But what if you’re an individual? You can put pressure on these major retailers by contacting the company or commenting on their social posts. You can also consider dedicating 15% or more of your personal fashion spending to Black-owned brands.
It’s also important to note that the financial impact of COVID-19 has generally hit Black-owned brands harder than others, as illustrated in the graphic below by Mona Chalabi. The New York Times opinion article “How We Spend Tells Us Whose Lives Matter” delves into one of the reasons: inequality around stimulus packages. Thinking longer-term about positive economic change for the Black community, it’s crucial to support these businesses now so that we don’t lose them due to financial hardships associated with the pandemic. To that end, we’re listing some of our favorite businesses here in the fashion category. Shop if you can, and if not, bookmark for later, knowing that your purchase is doing more than just satisfying your shopping habit.
