2025 BIPOC Maker Accelerator Cohort

About the BIPOC Maker Accelerator

Handmade Arcade made a public operational commitment in 2020 to examine all “legacy” policies and procedures through a lens of anti-racism and equity, acknowledge past harm HA’s exclusionary attitudes or jurying practices may have caused to BIPOC makers, and create and implement new programs, policies, and procedures that would center HA’s five core values of anti-racism, equity, collaboration, transparency, and financial sustainability in every decision. The BIPOC Maker Accelerator program was a result of that commitment and was piloted in 2023 in partnership with Talpha Harris and Sustainible with the pilot program generously funded by Neighborhood Allies.

The purpose of the BIPOC Maker Accelerator program is to provide money, support, exposure, and connections to BIPOC makers to support their ability to thrive in our region’s craft and maker landscape. Selected makers receive a $1,000 business stipend, a 10x10 vendor space to sell at our annual Holiday Market, product photography, group creative entrepreneurship workshops, 1:1 consultation session, and more.

Meet the 2025 Makers

Meet Talpha Harris, the 2025 Cohort Workshop Instructor

Talpha Harris is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sustainible, a business model assessment tool that helps entrepreneurs determine how they can improve or implement their business model. She also owns Ancient Path Adventures, a biblical innovation hub, producing creative card games, board games and more. Talpha previously worked as an Entrepreneurship Hub Manager at a local CDFI, helping entrepreneurs build businesses by developing entrepreneurial programming such as accelerators and incubators. Talpha graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in Sustainable Development and Entrepreneurship and currently lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and toddler. 

Funding for the 2025 BIPOC Maker Accelerator Program was provided by The Pittsburgh Foundation.