By Ashley Kelley, For New Pittsburgh Courier
When the 2026 NFL Draft arrived in Pittsburgh, April 23-25, it brought hundreds of thousands of visitors, national media attention, and the promise of economic opportunity. But for many Black business owners, the benefits of the three-day event were uneven, highlighting both the possibilities and persistent gaps in inclusion.
While the NFL’s official “Draft Experience” locations at Point State Park and the North Shore offered a platform for selected vendors and organizations, several local entrepreneurs said the process to participate was competitive, limited, and in some cases, unclear.
Kontara Morphis, a dance artist and business owner, said she initially applied to be part of the NFL Draft Source program but was not selected.
She was ultimately able to participate through a collaboration with Demetria Boccella of FashionAFRICANA, whose business was selected. Morphis said the partnership allowed her to showcase her work and connect with new audiences, opening doors for future opportunities.
Still, she pointed to what she sees as a broader disconnect in how creative industries are valued.
“When people think of movement and dance, they sometimes put it solely in the category of performing art and not necessarily athletics; but there is a tie between performing art, athletics, and dance,” Morphis said. “We have NFL players who take dance classes to help them improve this skill in football. We have (former Steelers receiver and Hall of Famer) Lynn Swann who took ballet lessons at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, so it would have been nice to see the gap bridged.”
Morphis added that visibility remains a challenge for local Black-owned businesses.
“You really have to get into the City of Pittsburgh to know what’s going on here and to make the selection process here more diverse,” she said.
Despite not being selected initially, Morphis said the experience helped her grow professionally.
“I gained a lot of knowledge in learning how to operate and promote my business myself,” she said. “While the NFL didn’t help me directly expand my brand, it gave me an opportunity to showcase my skill and what I have to offer not just as a dance artist, but as a business owner.”
In response to limited inclusion in official programming, community leader William “B.” Marshall organized the “Draft Bash” Small Business Showcase on Pittsburgh’s North Side, an independent event designed to give vendors of color a chance to participate in the economic surge surrounding the Draft. There were also primarily-Black vendors at the Cocoapreneur Market, held inside Emerald City on Smithfield Street, Downtown, and “A Taste of the Historic Hill,” along Wylie Avenue in the Hill District. Together, those three events featured more than 100 Black-owned businesses from the region during the three-day NFL Draft, April 23-25.
Andrea Jones, owner of Zakat Fragrances, said the Draft Bash on the North Side had a significant positive impact on her business. Her revenue increased across all three days of the draft. Still, Jones said she felt Black businesses were not adequately represented in the NFL’s official events.
“Our NFL players are mostly Black and there should have been more offered to advertise and promote small Black businesses whose viewership and monies support the league,” she said.
Deanna Marie, also with Zakat Fragrances, was more direct in her criticism, stating that “the NFL came into our town and produced an international festival and selected and chose who they wanted to represent our city,” Marie said. “We’ve been here forever and we represent our city well.”
Marie noted that Black vendors regularly contribute to Pittsburgh’s major cultural events, including Juneteenth celebrations, Black music festivals, and neighborhood street fairs.
“When the NFL leaves, we will still be here to contribute to our city,” she said. “It would’ve been helpful if stakeholders allowed more Black businesses to be a part of their ‘roster’ and included in maps for visitors.”
Dennis Hawkins Jr., owner of Best Fish, also participated in the Draft Bash and reported strong sales throughout the weekend. He said community support played a major role in his success.
“We as Black people are always going to prevail,” Hawkins said.
He added that word-of-mouth and social media helped bring customers to his business, though he acknowledged hearing concerns about limited representation.
“Lack of representation and inclusivity is not foreign to our community,” he said. “We have to keep moving and support each other by working together…many times we harm ourselves by not supporting each other.”
Portia Diaz, owner of Portia’s Bobas R Us, described her experience at the Draft Bash as largely positive, though not without challenges.
“It increased from Thursday to Friday and decreased on Saturday, but would probably have been the same or better than Friday if it wasn’t for the weather,” Diaz said of her revenue.
She said the event provided both financial gain and visibility.
“It created an economic opportunity as well as visibility,” she said.
For Tatiana Howard, owner of Hot Tati’s Love On Yourself Collection, she said vending on the North Side for B. Marshall’s Draft Bash was worth it.
“I actually have a daily quota, and I met it both days,” Howard told the Courier. On Saturday, April 25, the third day of the Draft and the third day of vending, she predicted she’d meet her quota, too.
“I profited, yes,” Howard said.
One of her customers was Leatha Smith of the North Side, who picked up some handcrafted all-natural skincare products from Hot Tati’s.
“I think this is wonderful, and no problems,” Smith told the Courier, April 25, of the Draft Bash event. “This is what we deserve.”
For many Black business owners, the Draft Bash on the North Side, Cocoapreneur Market in Downtown and the “Taste of the Historic Hill” event in the Hill District filled a critical gap, offering a space to earn, connect and be seen.
