A general desire to remove the dust of 2020 and restore normalcy has been a topic early this year. But for designer Brother Vellies and Aurora James, founder of 15 Percent Pledge, the way forward depends on maintaining the challenging energy of 2020. “To some extent, I was a little worried that people were going to breathe a sigh of relief so deeply that it put them in a place of suffering,” James said in a phone call from Los Angeles. “Now that we have this opportunity to change, we need to continue to think about the bigger picture – what it means to create economic equality for black people in this country and the great participation. what is needed. ”
The political unrest and protests against police violence that ravaged America last spring were a stimulus behind James ’15 percent Pledge. Following the assassination of George Floyd, she drafted a mission statement on social media calling for action from a major corporation. The nonprofit advocacy group asked sellers to allocate at least 15% of their shelf space to Black real estate businesses, a figure that represents a percentage of the U.S. population that is black. In addition to offering new opportunities for creators to sell their products, it required a revaluation of workplace demographics and a multi-year commitment to hiring and supporting talent between -mixed. Sephora and Rent the Runway were early adopters, but James has spent the last nine months bringing new companies on board. “The past year has spent a lot of emotional capital,” she says. “I’ve spent a lot of time talking on the phone with companies that decide they’re not ready to promise black people, which is heartbreaking for me. It is clear that consumers are asking people to step in and sign contracts that will ensure meaningful change, but some companies are not interested in doing so. ”
Despite the willingness of some brands, other opportunities are pushing the Promise beyond its original potential. As a designer, James’ first focus was on fashion and beauty. The addition of West Elm and Crate and Barrel furniture giants, the Yelp review app, the Canadian Indigo bookstore chain, and this Condé Nast publication have brought the idea to nearby businesses. For James, the expansion opens the door for creative people in other industries to gain the same level of visibility as their fashion peers. “There is a lot of light and attention given to fashion, and that’s not always the case in other industries,” she said. “As a successful person, I found a platform, and I wanted to make sure we could also start finding and supporting a number of entrepreneurs across different sectors. I was excited about West Elm and CB2 [because] it’s amazing to see all sorts of different creatures made by black people. ”
Collaboration within fashion has also been successful. An American supermarket institution like Gap Inc. was a coup. However, the news today that Kith, Moda Operandi, and Next Models are signing takes the campaign a step further. Each company represents a distinct side of the fashion industry and a new path for jobs, sales, and cultural offerings from Black talent. “We’re trying to make the process possible,” said James. “Ensuring that there is a pipeline for black property businesses is a big part of our responsibility, but we also need to make sure that they are well located. One where we can recommend them to anyone who makes the promise. ”