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New York, NY--Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) and Jewelers of America (JA) names Katty Villapando Lyte and Mica Rencher of Shimmer Culture as the winders of the winners of the 2025 Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program. As winners, they receive a 10,000 grant.

The Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP) is a series of interactive workshops designed to provide selected new retail jewelry entrepreneurs with a deeper understanding of how to build and maintain a successful business in the jewelry industry. Following a final presentation,

“The Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP) has been transformative for Shimmer Culture in ways we could not have achieved on our own,” Villapando and Rencher said in a statement. “Coming from outside the jewelry world, there was so much we didn't know, and EJAP sessions gave us the kind of insider knowledge that would have taken multiple years to learn on our own…. EJAP didn't just accelerate our progress – it fundamentally changed the trajectory of our business.”

The four other participants: Brooke Brinson of Ed & Ethel's Fine Jewelry, Jessenia Landrum of Jevela, Brittney Moore of Britt Moore Jewelry; and Olga Shatrova of Olga Shatrova Jewelry, each received grant funds for completing the program.

“The Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program is an important part of our Impact Initiative. The 2025 Cohort was outstanding. We know that they are the future for jewelry retail and we look forward to seeing their businesses shine for generations to come,” said David Bonaparte, Jewelers of America president and CEO.

Information on the EJAP can be found on the Black in Jewelry Coalition’s website and Jewelers of America’s website.