Getty Images for H&M

Black Business Month officially starts Tuesday. Founded in 2004 by historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan Sr., the month is held to commemorate Black-owned businesses, Black entrepreneurs and the push for overall economic growth. To start out the celebration, singer Normani visited the Buy From a Black Woman Encourage tour with H&M, appearing on the organization’s pop-up store in Los Angeles on July 22.

“Black women have been leading the numbers in terms of starting a business,” Normani told WWD. “Annual sales for Black women business owners are five times smaller than all women-owned businesses on account of lack of support and awareness,” she continued, sharing her support for BFABW. “This organization empowers, educates, and inspires Black women business owners and the individuals who support them.”

The BFABW and H&M tour brings pop-up stores to cities across the U.S., spotlighting Black woman-owned businesses and native vendors. That is the third 12 months BFABW and H&M have teamed up, with their collaboration also including workshops, grants, stipends and accelerator programs for Black business owners.

The Los Angeles pop-up featured Be You Candles and Home Décor, beauty and body care brand Dirt Don’t Hurt, clean makeup brand Lamik Beauty and homeware line Sunny & Ted.

“I proceed to hunt down Black-owned businesses and products for all facets of my life. I loved meeting the founding father of Lamik Beauty on the Encourage tour, and will certainly be incorporating a few of her products into my routine now, too,” Normani said regarding her experience on the event.

Nikki Porcher, founding father of the Buy From a Black Woman tour, said the event sends “a robust message of inclusion and variety, which helps break down barriers in the long term.” The BFABW efforts also emphasize the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses and Black entrepreneurs, especially those in the style and sweetness industry. 

“The challenge as a Black woman in the style industry is that we’re so often the muse, the source of inspiration, but you don’t see us placed in positions of thought leadership or being the voice of fashion brands,” Marrisa Wilson, the founder and inventive director of her namesake fashion brand, told WWD. 

Wilson’s brand, which she launched in 2016, offers contemporary womenswear influenced by her Caribbean heritage and roots. “Daring, expressive colours and motifs are all the time at the center of each collection,” the Guyanese-American designer said, adding, “Through my collections, there’s a chance for people to see Caribbean culture in a more nuanced light. The Caribbean is just not one monolithic culture. It’s so far more than simply idyllic beaches and white sands.”

On the wonder front, Chaz Giles, the founding father of the skincare brand Revea, agreed with Wilson’s sentiment concerning the hardships Black business owners face. “Access to capital, distribution, talent, etc., all comes from networks and unfortunately, many Black entrepreneurs historically haven’t had access to those networks,” he said. “I’ve been lucky to have great support from my time in enterprise capital and Estee Lauder Cos. I’ve had support from an ideal group of friends, investors and mentors.”

The shortage of skincare products targeted toward melanated skin is an element of why Giles created his brand. “Back then, there have been so few products, much less brands formulated for non-Caucasian skin. That played an enormous role in why I created Revea. I desired to create the technology to assist everyone understand their skin and coverings formulated for his or her individual needs,” he shared. 

Overall, celebrating Black Business Month goes beyond just purchasing products from brands, but amplifying the brand on social media and by word of mouth. “Community support not only shows others within the industry that chances are you’ll be deserving of their support, too, however it also tells us that what we’re doing is being seen and appreciated and offers us the hope needed to maintain pushing forward,” Wilson said.