When Carlie Alaniz is not working her day job, she spends her spare time decorating pots and making candles that she sells as a small business owner.
Alaniz, the owner of Lucky Pot Co., said she had learned about a new market called "The Roots Market" in Fort Worth on Instagram and instantly signed up for their first Saturday.
"I was really interested in doing that market because it's Magnolia Street and it's busy and you know, I'm still very small in my small business journey," explained Alaniz who said she wanted to get her name out there more.
On May 13, the weekend of Mother's Day, she was one of the first vendors for the market and said it was a good experience.
"It was great. Like everybody, there was really nice. The location was great. It was a very successful market as far as like people buying my products, and then I didn't really get like any vibes from anybody that it was , 'those types' of views were like harbored there," she explained.
She signed up for the June 3rd market on Saturday, but on Wednesday noticed $50 had been returned to her Venmo account followed by an email.
"I went to my email and I saw that they had sent me an email stating that their market had Biblical beliefs and that didn't align with LGBTQ plus people," explained Alaniz.
She forwarded the email to NBC 5 that was sent from the company's business email listed on social media:
"Hey Carlie, we wanted to clarify some things with you! We first want to apologize for accepting your application and not doing our research beforehand. Our business (the Market) has values just like any other business. Our values are biblically based, we do not have the same views as LGBTQ+. We apologize for accepting your application and not doing our research beforehand, and we will be refunding you your vendor fee now! Thank you, Carlie, we wish you the best!💚"
“I was more shocked than anything," said Alaniz who said she had said hello to the people who run the business at the first weekend market for the company. "They seemed very nice, I didn't really get a feeling from them that they were 'like that'. Then I also felt like more angry after I was shocked of course because it was kind of like, 'I've vended with you before and y’all seemed like y’all liked me, but of course once they find out like who I am or what I do, I guess outside of my small business, they're like, ‘Oh no, we don't like that," expressed Alaniz.
Alaniz said she didn't sell anything related to the LGBTQ+ community, but believes it was an Instagram post she made that caused the retracted invite.
"I did make a Pride pot for Pride Month and I had posted in support of Pride Month and I want I really use the pot to symbolize all the different parts of being in that community and I also wanted to put out there that I wanted to find an organization in Fort Worth to donate money to for the month of June," she said.
"I also have it like in my Instagram bio that I am a member of the LGBTQ plus community," she said.
The Fort Worth artist said she wasn't able to respond to the email because she didn't want her anger to spark an unprofessional post. Instead, she shared the email with other vendors in the community.
"I was just like trying to let the people that I know and that I've worked with like through the vendor fairs that this wasn't cool," she said.
It has made it's way over all of social media, causing The Roots Market to turn off the comment section on Instagram. On Friday, The Roots Market posted a statement on its Instagram "to address the recent attacks on our market and our core values".
"We have love and compassion for those who identify as LGBTQ+, and we firmly believe in God's design for marriage and family. We will continue to welcome all who wish to frequent Roots Market, and we will continue to make decisions on who we partner with based on the standards in the word of God," the statement reads. "As a local market, we will not waiver from the truth of the word of God that our market is founded on. We unapologetically stand by our core values and beliefs. Blessings to all!"
The owners of Roots Market did not want to comment on camera Saturday when supporters of Alaniz showed up at the market. Cat Valentine has lived in the Fairmount neighborhood of Fort Worth for about 17 years.
"I have seen small incidences like you would see anywhere but overall, I’ve never felt afraid to be here. I have never felt my neighbors had a problem with me being who I am," Valentine said. "You see us all come together, and it’s just about love and human rights."
Alaniz said she did not expect any of this and believes it could have been avoided if The Roots Market was upfront with her from the beginning because she wouldn't have signed up.
"They should have just said it from the get-go and then also the area that they chose, like it's weird because Magnolia is such a diverse hub of people and I've been to almost every restaurant on that street, and they all have like a Pride flag in the window, or they like work with Trinity Pride Fest and with local organizations who cater to LGBTQ+ people. So it's just a little weird to me that they would pick that spot. So, to me, it kind of seems like they're using that audience to get sales," she expressed. "I've always grown up to the belief that like you should be nice and accept everybody for who they appear to be and I am really upset that like all this had to happen, like we could have saved each other time had you just been upfront about your beliefs, but instead now it looks like some big scheme and it's very upsetting."
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Fort Worth Artist ‘Shocked' to be Uninvited to The Roots Market Due to LGBTQ+ ‘Views' - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
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