Meet Erika Renae | CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erika Renae and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erika, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Prior to starting my brand “Compton Isn’t Dangerous”, I never pictured myself owning a clothing business nor making the clothing myself. When talking to a family member who was not familiar with the city of Compton, they had a negative mindset from how the city was portrayed in movies and music so I told them “Compton Isn’t Dangerous” and they responded “you should put that on a shirt” and I did just that.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I got to where I am today business-wise by never giving up and turning what I do into a hobby. When starting my business, there were bumps in the road. I thought to myself “How can one person change a negative narrative that has been around way before my time”, but once I started, I noticed that other people within the city had the same mindset but wasn’t strongly heard. So that helped me put that foot on the pedal and stand on business. The lessons I’ve learned along the way is that it’s ok to not have everything figured out and to take things step by step. Just have fun and enjoy the things you do!

I want the world to know that Compton,CA has changed a lot over the years and isn’t what it use to be. It’s a beautiful city that a lot of talented/remarkable people call home. There’s a lot more to the city than what’s portrayed through media and music. It’s time to change the narrative and give the citizens of the city a chance to show the amazing things we’re truly capable of.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First things first, we’d stop by a place where I’ve been going to since a toddler and that’ll forever have my heart, “Chicos Pizza Parlor”, then head over to the block where I grew up. On the block, they’d enjoy good vibes, music, dancing in the street with one another, and etc. throughout the week we’d visit the Compton Museum for their weekly events, go shopping, watch a baseball game played by “Compton Wolfpack”, ride horses, attend a yoga class, and etc.

Eat at places like Johnson Brothers, BBQ Boulevard Gastro Pub, and Habachihana.

For night life, we’d attend “1st Sundaes” open mic, a “Home Team” event, Compton Karaoke and a Jazz show.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shout out to the people in my circle that continues to motivate and push me, and to everyone that has supported my brand “Compton Isn’t Dangerous”, in any type of way.

Website: https://comptonisntdangerous.bigcartel.com/

Instagram: @Compton_Isnt_Dangerous