The fourth day of Kwanzaa represents Cooperative Economics and how we can come together to support Black businesses under one roof. Black marketplaces have been growing and become a collective space for people to display their work with other businesses and creators. Ujamaa embodies community and collective work while supporting Black businesses.
africaboutik.us is an online marketplace that focuses on contemporary jewelry, art, fashion and interior design. Founder MsK NY began africaboutik.us after having run her fashion blog African Prints in Fashion (APiF). APiF explores how Africa and the African Diaspora impacts fashion and design as well as educates and changes the perception of what African fashion truly is, and has since expanded to be a known lifestyle brand worldwide.
Afrikrea is an e-commerce platform showcasing all types of creators. It is an open space for artists to buy and sell products inspired by Africa. Their merchandise includes clothing, accessories, beauty, wellness and good, home and art.
BLK + GRN is an all-natural Black beauty marketplace where Black health experts and practitioners promote an all-natural life though sustainable beauty products. BLK + GRN features non-toxic brands and aims to share their mission of health, wellness, and community through the marketplace. They specialize in mostly skincare, beauty, and hair care products but have products for menstrual care, grocery, and the home.
Elysia Randolph founded Kaiem in 2018 to showcase the creative brands coming out of West Africa and those living in the diaspora. Kaiem showcases high quality products across categories and brands, made by artists in Africa. Kaiem is committed to finding new brands and bringing them to the United States, offering representation and a new narrative about Africa. Their most featured products are home and interior design related, but they also feature a large selection of skincare lines.
Make Manifest is a creative studio in the heart of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. It is a community space offering classes and studios for vendors and artists. Make Manifest also has a curated retail market filled with a variety of hand made pieces from local artists and from around the world. Throughout 2020, Make Manifest has offered many virtual classes Their retail products include home decor, jewelry, and accessories.
peace & Riot founders Achuziam Maha-Sanchez and husband Lionel Sanchez knew they shared a collective love of Black art. As a result they combined their interests in African and Caribbean art and began curating pieces to build their brick and mortar. peace & Riot is entirely pop-up based and will be releasing their 2021 dates shortly.
E-commerce beauty destination, thirteen lune, was co-founded by Nyako Grieco to facilitate a discussion between beauty brands founded by Black and Brown creators and consumers. Allyship is an important part of thirteen lune and invites non-Black and Brown owned brands into the conversation who want to join the inclusive beauty movement. Their products focus on skin, body, hair, makeup, and fragrance.