Meet Ko & DeMarkus Trinidad-Williams | Co-Founders/Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ko & DeMarkus Trinidad-Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ko & DeMarkus, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
As Queer Non-Binaries from low income neighborhoods such as our own (Compton and Inglewood), society, media, pop culture and everything else around us tells us that we will NOT be successful let alone start a business. What keeps us going is our community. The QTPOC community has been silenced for such a long time and when we live as our full selves despite the backlash, we notice others around us living their full authentic lives as well. Our product speaks to who we are at the core and we see our product; Cocoa Butter Bby, Besitos De Coco, Sandalwood Silked Waves, and Trap House Honey, for example resonating with our community. The love and support that we continue to receive from people in Los Angeles when we first launched and now people across the United States of America in places like Georgia, North Carolina, New York, and Florida is our sign to not give up. As much as we see ourselves in our product, we notice that those both close and far see themselves as well. The moments when we are in a pickle, we remember all the people who are rooting for us, all the people who see themselves in our product, and most importantly how much fun we are having building Soul Food Candle Company. Those are some of the things that remind us to never give up.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets us apart from others is how we are able to incorporate our lived experiences, community, and identity into our products. We are most proud of how many people we are impacting across the United States.

Was it easy? We would say that our journey is not linear which makes it difficult sometimes. Every decision we make comes with a learning experience. Thats what life teaches us about ourselves and our business. We would say that we are proud to be able to learn from our mistakes and grow from them.

Key lessons we learned along the way is that everything is going to be okay as long as you keep going. Everything is not going to be perfect the first time, second time, third time, fourth time, and sometimes fifth time around. There is always going to be opportunity for growth and it’s important to be kind to yourself as you move throughout your journey.

We want the world to see themselves in our brand. Soul Food Candle Company is bringing QTBIPOC identities to the forefront and showing the beauty and nostalgia that exist. We are apologetically us and proud to be who we are.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

We are huge coffee fanatics, so we would be up early as the sun rises to grab Tierra Mia Coffee. The Horchata Latte with Oatmilk, extra- hot or over light ice would be on the order. Sometimes we like to grab the Churro or the Tres Leches Muffin but since our bestie is in town for only a week, we take them to Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood where we would have a maple bar or two for sure.

Black Market Flea in South Central is a must. The community of Black folks and allies is so harmonious and the energy in that space is unmatched. We would grab a drink and some food and shop some of the vendors in the space before the crowd flows in to shop.

We would also bring our bestie to The Queer Mercado in East Los Angeles. Queer vendors, performers, dancing, eating, laughing, and sharing stories and experiences. The Queer Mercado is a safe space to be you.

We love finding a new place to hike, whether it be Caballero Canyon Trail or The Eagle Rock Trail Head, we are always trying to get our workout in to ensure we balance all the good food we eat.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We dedicate this shout out to our Soul Food Fam (Customers, Black Market Flea, The Queer Mercado and those who support us both close and far. Your support continues to inspire us to think more outside of the norm and to stay true to who we are. at the core. Thank you for believing in us and giving us the opportunity to bring Soul Food Candle Co. into your home.

Website: www.soulfoodcandleco.com

Instagram: @soulfoodcandleco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulfoodcandleco

Other: Pinterest – Soul Food Candle Company