Since moving to Maryland in 2016 from Oakland, New Jersey, LaToya has longed for an experience that would bridge the gap between black entrepreneurs and their businesses with luxury. In the years before COVID-19, where bottomless brunches with subpar food and deafening DJ music were at an all-time high, there was a lack of “experience” for someone who was not your everyday brunch-goer. Enter in: The Black Opulence Xperience, or B.O.X. for short.

B.O.X. was founded in 2021 by LaToya Davis, shortly after the pandemic. B.O.X. is an event curation company that creates luxury events to encourage networking between entrepreneurs, small businesses and other business owners to help celebrate the Black community in an elevated way that is deeper than just brunch on the weekends at a restaurant. B.O.X. is not your typical event planning company, and you cannot hire them to plan just ANY event for you. B.O.X. carefully selects venues that create intimate atmospheres for attendees to take part in group activities that force meaningful interactions, such as cigar rolling or cocktail-making, while celebrating the Black community by promoting and collaborating with small Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

Since 2021, LaToya has hosted approximately 30+ events with collaborations of Black businesses and their products or services, which has led to lasting connections within the Black business community. What started out as a hobby for event planning and doing so for family and friends, has now turned into a staple in the young, Black business community.

When asked where she sees B.O.X. in the next few years, LaToya responded that she hopes to procure a commercial space that can be available for both B.O.X. experiences and for others to rent and create their own experiences. She also hopes to be able to create a display within that space where small business owners can place their products for sale. And finally, she hopes that B.O.X. is able to host at least two large-scale events each year for the public to come together, enjoy, and celebrate one another.

This year, B.O.X. is hosting its signature event “Rose in the Garden”, a picnic soirée at the Montgomery County Botanical Gardens. The event will feature Black-owned wine and spirits, will feature a Black female chef for food, entertainment, games and a celebration of the Black culture and businesses with an unparalleled, elegant picnic experience in the gardens. For more information on this event, please visit blackopulencexperience.com.

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