Amber Jackson moved to Providence from Chicago and was drawn to something she needed. Educated at Middle Tennessee State University and Alabama A&M University, she missed the cultural connection to tea that she had in the South.
And she felt an absence of diversity in Rhode Island, pretty much everywhere she went.
Her business, The Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop LLC, now based in the Hope & Main food incubator in Warren, brings together tea drinkers who want to be a part of a connected community.
In addition to offering a line of five loose-leaf tea blends, she hosts events at the new Venture Café in Providence, located in the Point225 building in the I-195 Redevelopment District.
“I wanted to create something where I could use my teas to create spaces and curate conversations for people who look like me,” Jackson said.
The teas include portions of whole plants, which are broken into small pieces but not the fine grind that many corporate teas deliver.
“With loose-leaf, you’re getting the whole flower,” she said. “It’s a more authentic flavor.”
The teas are sold online through her website, as well as at Stock Culinary Goods in Providence.
Mary MacDonald is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Macdonald@PBN.com.