In 2002, my fabulous black female partner, Crystal Emerald Green, and I broke through the glass ceiling of Hip-Hop Urban Wear and launched CHED-DA to Kmart as an exclusive collection. After being challenged by the big boys at Phat Farm, Sean John, and Rocawear, we earned our place in the top 50 brands of street-wear fashion. Although it didn’t end well with revolving CEOs at Kmart, combined with limited production capabilities, I was certainly crowned with street credibility and a lot of positive press. However, the best label I received was from my younger family members who admired my “cool factor.”