Like a lot of us, we also wonder how we how we can support businesses owned by People of Color while also getting amazing products and dope experiences. Which is why we loved making this list, and we plan on using it as a guide this 2023! Take a look at the businesses below, and please be sure to follow and support your favorites!
Since the brand’s inception in 2012, Proper Gnar has disrupted the skateboarding landscape – from a sport primarily viewed as young and male- oriented. Latosha aims to banish the stereotypes and orchestrate the beginning of a new dawning. Her brand empowers, uplifts, and showcases women, especially women of color, to jump onboard and skate.
Proper Gnar’s mission is to nurture a true sisterhood at the skate park. Whatever your race, age, or sexual orientation, a community of like-minded womxn in a non-judgemental setting awaits.(From propergnar.com)
Baldwin & Co. is a black-owned independent bookstore serving individuals, schools, businesses, nonprofits and more using the power of books to inspire social justice. Baldwin & Co. donates hundreds of books, foods, beverages and more to impoverished communities. Our mission is to inspire growth in people and communities through the power of reading. Based in New Orleans’ historic Marigny neighborhood, Baldwin & Co. is a vibrant community hub, and a center for intellectual discovery where authors, readers, artists and activists gather in a welcoming and supportive environment.(from baldwinandcobooks.com)
Queenly Conjure is a Folk Magic Tea Brand dedicated to reviving the relationship between the witch and their roots.
We advocate for the tradition of Black Indigenous folk magic, not only as social engagement but as a radical movement towards achieving physical and spiritual harmony within ourselves and the world around us. By drinking herbal tea we recognizing the spirit and magic of the herbs themselves and reshape our world view into a cultural approach that honor these lands and the earth beneath us.
Based in New Orleans, each of our herbal tea blends are crafted with the wisdom of our Ancestors. We sustainably pack and source organic herbal teas, soaps and baths to promote wellness, intentionality and the revival of the sacred practices of Afro-Indigenous magic.
We are heavily influenced by our founders Black American heritage explored in Rootwork and Druidery, and their study of traditional Chinese Tea Ceremonies.(from patreon.com/queenlyconjure)
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Chyari is an artist-owned company inspired by Japanese pop culture. My passion as an illustrator derived from playing video games, watching anime, and reading manga, at a very young age. The manga/anime art style heavily influenced my work and shaped who I am as an illustrator. Unfortunately, this type of style was shunned and unappreciated among many of my art superiors. Despite being told anime and manga weren’t “real” art forms, I remained passionate and continued to see the beauty in the styles. Thus, I created a brand that recognizes that art is everywhere and in everything!(from chyari.com)
Box of Shadows started as an idea between two eclectic witches who wanted an easier way to access supplies and guidance for their craft. They both lived in areas where options for metaphysical stores & communities were few. The stores that were accessible were pricey and lacking the community our new witches desired. There needed to be a convenient, community-centered way to bring craft provisions right to your doorstep. That is how Box of Shadows was born! (from myboxofshadows.com)
With an insatiable appetite for creating, Richard Samuel is an artist and Founder of RichesArt Gallery. Focused on the sensual nature of art, Samuel creates vivid, eclectic, and realistic watercolor paintings adorned on the walls of private collectors around the world. As the only Black-owned gallery in Austin, Texas, Samuel is committed to diversifying Austin’s art scene and bringing work from underrepresented communities to the forefront. You can buy these beautiful unique watercolor paintings at the art gallery in Austin, Texas. (from www.richesart.com)
HERE AT LILAC WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMFORTABLE, SAFE, FUN AND AMAZING ENVIRONMENT AT ALL TIMES!
WE HAVE A FULL FEMALE STAFF, IT’S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THAT EVERY CLIENT IS BEING TREATED PROFESSIONALLY, AND THAT EVERYBODY FEELS COMFORTABLE RECEIVING ANY TYPE OF SERVICE.
WE SERVICE ALL WALKS OF LIFE NO MATTER WHO YOU IDENTIFY AS, AS LONG AS YOU WALK OUT OF LILAC FEELING EVEN MORE GRAND THAN YOU DID WHEN YOU WALKED IN ,WE DID OUR MISSION! 💜 (from lilactattoo.com)
The idea for Fira X Wear™ was sparked on a pandemic walk in the park between founders Vincent and Jasmine. When they wanted to get away on a vacation to Mexico, Vincent thought it would be a great idea to mix cosplay with swimwear. Jasmine made ‘beach episode’ designs of her favorite characters to test the appeal on social media. After trolls online commented on how swimwear couldn’t be cosplay, the two decided to build a brand based on the idea to prove the naysayers wrong while keeping ethical working conditions and sustainability in mind. While the designs can be utilized for cosplay, the main focus was to create a Premium Pop Culture brand. (from firaxwear.com)