Black-Owned Brands
Our wallets are one of the most powerful tools we as individuals have. By shopping at brands with Black founders and owners, it paves the way for more Black entrepreneurs and a more equitable future. Of all the businesses in the United States, about 9.5% of them are Black-owned according to the Small Business Administration. The following are just a fraction of the quality brands you can seek out when shopping for beauty, jewelry, housewares, and more.
Fenty Beauty
Superstar Rihanna started Fenty Beauty with the goal of creating an inclusive brand with makeup for all skin types and tones.
Pat McGrath Labs
Proclaimed "the most influential makeup artist in the world," founder Pat McGrath sets runway trends instead of following them.
The Honey Pot Company
Find this plant-based, woman-led feminine care brand in nationwide retailers like Target, Walgreens, and Whole Foods.
Briogeo
Founder Nancy Twine models Briogeo's natural haircare products on the beauty recipes she and her grandmother made together.
BLK + GRN
Wouldn't it be great if you could find a collective of Black artisans making all-natural goods? Dr. Kristian Henderson thought so too.
Black Opal Beauty
Black Opal is a leader in the beauty industry, finding innovative solutions for hyperpigmentation, oil control, and shade matching.
Nubian Skin
This much-touted intimates maker is changing the way the fashion industry uses the color "nude" to include all skin tones.
Oui The People
These shaving savants have re-engineered the razor and skincare products to make shaving the ulimate act of self-care.
Bolé Road Textiles
Designer Hana Getachew re-envisions traditional handwoven Ethiopian textiles into colorful and modern housewares.
Clare
From designer-curated colors to a GREENGUARD-certified formula, Clare makes it easier than ever to tackle a home paint project.
Auvere
Modern, minimal, and luxurious is how co-founder Gina Love describes the handcrafted 22K and 24K gold jewelry she designs.
Linoto
Linoto's high-quality 100% pure linen bedding, bath, and home textiles are handmade with care by American artisans.
Anya Lust
Shop a highly curated selection of luxury lingerie from more than 30 of the world's top designers from the comfort of your bedroom.
Black-Led Brands
Of the many brands Groupon Coupons works with, only a few have Black leaders at the highest level. The number of Black CEOs is actually down over the years. Less than a decade ago, there were seven Black CEOs at Fortune 500 companies, but in 2020, there are just three. These are the Black-led brands that Groupon Coupons partners with:
Lowe's
CEO Marvin Ellison has been at the helm of the home improvement store since 2018. Before that, he led JCPenney.
Converse
HBCU alum G. Scott Uzzell has helped lead Converse's nostalgia-fueled return to prominence in basketball and fashion.
Carnival Cruises
Donald Arnold commands a fleet of travel brands, with Carnival, Princess Cruises, and Holland America all under his direction.
TaskRabbit
Stacy Brown-Philpot has been an exec at TaskRabbit for nearly 10 years, and famously uses the app herself to understand its customers.
Corporate Allyship
These brands aren't Black owned or led, but they have shown solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. These companies have pledged to overhaul internal policies, rethink hiring practices, and provide charitable donations to help pave the way forward. Spending with these companies can help elevate the message and support initiatives in Black communities. Thanks in part to research compiled by Lexie Pérez, Julian Cole, Stephanie Vitacca, and Davis Ballard.
Adidas
On top of a new hiring initiative, the sportswear brand has pledged $120 million dollars over 4 years and scholarship programs.
Ben & Jerry's
The ice creamery continues its legacy by partnering with numerous organizations to spread equity and justice to the Black community.
Sephora
Sephora pledged 15% of shelf space to Black-owned businesses and allowed customers to donate rewards to Black organizations.
Glossier
The beauty company pledge $500K in donations plus launched grants and mentorship for Black-owned beauty businesses.
Other Ways to Get Involved
Shopping isn't going to be nearly enough to right the wrongs that have been built into the systems of our country. Here are resources to learn more and organizations that are doing the work to make America an equitable place for everyone. This list is not comprehensive, and Groupon offers even more resources here.
Black Lives Matter
Working to end white supremacy and violence inflicted on Black communities, and create space for Black imagination and joy.
Equal Justice Initiative
Public interest lawyer and author Bryan Stevenson focuses on criminal justice reform, anti-racist public education, and racial justice.
Antiracist Research & Policy Center
Ibram X. Kendi founded the center to foster research and help policymakers find novel, data-driven explanations and solutions.
NYPL Black Liberation Reading List
The Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture's list of 95 books to foster understanding of the Black experience.
Black Wallet
A woman-founded resource for Black entrepreneurs and customers to connect with Black-owned businesses.
97 Things White People Can Do
Medium compiled this list of actions, organizations, and more ways for white people to take action for racial justice.
Justice in June
A beginner's guide to becoming an active ally for the Black community that was put together by Autumn Gupta and Bryanna Wallace.
#PassTheMic: Dismantling Racism
Education advocate Troy LaRaviere explores confronting biases and transforming institutions into anti-racist systems.
