Author Archives: Emma B.

Make Hartford Yours Series Showcases Stories of Hartford Influencers

We’ve always felt that Hartford is home to the bold, creative and ambitious; that it takes a certain someone to come in and make this city their own. After hearing the incredible stories from some of the city’s most interesting influencers, we feel that this belief holds especially true. From entrepreneurs, activists, artists and those […]

Story and Soil Becomes an Iconic Stop in Hartford for Speciality Coffee

 Just over a year ago, Story and Soil opened its doors on Capital Ave to the public. Owned by Sarah McCoy, Michael McCoy, and Michael Acosta, Story and Soil is an eclectic specialty coffee shop that has been inspiring new businesses and people to venture into the neighborhood and make it their own. Sarah […]

Hartford Boxing Center Gives the Community a Fighting Chance

 Leticia Blanco was born and raised in Hartford and has spent the majority of her life giving back to the community. In her early 20’s she was a freelance writer for the Hartford Courant. “Everything was about the community. So, enlightening the public with how great Hartford has it with the people in it. […]

Shana Schlossberg Creates a Thriving Space for the Hartford Community

 Walk into Upward Hartford, and you’re immediately drawn to a wall covered in brightly colored sticky notes, or the “Idea Wall” as Shana Schlossberg, founder of Upward Hartford, calls it. “A few months ago, I thought to myself, why are we not seeing more entrepreneurs in Hartford? Why are we not seeing more startups […]

Onyeka Obiocha Aims to Create a More Inclusive Community

 As one of the founders of Hartford based Breakfast Lunch & Dinner, Onyeka Obiocha describes their efforts as “this idea and platform that allows you to explore the possibilities to create collective culture.” Onyeka, or Ony as many in Hartford know him, was born and raised in Windsor, Connecticut and he attributes a lot […]

Jamie McDonald Uses BBQ to Give Back to the Hartford Community

 Jamie McDonald, owner of Hartford’s Chango Rosa, Bear’s BBQ, and Blind Pig does so much more than just feed people… Originally from Kansas City, Jamie McDonald came here out of the Navy, where he worked for United Technologies for many years. About four years ago he started his search for a spot Downtown when he […]

Herb Virgo Grows Life Within Hartford’s Keney Park

 The Keney Park Urban Agriculture Education site teaches composting, gardening, aquaponics, and hydroponics, with a goal of connecting people to the healing power of nature. Head of it all is Herb Virgo, who puts in many volunteer hours along with support from the local community to bring his sustainability visions to life. “We’re trying […]

Andrea Cortez Creates Beauty Within the Hartford Community

 Meet Andrea Cortez; an artist, an activist, an entrepreneur. Before starting Tainted Inc, a beauty collective and creative studio, Andrea worked in Corporate America for 15 years. During her time in the beauty industry, she eventually realized that the beauty industry is in fact, tainted… by praying on women’s insecurities to sell products. So, […]