Residents of metro Atlanta, GA, no longer have to pull up to a Slutty Vegan location to grab several items on its menu.

Tabitha Brown has built a business empire off of being no one but herself . Early on in her rise to becoming a household name, Target was one of the companies that became a big fan of her authenticity.

What started as simple posts to share her experiences with her son has now led one mother and her child to the ultimate brand deal with Target.

As long as the culture is at the forefront, there’s no way you can lose! In fact, one company that continues its winning season is Be Rooted — the stationery and gifting brand launched by Jasmin Foster after the realization that we were missing from the industry. “I launched Be Rooted in 2020 because I wanted to change the face of the stationery and gifting industry. For far too long and in too many spaces, Black and Brown women have been left unseen and unspoken to. Be Rooted was created to flip that narrative and center Black and Brown women by making them feel loved, celebrated, and uplifted,” said Foster, the Founder and CEO of Be Rooted. Now, the brand has been named as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential brands of the year!

Being a risk-taker paid off for entrepreneur Shontay Lundy, the founder of Black Girl Sunscreen. The New York native began cultivating the brand after nudges from friends suggesting Lundy should consider wearing sunscreen, as she became an avid hiker after moving to Los Angeles. While diving into research for products catering to Black skin, Lundy was not convinced by her findings. To her disappointment, the sunscreen sector underserved Black people and she recalled zero options that resonated with her. Recognizing an issue, Lundy decided to be the change and disrupt the $8.5 billion sunscreen industry. Although Lundy never manifested she would become the head of a million-dollar sunscreen brand, she was determined to follow what made her happy.

Black households contributed $835 billion in consumer expenditures in 2019 alone and the combined spending of these households has increased by five percent annually over the last twenty years, according to reports. With the holiday season at our front door, the Black purchasing power is predicted to be at an all-time high. Although many companies will reap the benefits of the Black dollar, few are embracing representation in their products. Black Paper Party is on a mission to create more inclusive items for Black families to shop for this year. Founded in September 2020 by Madia Willis (chief executive officer), J’Aaron “Jae” Merchant (chief product designer) and Jasmine Hudson (chief merchandising officer), the trio reckoned Black families were underrepresented each holiday. Combining their love for the culture with 25 years of experience in retail, product development, and creative design, they knew it was time to create products that were reflective of the Diaspora. “ Having...

One thing about Target, they’re going to pay it forward. As AfroTech previously reported, the retail giant announced this past April, that it will provide $2 billion in support toward products from over 500 Black-owned businesses. Now, they’ve announced in a blog post that they will be allocating $100 million in funding to Black communities through 2025. With this new commitment, they aim to fuel economic prosperity to Black-led organizations as a part of their Target Forward Strategy designed to ensure the company equitably represents the communities they serve. “As one of the largest retailers in the U.S., we know we have the responsibility and opportunity to use our resources to help end systemic racism and accelerate economic prosperity for Black communities,” said A manda Nusz , President and Corporate Responsibility senior of the Target Foundation, in a blog post. “With this commitment, we aim to support the next generation of Black talent, expand the impact of Black-led...

This little lady is the youngest in charge! According to PRNewswire, Lily Adeleye is officially the youngest founder amongst Walmart’s Black-owned business initiative through her children’s accessory line — Lily Frilly. Lily is taking after her mogul mother, Courtney Adeleye — Founder and CEO of The Mane Choice — as she’s experiencing her brand’s second retailer launch success since hitting Target shelves last year. “Lily Frilly started out as a brand my daughter Lily and myself created, as I have always believed it’s important to let your children follow their passions, whether that be art, sports, or in this case, growing a business,” shared Courtney in an official press release. “Now, Lily Frilly has become so much more than just that – it’s become a brand children love, as well as a symbol of inspiration and confidence for young girls as well as for the black community. It’s amazing to see what kids can do, and we’re so glad Walmart is providing this platform to give Lily Frilly...