Women's History Spotlight: Black Women in Retail

Women’s History Month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate Black women who are thought leaders and making a difference in the content creator world. 

Black women are making moves in the retail space by facilitating important conversations, making lasting social change, innovating and inventing, and directing consumer dollars.

This Women’s History Month, we're highlighting four trailblazing content creators. But PLEASE don’t limit your support and conversations about women in this category to March. We should elevate, celebrate, and support these creators all the time!

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Nikki Porcher//@buyfromablackwoman

Buy From a Black Woman is an Atlanta-based non-profit that works to educate and empower Black women business owners and inspire people to buy from a Black woman. They’ve built a business directory with listings of hundreds of Black woman-owned businesses. In 2023, BFBW hosted pop-up shopping events at H&M locations nationwide. They also offer training sessions, grants, and business accelerator programs. 

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Aurora James//@15percentpledge

We've talked quite a bit about the 15% pledge, but let’s talk about the founder, Aurora James. James created the 15% pledge amid 2020’s racial reckoning. The mission is simple: 15% of the population is Black, so 15% of retail shelf space should contain Black-owned items. To drive home her mission, James asked stores to pledge their commitment. Over 28 retailers have pledged—including Nordstrom, Ulta, Sephora, Kith, J. Crew, Old Navy, and Crate and Barrel— resulting in nearly $14B of revenue shifted to Black-owned businesses.

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Araba Maze//@Storybookmaze

Maze Calls herself a “radical street librarian” and she’s on a mission to eliminate book deserts in Baltimore. She hosts street-corner-story time, supplies free book vending machines, and is preparing to launch a mobile book bus, all in an attempt to reach those in underserved communities and increase literacy. She was recently invited to give a Ted Educator Talk! She’s doing even more important work, so check out her page and support her mission.

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Marissa Kearney//@retailwhileblack, @targetwhileblack

Once a teacher, always a teacher. Marissa taught sixth grade for two years and is using all of the tools learned in the classroom to educate the community on the easiest ways to shop Black. As the world removes their DEI, she is doubling down, creating a spin-off of her popular Instagram account, @targetwhileblack called @retailwhileblack, electrifying the small created niche into a global movement, writing a multi-nominated book, (The Air Fair-He) focusing on closing the literacy gap for Black boys, and pressing retailers to do more by creating a group of followers who can spot BS from a mile away. She is a force.