DENVER — Inside New Hope Baptist Church in Denver, the main hall filled with color, conversation and the scent of handmade goods as more than 30 Black- and Latino-owned small businesses gather for the second annual Harambee Holiday Market .

The two-day event, hosted by the AYA Foundation , is designed to celebrate community, culture and entrepreneurship, while creating an affordable way for small businesses to reach new customers during the holiday season.

“Harambee means ‘all pull together,’ and that’s exactly what’s happening here,” said Tonoa Manuel, chief operating officer of the AYA Foundation. “We’re a community foundation that supports economic mobility through small business and entrepreneurship.”

Manuel said affordability is at the center of the market’s mission. Many pop-u

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