Black Businesses

 Jasmin Foster founded Be Rooted “to create a safe space for women of color to feel seen and heard in their everyday lives,” she told us. The brand sells journals and planners decorated with art depicting women of color, desk accessories, and home goods like puzzles. Be Rooted was recognized in the Time 100 Most Influential Companies of 2022, and was the first Black-owned stationery brand to line Target store shelves in 2021. 

 John Wesley Dean III, the creative director and founder of Renowned, says he started the Los Angeles-based clothing brand as a form of self-expression. He also feels the lack of diversity in the corporate world needs to be addressed to help more Black-owned businesses achieve success in the U.S. “This is a forever fight for equality,” says Dean. Renowned clothing designs use silhouettes, patterns, and motifs to encompass the American Dream and the challenges associated with it. 

 Vontélle is a luxury eyewear brand created for diverse faces, which means it has larger lenses for high cheekbones, wider nose bridges, and longer temples for comfort. The brand ​​fulfills prescriptions and offers custom lens colors and tints, including blue light blockers and polarized lenses, in any pair of frames. The eyewear comes in dozens of designs and fun patterns to fit your style and also offers various colorful kid's styles, Vontélle is the first Black- and women-owned eyewear brand to obtain a licensing agreement from Nickelodeon.