Mobile Farmers Market Showcases Black-Owned Brands in L.A.
A Mobile Grocery Store Championing Black-Owned Brands Will Soon Cruise L.A. Prosperity Market , a mobile farmers market featuring Black-owned brands and produce from local farmers, has officially launched in Leimert Park after five years of develop...
Black News 
A Mobile Grocery Store Championing Black-Owned Brands Will Soon Cruise L.A.
Prosperity Market, a mobile farmers market featuring Black-owned brands and produce from local farmers, has officially launched in Leimert Park after five years of development.
Founded by Carmen Dianne and Kara Still, the solar-powered, 48-foot trailer is designed to support Black vendors impacted by pandemic-related closures while bringing fresh food to communities facing limited access.
A Market on Wheels
Inside the vibrant pink trailer, shoppers will find a fully stocked grocery experience featuring products from Black-owned businesses, including Station 1923, Papa’s Rice, and Ghost Town Oats.
Fresh produce is sourced from local Black farmers, including Kenneth Sparks II of Farmer Ken and Charles Southward of IGH Gardens.
The trailer also includes a mini-fridge with grab-and-go items and a built-in food truck space available for chefs.
From Vision to Reality
The idea for Prosperity Market began in 2020, during a pivotal moment for co-founder Carmen Dianne. The same day she was accepted into a makeup mentorship program, George Floyd was murdered, prompting her to shift focus toward addressing the lack of Black-owned grocery access.
Despite having no background in the food industry, Dianne and Still committed to the vision, launching their first pop-up outside Earle’s on Crenshaw in Leimert Park.
Black-owned businesses were among the hardest hit during the pandemic, with research from the National Bureau of Economic Research showing that 41% experienced losses in 2020. Los Angeles was particularly impacted, according to a Yelp report.
A New Kind of Market
The launch event featured 20 vendors, live cooking demonstrations, and community engagement. Chef John Cleveland of Post & Beam prepared dishes inside the trailer, while Chef Sharon Graves of BLVD Kitchen showcased how to cook with vendor products.
Local DJ Myah Moves provided music, and KJLH-FM’s Tammi Mac hosted the event, creating a vibrant, community-centered atmosphere.
Customers like Shanta Smith discovered the market online and supported vendors by purchasing products such as Plush Ginger Beer.
Vendors like Nikkia Johnson of Tranquilitea have already seen growth from participating in Prosperity Market’s pop-ups.
Scaling the Vision
The mobile market will begin appearing at local events before establishing a regular schedule throughout Los Angeles County. Planned stops include the Array Creative Campus and Smorgasburg L.A..
An online marketplace also allows customers to shop beyond in-person events.
Looking ahead, Dianne and Still plan to expand Prosperity Market across California and eventually into other states.
“Prosperity Market should be in every city,” Dianne said. “I really want to honor that, so I want to make sure that we show up even stronger.”
