Goodwin’s masks are designed to celebrate African American women.

by Cesse Ip

Erika Goodwin, a Petworth resident and a native Washingtonian, founded Creations by EME after sewing cloth masks for friends and family at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She initially made masks to help cover her family and to keep them safe from the epidemic. She then started to make masks for her friends and extended family, to make sure that they were safe. Friends started to make large requests that never abated, and she realized that her hobby could become monetized and help fund her retirement.

A conference planner and project manager by day, Erika took the next steps and became a licensed business owner in DC and certified with Made in DC in September. Erika first learned how to sew as a student at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, and has always been a creator. Her website, Creations by EME, represents herself as a creative, and are her maiden name initials: Erika Mercer Epps. As of October, she has 33 styles/fabrics available on her website.

Her masks are 100 percent cotton, have an opening for a filter, and are available with adjustable elastic (behind the ear) or with adjustable ties. She has plans to add pashminas and other accessories for women to her website in the future.

One of the masks on her website is called “Green with Envy.” When she first started making masks, she was upcycling clothing that she had in her house, like skirts made with African fabrics, and knew that these masks would be so limited that people would be green with envy. The HBCU pride line is made with fabrics from other women-owned businesses and represent HBCU pride in their bright and vibrant colors that are commonly on display during Homecoming.

Another mask line is called “I See You.” It’s a line of masks for women featuring hand-dyed fabrics in shades that “match your mood and complement your (skin) tone.” The names of the masks, like Dulce, Caramel, and Chocolate Deluxe were inspired by a song by Wu Tang Clan (you'll have to ask her which one when you meet her).

Some of the designs available on the site.

The “I See You” line is an intentional name for Erika. The thought behind it was to create accessories for women of color, knowing that eventually everyone would have to go back to work. She says that women of color are often judged by superficial things like their hair, attire and nails, in addition to or sometimes even before their work performance. These judgments can often set a woman’s career trajectory very early on, and the mask line “I See You” represents that she “sees you for who you are.”

While interviewing Erika, she told me about “the network,” an informal community made up of people of color in the workplace. They show you the ropes and unwritten rules of how to exist and do well in your job. She told me about how it can serve as a refuge and family, especially for young professionals. Now as a designated “elder” of the network, she wants the “I See You” mantra to expand and offer other services to young professionals, or women in general to their careers.

Erika is a wife, proud mother of a recent high school graduate, a native Washingtonian, a graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She was born in DC and raised in Petworth and Brightwood. You can reach out to Erika and purchase masks at her website: www.creationsbyeme.com.