Lorna D. Cheatham, Founder of Clera’s Creative Gifts: Gifting for the Hearts and Minds from People of Color
By Jules Lavallee
Lorna D. Cheatham is an entrepreneur, community advocate, and founder of Clera’s Creative Gifts, a certified (WBENC), woman-owned business specializing in culturally representative gift bags and wrapping paper. She is also CEO of Citizens Alternative Residential Services, where she has served individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1997. Recognized by the City of Detroit for outstanding community service, Lorna is committed to combining entrepreneurship with giving back. For the past three years, she has also supported students at Vernor Elementary School through an annual Christmas gift initiative. Her vision is to grow Clera’s Creative Gifts while creating jobs and opportunities for disadvantaged and abused women of color and second chance citizens in underserved Detroit communities.
Clera’s Creative Gifts is deeply personal to you. Please share your upbringing and your heartfelt tribute to your mother.
I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, as one of twelve children. We didn’t have a lot, but we had family, love, and a strong appreciation for the little things. I remember how special birthdays and holidays felt in our home. Even a small gift meant something because it was given with love.
I lost my mother, Clera, when I was only nine years old. After her passing, our family went through a major transition. Six of my siblings and I moved to Detroit, while my other siblings remained in Nashville. At such a young age, I was not only dealing with the loss of my mother, but also adjusting to a new city and being separated from some of my brothers and sisters. Those experiences became an important part of who I am today and strengthened my appreciation for family and staying connected.
As I got older, I wanted to find a meaningful way to honor my mother and keep her memory alive. That is why I named my company Clera’s Creative Gifts after her.
This business is very personal to me because it represents so much more than gift bags and wrapping paper. It represents family, love, memories, and the joy of giving. Through Clera’s Creative Gifts, I am also able to create products that allow people of color to see themselves represented and celebrated during those special moments.
Every time someone chooses one of my products to celebrate a birthday, holiday, or special occasion, I feel like a small part of my mother’s legacy is being carried forward. Clera’s Creative Gifts is my way of keeping her name, her love, and her memory alive.
You have been in business for 9-years. What challenges have you faced and what does it take for a small business to succeed?
Being in business for nine years has taught me that entrepreneurship is not always an easy journey. One of my biggest challenges has been the financial side of growing a business. As a small business owner, there have been times when I have had to use my own personal funds to keep the business moving forward. When you have a vision but limited resources, you learn how to make the most of what you have.
Another challenge has been getting my products in front of the right people and getting larger retailers to see the value in what I have created. Marketing, manufacturing, inventory, and building brand awareness all require funding, and sometimes you simply don’t have the financial resources to do everything you would like to do at once.
One person who has been instrumental in helping me navigate this journey is my amazing mentor, Mr. Art Cartwright of Global Empowerment Ministries. His mentorship, encouragement, and guidance have helped me chart my path as an entrepreneur. Having someone who believes in your vision, but can also provide wisdom and direction when you need it, is invaluable. I am extremely grateful for the role he has played in my journey and the continued growth of Clera’s Creative Gifts.
Through all of these experiences, I have learned that you cannot give up when things don’t happen as quickly as you would like. You have to be patient, creative, persistent, and willing to learn. I also believe having the right people around you—especially a good mentor—can make a tremendous difference.
I have also learned the importance of listening to my customers. Clera’s Creative Gifts was created to fill a need I saw in the marketplace—culturally representative gift bags and wrapping paper that allow people of color to see themselves represented in the products they purchase.
For me, success isn’t just about how much you sell. It’s about staying committed to your purpose, learning from your mistakes, building relationships, and continuing to move forward even when you hear “no.” My goal is to continue growing Clera’s Creative Gifts so that one day I can create jobs and opportunities for people in underserved communities in Detroit. That bigger purpose is what keeps me going.
Take us through your Afrocentric-themed designs.
Our Afrocentric designs are really at the heart of Clera’s Creative Gifts. When I started the company, I wanted to create gift bags and wrapping paper where people of color could look at the images and say, “That looks like me, my family, or someone I love.”
Our collections include designs such as Black Santa, Merry Christmas Boys and Girls, Happy Holidays Men and Women, Happy Kwanzaa, and Congratulations Grad. Each design was created to show Black men, women, and children in a beautiful and positive way while celebrating our culture, traditions, and special moments.
