Little Black Umbrella logo design - 1st draft

Very happy with the way this little graphic turned out!

Back in the blog saddle

Hey friends! Nordica here. Trying to get back into posting on my blog for business things. I enjoy the interaction I get on my social media accounts but they don't have the organizational structure I need to make business-related announcements, post press releases, and promote the projects I am either revitalizing or launching this year.

Big things in the works; I am very excited to make regular updates on the progress of our family of brands. As of this month, my family will be going in a new direction focused on growth and expansion. Our hope is to move from a grieving/ defensive position after the devastating loss of our matriarch Niki Raapana in June 2022 into a period outwardly directed activity.

This new course begins with the establishment of the holding company, Little Black Umbrella. LBU is dedicated to building a diverse portfolio of brands that reflect our belief that business can be a force for positive change in the world. We are pursuing a strategy of diversification and social entrepeneurship through various products and services, educational publications, and community development initiatives. Here is a short list of some of the companies and brands we have managed and plan to revitalize, develop or launch in 2023:

907pixelwitch - Est. 2021
Graphic design and local promotions company dedicated to offering affordable marketing solutions to small business owners.

Alaska Hempfest® - Est. 2015
Political organization and annual music festival promoting industrial hemp as an economic opportunity in economically depressed Alaskan communities, in addition to supporting the legalization of cannabis. Licensed affiliate of Seattle Hempfest. Seattle Hempfest®, the flagship festival of the Hempfest® family of brands, is a West Coast institution for nearly 30 years, and is the largest policy reform rally in the entire world. Both events remained cancelled due to the challenges faced by event producers under the Covid-19 pandemic, but we have been working tirelessly to ensure that both events come back full-strength and better than ever.

The Extreme Climate Housing School (TECHS) - Est. 2011
A private, non-grant funded research institute intended to develop affordable housing solutions for people living in extreme climates.

Friedrich & Sons Publishing - Est. 2008
Publishing company formed to acquire ACL Books in 2008.

ACL Books - Est. 2005
The home of Anti Communitarian League founder Niki Raapana's life work.

The Gertee Factory - Est. 2004
Gertee is a sweet Alaskan twist on the traditional ger of Mongolia, innovated by Niki Raapana, tested and proven by Team Gertee to stand up to the worst Alaska can throw at it for 19 years.

Traditional Instruction for Professional Servers (TIPS) - Est. 1990
Niki Raapana's original workforce training program, which was developed to counteract the racism of the Welfare-2-Work initiatives that swept across America in the early 90s.

Other brands/companies we are excited to develop or acquire this year:

Drop Out Press - a new imprint of Friedrich & Sons Publishing for fiction, poetry, literature and graphic novels.

Werkstudent - a more generalized skills training and education program designed to contain TIPS and TECHS, and assist people in exploring educational and career options to determine the life path that will best suit them.

Alaska Sewn - a high end textile and leathercraft workshop, also one of Alaska Hempfest's most loyal vendors for years.

Tundra Pirates - an established food truck based out of Willow, AK with a great local reputation for quality food at great prices. Tundra Pirates was also the heart and soul of Alaska Hempfest's food court offerings for every year it was produced in the Mat-Su Valley, and we couldn't be happier to add this business to our growing portfolio of brands.

That's all for now. Final thoughts-- this weekend is Mother's Day, and my first ever without my mom. We miss her terribly, and instead of wallowing in depression over our loss we hope to honor her memory and her spirit of innovation with this work.

Mahalo for all the support and love as we endeavor to better ourselves and our communities.

With much aloha,
Nordica -- and the Little Black Umbrella family

O_o

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