story
For years,
Fraternal Vendors and RMF Publishing
have proudly served the Chicago community — offering
books, apparel, and inspiration for readers, Masons, Eastern Stars,
HBCU alumni, and everyday dreamers.
But as times have changed,
brick-and-mortar business has become harder to sustain.
Now, we’re taking a
bold step of faith
— relocating from
Chicago to Mississippi
to build something deeper:
a
Black-owned, faith-based manufacturing business and small academy
that will create jobs, teach embroidery and publishing,
and empower others to earn through their creativity.
This is more than a move — it’s a mission.
Our Vision: From Storefront to Studio
We’re building a multi-purpose creative center that will:
- Train and employ youth and adults in embroidery, design, and small business skills.
- Manufacture our own apparel and accessories for fraternities, sororities, Masonic and Eastern Star members, and alumni.
- Expand our publishing arm, teaching authors and creators how to self-publish and profit with purpose.
- Host workshops rooted in faith, creativity, and community service.
Our dream is to turn “Made in Mississippi” into a story of pride, empowerment, and opportunity.
How Your Donations Will Help
Category | Goal | Purpose |
Equipment | $15,000 | Embroidery machines, computers, and printers for in-house production |
Facility Setup | $8,000 | Warehouse/Studio rental, basic renovations, utilities, workspace furniture |
Training Academy | $3,000 | Curriculum materials, community outreach, and certification setup |
Licensing & Business Development | $2,000 | Legal fees, permits, and manufacturing licenses |
Community & Youth Program | $2,000 | Scholarships for students, materials for free training sessions |
Total Goal: $30,000
Every dollar moves us closer to creating a self-sustaining business that educates, employs, and uplifts.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about profit — it’s about
purpose.
We’re building something that:
- Creates real jobs for locals and returning citizens.
- Blends faith and creativity to restore hope and discipline in entrepreneurship.
- Strengthens Black-owned industry in the South through training and production.
- Empowers dreamers to learn tangible skills like embroidery, publishing, and digital design.
We’ve seen firsthand how community and craftsmanship can change lives — now we want to pass it on.
What You Can Do
Here’s how you can help:
- Donate — Every contribution, large or small, helps us move forward.
- Share — Post this campaign on your Facebook, TikTok, or church group page.
- Sponsor Equipment or Classes — Become a direct partner in the academy.
- Pray & Encourage — Faith is the foundation of everything we do.
Your support is helping a Black-owned, faith-led business plant seeds of opportunity in Mississippi.
Thank You
From Chicago’s South Side to Mississippi soil, we’re walking in faith
and purpose — and we want you to walk with us.
Let’s build
something that lasts — a creative space where learning, faith, and
industry unite.
“Legacy lives where opportunity grows.”
— The Fraternal Vendors & RMF Publishing Team
Highlights
See all activity2Small Bus. Plight
Business isn’t what it used to be.
Brick-and-mortar stores once gave us purpose — the joy of customers walking in, shaking hands, supporting something real. But today, everything has shifted. Online platforms dominate, overseas factories flood the market, and small businesses are left fighting to stay visible, let alone profitable.
As a Black-owned, faith-based company, we’ve felt that pressure every day. Friends and family — the very people we hoped would be our first supporters — often ask for discounts, or they choose to buy from white-owned companies or foreign sellers who can afford to sell cheaper because of mass production and government backing. It hurts. Not because we expect special treatment, but because we pour our hearts, our time, and our faith into every product we make.
The truth is, it’s hard.
Prices for supplies, shipping, and
materials have gone up everywhere. Banks are slow to lend to small
Black businesses. Grants are competitive and often out of reach. And
when foreign companies sell imitation designs for half the price, it’s
nearly impossible to compete — especially when we’re trying to pay
fair wages, support local families, and give back to our community.
We don’t want pity. We want partnership. We want the chance to build something sustainable, to manufacture our own products, teach others how to create, and keep our culture alive in the marketplace.
Our dream isn’t dying — it’s evolving. We’re moving from survival mode to legacy mode. From storefronts to studios. From struggle to sustainability.
Every dollar, every share, every prayer helps us keep going — not just for us, but for every small Black-owned business trying to make it in a world that tells us we’re too small to matter.
We’re still here. Still faithful. Still fighting to create with
purpose.
And we believe — with help, heart, and community —
we can build something that lasts.
