Ohio florist celebrates Father's Day by delivering flowers

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Father’s Day is a time to honor the dads in our lives, but sending flowers like you do on Mother’s Day may not be the first idea on your list. 

One florist in Ohio is trying to change the norm. 

What You Need To Know

• Florists across the country team up with the Black Men Flower Project to send flowers to Black dads
• Ayana Crump is the project’s florist in Ohio
• The Black Men Flower Project is all about celebrating Black masculinity

Ayana Crump is the owner of Bloom Boutique 614 in Columbus. 

“I always arrange flowers weekly in my home,” she said, “and I would post them on social media and everybody was like, ‘oh, so beautiful. I love them. Can you make me some of them?’ And I’m like, ‘Wait, I can make money off of this, so let’s do it’.”

As a florist, she partners with the Black Men Flower Project, helping Black dads bloom one arrangement at a time. 

“The CEO and owner of the nonprofit Robert Washington-Vaughns presented the idea to me of the Black Man Floral Project just to say, ‘give black man their flowers while they’re still alive. You know, so many times it’s not until a funeral or a sad occasion when you actually receive flowers,’” Crump said. “I thought it was like the best idea ever.”

Crump is one of the many florists across the country partnering with the project. She arranges and delivers them herself.

Each delivery is a surprise, and Black fathers can nominate one another for a free flower arrangement. Crump said it’s all about celebrating Black masculinity.

“With the history of Black men in America, it’s more depressing than them being celebrated,” Crump said. “So, I just think that just giving them a little something to brighten up their day or to say, ‘hey, you’re seen, we see you, we hear you, we feel for you,’ that just the disparities that you go through day to day, just being a Black man. I’m all for it!”

Meeting the dads she delivers to tops it all, especially on Father’s Day.

To help donate toward the Black Men Flower Project or to nominate a dad for Father’s Day or any time of the year, go here.