VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GET SUPPORT FROM ENTREPRENEUR

Latrice Mosley-Smith is an entrepreneur and advocate who is the brainchild behind Purple Hose and Healing Foundation, Haute Hosiery, LLC, and 820 Consulting. Photo provided by Latrice Mosley-Smith
Latrice Mosley-Smith is an entrepreneur and advocate who is the brainchild behind Purple Hose and Healing Foundation, Haute Hosiery, LLC, and 820 Consulting. Photo provided by Latrice Mosley-Smith

 Victims of domestic violence get support from entrepreneur

BY TIA CAROL JONES
     Latrice Mosley Smith is the founder and board president of Purple Hose and Healing Foundation Inc., the owner and CEO of 820 Consulting and the owner and CEO of Haute Hosiery, LLC. Smith is also an advocate who raises awareness about domestic violence.
     Smith founded Haute Hosiery, LLC., in 2012. She was in charge of making the announcements at Victory Apostolic Church. She found that when she would get to the podium, she had a run in her hosiery. So, she needed to find hosiery that wouldn’t run. After doing a little research, she discovered fishnets were the best. So, she started to purchase fishnets and people asked her where she bought them. After that, she started buying them for other people and decided she would create her own business, which all gave birth to Haute Fishnet Hosiery located in Atlanta. “We’ve been doing very well, since then, it’s been nonstop,” she said.
     Smith said when she was buying the hosiery at other places, it only came in regular sizes, but when she started her company, she wanted to make sure the sizing was inclusive. Once customers purchase a pair of hosiery, Smith said they use the term “you’ve been hosed”.
     “Windy City Live” Host Val Warner is a brand ambassador for Haute Hosiery. Jackeé Harry, Micah Materre, Tamela Mann, Darlene Hill, and Terri Vaughn have all worn the hosiery.“We’ve had the opportunity to really get my brand out there. And, when I say timing, timing is everything. In the seven years that we’ve been in existence, I’ve been able to sit in several places, and I was able to show my hose and I got sales from them,” she said.
     Purple Hose and Healing was founded in honor of Smith’s mother, who survived five years of physical, mental and emotional abuse. Smith said when her mother passed in August, she knew she had to do something in her honor. That’s when she hosted the first Purple Hose and Healing 5K. People walked in purple fishnets and purple heels on concrete. Smith said it was symbolic of women walking a mile in their sisters’ shoes. “What we wanted to do and bring awareness to is that’s just a small pinch of pain that these victims, now survivors, because some people don’t survive, go through on an everyday basis,” she said.
     Purple Hose and Healing became a foundation in 2020. Smith said prior to that, for the last seven years, there was the Purple Hose 5K and the funds that were raised from the 5K event went to the South Suburban Family Shelter. Now that Purple Hose and Healing is a foundation, Smith said the goal each year is to give scholarships to three high school seniors who are in a domestic violence relationship or who have a domestic violence relationship in the home, like Smith did, by 2022.
     Smith organized a campaign called the 9 for 9 in support of raising awareness about domestic violence. According to Smith, every nine seconds a woman is beaten in the United States. People donated $9 for every 9 seconds. By Friday, May 7, the campaign had raised $2,100. She said a small amount could make a huge difference.
     Smith said her strength to do all the things she has accomplished comes from God. She said growing up as an only child, she had to get creative. “With losing a parent in 2013, and losing another parent in 2014, and you only have one child, you have no other option but to succeed, there’s no room for failure,” she said.
     Smith, who is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., founded 820 Consulting during the pandemic this year. She said her sorority sister challenged her to use her gifts and talents of being able to market herself and to do it for others. “God is awesome because I’ve been moving and shaking since then and I’ve been busy,” she said. “This is not what I do, but I like to talk, and I know how to sell myself and now I’m selling them.”
      You can find 820Consulting, Latrice Mosley-Smith and Haute Hosiery on Facebook.

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