Black Owned Businesses: Supporting African American Economic Empowerment this Christmas
Economic empowerment is a key to the thriving of any community. However, a legacy of injustice and discrimination in our country has often denied and withheld economic opportunity to people of color, especially African Americans. The choices we make about how and where we spend our money have the opportunity to reinforce these norms, or subvert them. In the Gospel of Luke, Mary sings of how God will bring the powerful down from their thrones and lift up those who are low (Luke 1:52). When we boycott we can bring down the powerful. When we spend we can lift up those who have for too long been kept low by discrimination.
This year at St. Lydia’s, Emily has challenged our congregation to buy all of our Christmas presents from Black owned businesses. Our spending can help support African American business owners, shifting the balance of power in our country. In addition, our guess is that this practice will help raise our level of awareness about who are money goes to, and what we’re supporting when we spend.
The list below is still in progress! If you know of black owned businesses in the New York area, please comment below.
Local Businesses in New York
Clothing and Accessories
Jamila’s, Prospect Heights
Kids
My Brooklyn Baby, Fort Greene
Books
Sister’s Uptown Bookstore, Washington Heights
Hue Man Bookstore (online)
Cosmetics
Lisi Cosmetics, Midtown
Coffee Shops
Urban Vintage, Clinton Hill
Restaurants
The Soul Spot, Downtown Brooklyn
Ruthie’s Restaurant, Clinton Hill
Sylvia’s Soul Food, Harlem
Michele’s Catering and Soul Food Bistro, Harlem
People’s Republic of Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens
Ghenet, Boerum Hill
Bakeries
Make My Cake, Harlem
Annie Mae’s Cheesecakes, Harlem
Bed and Breakfasts
Akwaaba Mansion, Bedstuy
Online Merchants
Handcrafted Gifts
Go Etsy! Huffington Post Black Voices has a great list of Black artists and crafts people selling prints, stationary, skin and hair care products, t-shirts, keepsake boxes, bags, accessories, pillows, jewelry, and knitwear. Or check out Etsy’s list of Black owned shops.
Pardon My Fro, for t-shirts and prints
Beads Byaree, for beaded jewelry
Candles from Simply Scents Candle Co or Wax Candle Company
All sorts of stuff from PowWow
Unique items from Sir and Madame
Jamilla Okubo’s work, sold with Society 6
Leather items from Urban Herilooms
Stationary from Primrose Press
Clothes And Jewelry
Minoritees has some incredible t-shirts!
Skirts and accessories from Sofistafunk
Jewelery from Candid or Lingua Nigra
Knitwear from LadieLoops
Kids
Amazing dolls and quits from Idk Kids
Skin Care, Hair Care, Nail Polish
Soaps from Smell Good Spa, Nyah, or Beelux
Hair care form Ruth and Mae’s, Koils by Nature, or My Honey Child
Cosmetics from Fashion Fair, Iman, Magnolia Makeup, or Mischo
Skincare from Vera Moore, Belle Butters, Skin Deep or Emily Jayne
Nail Polish from Polish & Co
Skincare for men at La Bella
And check out this list of black owned spas around the country (gift certificates!)
Food
Cake pops from Sugar Puddin Cafe
Gourmet Lollypops from Luxe Lollipops
Garrett Popcorn! Yum!
Specialty Tea from Gullah Girl Tea
Wine from Heritage Link Brands or Rideau Vineyards
The Root has even more ideas here, as does mycoloures.com. Autostraddle offers these Queer Black Owned Businesses and Organizations for us to support. And thank you to Soulreflectionz for the image and many of the shops listed above, as well as Afrobella.com for her incredible list!
Thank you for the list. I’d like to let you know about a local flower shop that is owned and operated by a woman of color. hibiscusflowershop.com. Please consider listing it.
Hey, Just wanted to share that there is a new site out now called BlackEtsy.com is lists all and only the best Black-Owned shops on Etsy. Check it out, it’s really good: http://www.blacketsy.com
Thanks so much Sabrina! I’m glad to know about it.