If you’re looking for active ways to combat racism and inequality, one great step is to be intentional about supporting Black-owned businesses. To help with that, we’ve compiled a list of some great businesses owned by Black women that you can support.
COVID-19 has impacted the Black community in a much more drastic way than others, with the number of Black-owned business owners working falling more than 40 percent, the steepest drop of all racial groups.
Even as COVID-19 has lessened the abilities of these businesses, female Black small businesses are becoming more common. They make up 21 percent of all women-owned businesses — only behind non-minority women — and among Black-owned businesses, 35 percent are owned by women. The number of startups founded by Black women saw an increase of more than double from 2016-2018.
We’ve mapped a list of businesses owned by Black women to support during this time; although not exhaustive, we encourage you to do your own research and find the companies and women that you wish to support.
food and beverage
As protests have continued in cities that have only recently began to open up after a wave of COVID-19, communities devastated by the closure of business to stop the spread of the disease are in need of support now more than ever.
Takeout is still the primary means of eating out, and the restaurant scene has had to adapt with the rapidly changing needs of the community. Consider supporting your local restaurants with takeout, or providing a generous tip as a pick me up if you are able.
In Nashville, we’re loving Aqui Hines’ 400 Degrees hot chicken off Clarksville Pike and Vege-licious LLC’s vegan dishes. Some other restaurants in town include It’z a Philly Thing, Cal’s Country Kitchen and Wildman Smoothies.
If you’re looking for wine and spirits, consider Twisted Cork for a night of wine tasting with your gal pals in Nashville, or look for a night at home with Perfectly Cordial’s cocktail and mocktail mixers. Or educate yourself on spirits and cocktails with Barseat with RSC so that you can know what makes your favorite drinks your favorite.
Continue to bring the food to your home by using Sip N Bite, with Keshia Hay as your in-home personal, private chef. You can also spend your time learning more about businesses like Earthseed Provisions who are using their food lab and culinary studio to advocate for food justice through youth-centered nutrition, wellness programming and engagement with the community.
beauty and personal care
The beauty industry has made some important strides toward inclusivity in recent years, but it has a long way to go. Most beauty and personal care brands are still created by and for White women. However, there are some incredible brands owned by Black women that are accessible to more diverse consumer bases and are creating great products for everyone.
For makeup, Juvia’s Place is quickly becoming a cult classic, with its full-coverage foundation and pigmented eyeshadows that pop on all skin tones. If you’re looking for some bold but wearable lipsticks, check out Beauty Bakerie. While you’re at it, visit Makeup for Melanin Girls to find a stunning range of products designed for deeper skin tones, and join their Instagram community.
If you’d like to try out some all-natural, cruelty free skin and body care products, you can go to Blk + Grn to shop from over 40 Black artisans. And if you prefer using natural products, you should also check out The Honey Pot, a feminine care line that’s powered by herbs and includes menstrual products, products for pregnant women and more.
No matter your hair type, you’ll love Briogeo‘s natural hair products, designed to simplify your routine while meeting specific needs like volume, repair or curl care. And if you’re looking for skincare that specifically targets issues like dullness, hyperpigmentation or acne, you should look at Golde, Ayele & Co., and Hyper Skin for some great products.
healthy living
Women remain underrepresented in leadership positions in the healthcare industry, not only at the highest levels, and Black women are especially missing from the industry’s leadership positions. Even so, there are many Black women working to better the health of their community and the world.
TRILUNA Wellness combines movement, cooking classes and health coaching to build healthier communities through events that focus on basic wellness practices and techniques. Naaya Wellness provides similar experiences, rooting people of color in their well-being.
Navigating healthcare as a new mom is hard, and COVID-19 has made that even more difficult. Mahmee is a care management system that links a mom with her baby’s healthcare records to make it easier to integrate with different providers.
Those looking to exercise at home can support businesses like Speir Pilates, who has launched its online platform recently, and ISC Wellness offers training for body sculpting, strength, conditioning and plyometrics. Magnolia Yoga Studio and The Move also provide opportunities to grow physically healthy while building a community.
Consider supporting your local gyms and fitness centers owned and operated by black women. In Nashville, M.A.D.E. Fitness offers opportunities for women and men to become who they were made to be. NC Dance District offers a fun way to exercise with dance classes to make you sweat. All classes are currently live streamed via Zoom.
bloggers and influencers
If you’re looking to better understand the experiences of Black Americans, there are so many great resources available online to help you learn more. From Privilege to Progress is a great place to start, and their Instagram is full of thought-provoking quotes and resources to help you #ShowUp against racism in your own life. Rachel Cargle is another writer and teacher whose Instagram account is a great educational resource. She also started the Loveland Foundation, an organization that funds therapy for Black women and girls. Some other great writers and educators to follow are Faith Brooks, White Homework and Alisha McCullough.
Supporting Black women isn’t only about having difficult conversations and learning about racism, though. There are also so many incredible artists, writers and bloggers that you’ll definitely want to follow for fashion inspiration and art. Danielle Coke is an amazing artist whose colorful style is a wonderful addition to your Instagram feed, and she recently started selling prints of her work as well. You’ve probably seen one of Morgan Harper Nichols‘ poems or quotes on Instagram or Pinterest, but if you haven’t you should definitely check her out, too!
For style inspiration and stunning photos, follow Octavia B, Basics Touch and Tayla Santos. And you can support Black writers by following Well-Read Black Girl and ordering some of the books she features.
services
We also encourage you to think about your day-to-day life and how your classes, workout sessions and pampering can also support your Black community.
Revamp your workout wardrobe with clothing from Black female-owned attire businesses such as Glamourina or CultureFit. Or, add some flare to your closet with shoes from Brother Vellies, a new graphic tee with Mess in a Bottle and an outfit for going out or staying in from Pyer Moss. With pool, beach and lake days ahead of us, consider supporting swim lines like Jade Swim and Kamokini.
If you’re getting your nails done soon, look for locally owned salons that benefit the Black community. For example, Eastside Nails in Nashville will give you a beautiful new coat of paint, and Royalti Nails and Spa will treat you like Royalti. Consider getting a haircut or color from a locally owned salon, too.
Companies looking to understand more about the media being consumed across platforms can look into Angela Benton’s Streamlytics and food waste can be limited using the logistics and technology of Goodr. Or, support companies like Digitalundivided who are helping women of color receive funding for their ventures, or organizations like Blavity, which brings culturally relevant content for Black millennials and delivers it directly to them.
Looking to learn more about what you can do to support Black women? Follow Her Story of Success on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to see the valuable resources and action items we’ve shared.
