At The Ke’nekt Cooperative, locals can find mutual aid and entrepreneurship support. Born out of Rollins’s eviction by her landlord from her hair products shop, amid growing concerns about neighborhood gentrification, Ke’nekt is now a model attracting attention around the world.
As the founder of both The Ke’nekt Cooperative and The Good Hair Shop, Rollins is an example of how small-scale manufacturers can radically transform small, underutilized spaces into hubs of community support, innovation and stability, especially for communities pushed aside in the face of rapid development.
Opened in 2019, The Ke’nekt Cooperative is the center of a growing mutual aid community of African American entrepreneurs and neighbors in Westview. In addition to classes and workshops, the center — filled with long wooden tables and comfortable big chairs on a bright orange floor – hosts annual festivals like Ujamaafest, Juneteenth Jubilee Block Party and Small Business Saturday to showcase local product businesses and to give their owners access to growing markets in the Atlanta area.
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