One design that I am especially proud of is our Congratulations Grad design. It features Black men and women graduates wearing Kente cloth as part of their graduation attire. I wanted this design to celebrate not only the accomplishment of graduating, but also the graduate’s culture and heritage. Graduation is such an important milestone, and I believe our young people deserve to see themselves represented and celebrated during those special moments in their lives.
Our Kwanzaa designs are also very meaningful because they give us an opportunity to celebrate African American heritage and culture during the holiday season. Our Christmas designs allow families to enjoy familiar holiday traditions while seeing themselves represented on the gifts under the tree.
For years, I would walk through stores and see aisle after aisle of beautiful wrapping paper, but very little that reflected people who looked like me. I wanted to help change that.
To me, wrapping paper is more than something you tear off and throw away. It is part of the gift-giving experience. Before you even open the gift, the presentation says something. I want our customers to feel seen, celebrated, and included before they ever open the package.
That is what our Afrocentric designs are about—representation, celebration, culture, and making every gift feel a little more personal.
With the holidays around the corner, what unique gifts do you offer?
With the holidays around the corner, Clera’s Creative Gifts offers something that makes gift-giving even more special—gift bags and wrapping paper that celebrate and represent people of color.
Our holiday collection includes designs such as Black Santa, Merry Christmas Boys and Girls, Happy Holidays Men and Women, and Happy Kwanzaa. Each design was created so families can see images that reflect themselves, their children, and their culture during the holiday season.
This year, we’re doing something extra special with our Merry Christmas Boys and Girls collection. Customers who purchase the Merry Christmas Boys and Girls gift bag and wrapping paper will receive a stuffed doll that looks like the character featured in the design, while supplies last.
I’m especially excited about this because it brings the design to life for a child. Imagine a child seeing a character who looks like them on their Christmas gift and then receiving a doll that looks like that same character. To me, that is what representation is all about—giving our children the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the products created for them.
At Clera’s Creative Gifts, we believe the outside of the gift can be just as meaningful as what’s inside. We want to make the entire gift-giving experience more personal, memorable, and representative of the families we serve.
Share your work helping individuals with disabilities. What has been your greatest joy?
Helping individuals with disabilities has been a very important part of my life for many years. Since 1997, I have served as Founder/CEO of Citizens Alternative Residential Services, where we provide care and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For me, this work has never been just a business. It has always been about helping people live with dignity, feel valued, and have the opportunity to enjoy life as independently as possible. Over the years, I have had the privilege of watching individuals grow, accomplish things that others may have thought they couldn’t, and simply enjoy the everyday experiences that many of us take for granted.
My greatest joy is seeing them happy and knowing that I have played a small part in making a difference in their lives. It is especially rewarding to see someone gain confidence, become more independent, or accomplish a personal goal.
This work has taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of treating every person with respect. After all these years, seeing a smile on someone’s face and knowing they feel safe, cared for, and valued is still one of the greatest rewards I could ever receive.
Are you expecting this holiday season to be your best yet?
Yes, I am very excited about this holiday season, and I am hopeful that it will be our best one yet. Every year, more people are becoming aware of Clera’s Creative Gifts and understanding why representation in gift-giving is so important.
This year is especially exciting because we are continuing to offer our holiday favorites, including Black Santa, Merry Christmas Boys and Girls, Happy Holidays Men and Women, and Happy Kwanzaa. We are also doing something extra special with our Merry Christmas Boys and Girls collection. Customers who purchase the gift bag and wrapping paper will receive a stuffed doll that looks like the character featured in the design, while supplies last.
But for me, the holiday season is about much more than sales. It is also about giving back. For the past three years, I have adopted Vernor Elementary School in Detroit as part of a holiday gift-giving initiative. We started by providing Christmas gifts to students in the first, second, and third grades, and this year we are excited to add the fourth grade. Our goal is to continue adding another grade each year so that we can eventually reach even more children.
There is something very special about seeing the excitement on a child’s face when they receive a gift. It reminds me of my own childhood and how much even a small gift could mean. Being able to create that same feeling for another child is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
So when I think about having our best holiday season yet, I don’t measure that only by sales. I also measure it by how many families we reach, how many children we can bring joy to, and how much of a positive impact we can make in our community. For me, that’s what the spirit of giving is really about.
