How Emerging Black-Owned Businesses are Celebrating Juneteenth 2021
The world went through unexpected change and enlightenment in the past year. From a global pandemic to a racial movement, we can all agree that love, equality, and support are all foundations to overcome any obstacle. Realizing we all have the power to help put an end to injustices and fight for equal opportunity has instilled a greater humanity in all of us.
The Black Lives Matter Movement created waves in every city near and far and with Juneteenth approaching, SHOWFIELDS is making sure that wave never ends. June 19th pays homage to the end of slavery in the U.S. when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. Juneteenth is a cherished and liberating day for many and deserves continued recognition.
President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on Thursday afternoon, making the "second Independence Day" a federal holiday. Over the past years, America has celebrated and honored Juneteenth in various ways. From parades to education services, people all over have the opportunity to join the support. With post-pandemic conversations and vaccinations, everyone has the chance to honor the holiday this year, standing side by side.
After a long year of eye-opening circumstances and equality marches, we should, now more than ever, celebrate Juneteenth by continuing to uplift Black communities and voices.
What better way to uplift Black communities than supporting Black-Owned-Businesses that are pushing for greatness? Below, you can discover the most interesting, emerging BOB's that are making major impacts in specific industries and beyond. You will also hear directly from some of the founders about what their mantras are and how they plan to use their brands for positive change.
Join the wave. Discover, shop, & explore these mighty brands below.
Dungeon Forward
If you're looking for a statement piece that illustrates impeccable detail and story-look no further. Dungeon Forward is a POC founded brand that aims to create innovative design to empower, enlighten, and inspire the next. The illustrations are unique and the brand takes pride in precision and detail as none of their designs look the same. Culture is a big part of the brand's mantra; each piece is carefully made with history and roots in mind. As seen above, The Midnight Safari is one of the brand's most sought out head piece; it combines various materials and earth tones that align with the safari aesthetic. The midnight blue leather brim and front panel pulls it all together. Shop our favorite pieces from the collection, here.
“It is our unique mission to share authentic stories through sculptural crowns, to pay homage to culture in all that we do, and to do this while developing the most innovative headwear brand in the world. The fact that we are black-owned is simply icing on the cake. “ says, Castro CEO DungeonForward.
MUXE
MUXE combines the statements of streetwear and equality into one. The brand strives to inform and educate communities on social injustices, inequality, and LGBTQ+ issues through the world of fashion. MUXE aims to provide a community to all queers by creating streetwear clothing pieces with bold messages that captivate a sense of belonging to all who wear it. The brand's mantra is one of perseverance and determination as the pieces in their collection stand up for the queer community with messages of confidence and inclusivity. MUXE wants to serve as a constant reminder to little queer kids that you are “cool” and it will get better, but you have to keep fighting for equality. In 2021, MUXE New York will donate a portion of profits to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. Read more about the brand and support its mission, here.
"My Black-Queer Identity informs everything I do - from strutting down the street to designing collections + my entire purpose as an activist and designer is to inspire others to live authentically, and pursue their dreams fiercely," says, KADEEM ALPHANSO FYFFE- Designer & Founder.
Gwen Beloti Collection
The Gwen Beloti Collection is all about giving back- the timeless brand believes in empowering women through art and fashion. Each design is unique and carries a beautifully elegant aesthetic made to fit any occasion and ensemble. The designs were created with the female spirit in mind; whether it's a bracelet or necklace, each piece serves to add a touch of femininity and style to all your looks. Discover more inspiring designs from the collection, here.
"We cater to women who love minimalistic styles and quality. Through golden hues we aim to cultivate a style experience that will inspire the daily looks and mood of women, and celebrate their unique golden stories. We're a 5 star rated brand with a growing following and support system. I attribute that to our commitment to nurturing community not just among out team and customers, but with our local and global community through service and giving," says Gwen Beloti- Founder and Namesake.
BLK & Bold
Serve your caffeine addiction while serving disadvantaged domestic youth in the U.S with BLK & Bold. This coffee brand works towards positive change while taking pride ethical practices and organic ingredients. Their mantra focuses on combining your daily ritual with a mission and starting your morning off right with a cup of purpose. BLK & Bold contributes 5% of its profits to initiatives aligned to sustaining youth programming, enhancing workforce development, and eradicating youth homelessness. Read more about BLK & Bold while shopping their products, here.
Neon Apothecary
Neon Apothecary has a strong vision of offering handmade goods from candles to accessories that will fit every kind of lifestyle. Most popular from the collection, Neon Apothecary's candles are made with emotion and spirit in mind. The scents are versatile, timeless and guaranteed to evoke emotion from anyone that lights them up. The packaging is edgy yet refreshing while the scents are uniquely named including The Haunted Cabin to Reflection. Neon Apothecary also collaborates with other Black, Brown and Queer creatives to create artisanal goods that reflect their vision. All candles are 100% soy, phthalate-free and handcrafted in Washington, DC. Explore our favorite scents and read more about Neon Apothecary's mission, here.
"Neon Apothecary was born from a love of travel and the magic of community, be it Black, Brown or Queer (and often all of the above). And especially in this challenging year, whether it's Pride or not, whether it's Juneteenth or not, showing up and supporting our communities is more important than ever. Sometimes that looks like creative partnerships, sometimes that looks like donations, and sometimes that looks like shopping within your communities. Neon Apothecary’s mission is to offer luxury handcrafted candles, accessories and handmade goods while partnering with our black, brown and queer communities to curate artisanal products that reflect their vision," says Bobby B.- Founder.
Jam & Rico
If you are looking for head turning jewelry, Jam & Rico have you covered. Their motto? is to bring joy to the wearer and evoke confidence and beauty to each individual. Lisette Ffolkes founded Jam + Rico as a way to creatively honor her Jamaican and Puerto Rican heritage. Each piece is thoughtfully made and adorned with aspects of color, shape, and tone. The collection is filled with bold inviting expressions made to fit every occasion and aesthetic and trust us, the designs will become a staple in your wardrobe. Shop our favorites pieces from Caribbean line, here.
“I’m the great, great, granddaughter of a sharecropper from Greenville, North Carolina and a sugarcane worker from Puerto Rico. My ancestors worked the land and contributed to the growth of the country. I stand on their shoulders and the shoulders of millions. I am grateful for the work and sacrifices they made to allow me to be where I am today. I will never take it for granted,” says Lisette Ffolkes- Founder.