Palatial Publishing, LLC celebrated its 11th anniversary on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with its inaugural small business showcase at Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center in Brooklyn.
Founder Kamla Millwood said the showcase gathered 127 vendors, including nonprofits, small businesses, funding agencies, insurance providers, authors, and community organizations.

“Tables and chairs were available for every vendor. I was personally registering vendors up to an hour before the venue opened, because inclusion matters to me,” she said. “If someone was ready to step forward, I made sure there was room for them to be seen.”

“But I do not stop at providing space — I build people before I build events,” she added. “Many of the vendors, who participated, are entrepreneurs I personally mentor. I help them develop or redesign their logos, strengthen their branding, improve their marketing, and prepare themselves to present professionally and confidently.

Vendors at the Palatial Publishing 11th Anniversary Small Business Showcase. Photo by Nelson A. King

“I do this because visibility without preparation limits success — but preparation combined with opportunity creates transformation,” Millwood continued.
But she said what she does through Palatial Publishing, LLC is not simply business. “It is purpose in action,” she said.

“I build platforms that unlock opportunity, amplify unheard voices, and transform communities,” Millwood said. “Every program I create, every author I publish, every entrepreneur I mentor, every artist I manage, and every business I advocate for is rooted in one belief: When people are given access, support, and visibility, they rise. And when they rise, entire communities rise with them.”

Millwood said she carries “a deep cultural legacy of strength, service, and collective responsibility.” She stated that she was “raised to understand that success is not meant to be hoarded; it is meant to be shared.”
“That belief shapes every decision I make and fuels my commitment to building systems that lift others while building sustainable institutions for the future,” she said.

Vincentians at Kinetic Kopper Kreationz Vending Table, L-R: Kamla Millwood, Toni Johnson, Rosemary Kirby and Caren Charles De Freitas.Photo by Nelson A. King

With many years of experience as a business owner and a Master’s degree in management from St. Francis College, focused on marketing, social innovation, and entrepreneurship, Millwood cited specific achievements: she has mentored numerous entrepreneurs, designed award-winning branding strategies, and led Palatial Publishing, LLC to host its largest showcase to date.

She said she applies these skills to expand Palatial Publishing, LLC, and to consult for businesses—strengthening their operations, improving their marketing, helping them rebrand, and preparing them for expansion—and noted that she has helped over 100 businesses achieve measurable growth and visibility.

Millwood said while she works directly with entrepreneurs to refine their business models and position them for long-term success, she does more than consulting.

“I advocate, and I fight for the businesses I serve,” she said. She pointed out that she regularly testifies before the New York City Council. She uses her voice to push for policies, funding, and protections that support small businesses, minority-owned enterprises, and community-based organizations.

Panamanian-born, Brooklyn resident Zeneth Yesssenia Buzzela, founder of Queen YesseniaB. Sweet & Savory Cupcakes, with a customer at the exposition at Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center in Brooklyn. Photo by Nelson A. King

“I do this because true empowerment requires not only strategy, but systemic change, and I am committed to representing my community wherever decisions are being made,” she said.
But Millwood said her reach does not stop at city or state lines, stating it is global.

She disclosed that she “proudly” serves as manager and publicist for international gospel artist, Trinidadian-born Gerard Placide, “guiding his brand, media presence, and professional growth across borders.”
Millwood said she also publishes internationally. She works with authors such as Devon Morgan in the United Kingdom, while also publishing and promoting US-based authors, including Caren Charles DeFreitas, NYA Wilson, Lori Ann Denis, and Kufunya IFE.

Through literature, music, and media, Millwood said she ensures that “voices across the Diaspora are seen, heard, and celebrated.”
In addition, she said she works to change the economic trajectory of businesses.

Zeneth Yessenia Buzzele, founder of Queen Yessenia B. Sweet & Savory Cupcakes, with co-owner Kevin H. Voera.Photo by Nelson A. King

In one year alone, she said she helped certify over 171 businesses as Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) and Minority-owned Business Enterprises (M/BE). This, she said, “unlocked access to government and corporate contracting opportunities.”

“And, I am not slowing down,” Millwood declared. “My goal is to double that number this year, because economic inclusion is not optional; it is essential.
“I also lead by example: Palatial Publishing, LLC is a certified M/WBE company, proving that I operate within the same systems of opportunity I help others navigate,” she added. She revealed that some of the businesses she certified were also vendors at her 11-Year Anniversary and Small Business Showcase. This, she said, “shows how certification, mentorship, and visibility can work together to create real business growth.”

Stating that she brings leadership, advocacy, and inspiration into the same room, Millwood said she welcomed New York State Sen. Roxanne Persaud. Persaud is the Guyanese-born representative for the 19th Senate District in Brooklyn. She opened the small business showcase, affirming “the importance of community-based economic development.”

At the same event, Millwood said she invited Guest Speaker Marlon Rice, candidate for New York State Senate in the 25th District, to “speak directly to the people about leadership and civic responsibility.”
Additionally, she said she welcomed, at the showcase, Mark Meyer Appel, founder of The Bridge Multicultural and Advocacy Project, to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “reminding us that justice and unity must be lived, not just remembered.”

Kamla Millwood, left, displays enlarged $1,000 check for Kenton Kirby Scholarship with inaugural recipient Jenai E. Williams.Photo by Nelson A. King

For the first time in Palatial Publishing, LLC’s history, Millwood said, during the showcase, she “proudly awarded” the $1,000 Kenton Kirby Scholarship for a journalism student in loving memory of her Vincentian-born father, Kenton Kirby, editor emeritus of Caribbean Life newspaper.

“My father dedicated his life to telling our stories and elevating our voices,” she said. “Through this scholarship, I am ensuring that his mission continues through the next generation of journalists, who will speak truth, protect community narratives, and shape public understanding.”

Millwood said Palatial Publishing, LLC’s next Community Empowerment Exposition will take place on Juneteenth, from noon to 5 p.m., at the same venue, Major Owens Health & Community Center, “where we will once again celebrate freedom through economic power, education, culture, and collective advancement.

“What I do is build bridges; what I do is create access; what I do is speak truth in rooms of power; what I do is transform systems – one business, one student, one story at a time,” she said. “And what I will continue to do is grow Palatial Publishing, LLC into a global platform for empowerment, excellence, and enduring community impact.”