Cjala Surratt, age 22, in her Black Citizens Brigade store. images taken by Hope Alvarez
The creator of the Black Citizens Brigade, Cjala Surratt ’22, was given a gift recently when she went to visit an expanded home: her late grandmother’s stove room jacket. The clothing material had been a pleasant surprise for Surratt, an avid collector of vintage clothing, as his mother had worked in Norfolk, Virginia.
The background of the person wearing the jacket, nevertheless, was even more unexpected.
Did you know that she was the shipyard’s second Black female coalition head? During her explore, a comparative questioned Surratt. A security detail was following Surratt’s mother at the time because the users of the business port opposed wages, despite the fact that she had volunteered to do the work no one else wanted.
I was wondering,” Rush, what?” claims Surratt. This is precisely what I mean when I say that clothing can serve as a catalyst for these larger reports.
For Surratt, clothing has often served as a vehicle for narrative. Suratt founded the Black Citizens Brigade, a city shop committed to enhancing Black history through clothing, books, and art, after graduating from Syracuse University and serving as the nonprofit photography studio’s director of marketing for Light Work for ten years.
The coat belonging to Surratt’s grandmother is on display at the Black Citizens Brigade.
According to Alert, “upcycling has always been an economic imperative for Black and Brown people, or those who have previously experienced financial disparity.” ” I believe I’m a part of carrying on that legacy.”
The mainstay of Surratt’s function is reputation. Her love of vintage clothing stemmed from her upbringing in a community of artists, tailors, and seamstresses. Alert and her daughter may browse the racks of Goodwill, one of the few companies operating at the time, during the early stages of COVID-19. According to Alert, the pandemic caused thrift stores to be overrun with discarded clothing from people cleaning out their parents ‘ closets as a result of the large number of elderly people entering nursing homes.
She decided it was time to finally get the jump and do starting her own shop once her house started to overflow with clothing from thrifting excursions. In June 2023, Surratt opened the Black Citizens Brigade after weeks of collaborating with the Syracuse Downtown Committee, searching listings for open storefronts, and organizing her variety. Since then, she has been supplying city Syracuse with a diverse assortment of clothing, cultured goods and residents.
Black Citizens Brigade currently sells hard-to-find Black history-related things, specializing in 1980s-era clothing, as well as antique books, publications, and information. The book choices reflect Surratt’s dedication to knowledge, while the time period of the clothing is a tribute to her curiosity with the time style.
According to Popup,” The garments and the books serve as catalysts for deeper discussions about race, culture, history, and gender.” Therefore, the books are all focused on the Black community, Black past, and Black culture.
At Syracuse University, where she majored in social anthropology and philosophy in addition to studying period drama through the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Surratt first incorporated learning through society. Afterwards, she returned as a learner enrolled in continuing education to complete part-time funds at the College of Professional Studies. She attributes her current job to particular aspects of her schooling, such as character reports that required considering the history of styles.
Understanding citizens, as well as a keen interest in lifestyle and community, is the shared trait, according to her.
Black Citizens Brigade has benefited from Surratt’s society since it first opened, which is why the store has been so successful. She has taken advantage of her Syracuse culture, presence, and previous job at the university to draw more attention to her area.
According to Surratt, the physical storefront is in downtown, where companies founded by people of color statistically do n’t last as long as companies with white business owners. Surratt, however, is aware that it is essential to be a noticeable part of the community outside of brick and mortar because it conveys the idea that Black and brown companies are here to stay.
According to Alert, “bringing the message to our area is at a crucial time.”
Surratt intends to grow her shop in the future and host engaging events like writing workshops and listening sessions. Surratt wants to instill a sense of homecoming in everyone who enters her store, which is stocked with historical images of Black private life.
” I want it to appear as though you’re entering a Black community image album.”
Isabel Bekele, a connections associate at the College of Professional Studies, tells the tale.