February 1st marks the beginning of Black History Month in the USA. ?
As a brand, we at MyPostcard are aware of our responsibility to use our platform to actively support the Black community. So one of the ways we want to celebrate Black History Month is by highlighting our favorite Black influencers and brands in the USA from our industry niches: Travel, family, DIY and interior. These creators are well worth the follow, trust me!
If you’re interested in discovering and shopping Black-owned brands, skip to the bottom.
By the way: If you’re wondering why it’s important to actively listen to, support and buy from Black communities, you should check out this document of resources we found on @soyouwanttotalkabout’s Instagram channel.
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Black influencers in the…
Black-owned brands in the…
16 Inspiring Black influencers to follow from the…
Following Black influencers shouldn’t be performative; it should be about opening your ears and listening to Black persons’ experiences of the world and affirming them. Just because we experience the world one way, it doesn’t mean everyone does.
So here are some great Black influencers from the…
… Creativity and interior niches
#1 @prettyrealblog
Tiffany’s chic and modern home is sure to inspire the interior decorator within. The bonus? Tiffany focuses on affordable home design and DIY, so you don’t just have to sit there and long for a bedroom like this one, you can go right ahead!
#2 @simplicityfordesigns
Another lady who knows her stuff when it comes to interior design, Gbeke also offer glimpses into her life as a wife, working mom and blogger. From DIY to playtime to home office decor inspiration – it’s all here.
#3 @thishouse5000
Cat and plant mama Elena favors the classy boho style of home decor. Expect plants, clean lines and a bathroom that I, at least, am coveting bad.
#4 @grillodesigns
Medina’s abstract home focuses on patterns and and contrast held together by mustard undertones. She’s one of those people who simply has a knack for knowing which patterns and shapes will go together. Alongside snaps of her lovely home, she is a active supporter of self-love, inclusion and transparency.
By the way if you want to learn how to be more actively anti-racist and inclusive, read guest blogger, Pelumi’s article on how to become anti-racist and a true ally to Black people.
#5 @makinghomebase
A big fan of blue and white shapes and patterns, Chelsea shows you how to work your favorite patterns into your house interior. Chelsea believes that your house should reflect its people and you can see this in her feed, which shows off the love between herself, her husband and her kids.
#6 @damasklove
Amber is all bright colors, joy and of course, DIY and crafting. Her content is kid-friendly and with her guidance, even people who don’t consider themselves crafty by nature are able to get creative!
… Family, relationships and lifestyle niches
#7 @thegoandgrowfamily
Shavonne and her beautiful family are often going on mini-adventures across the USA, discovering nature – and all in great style and some beautiful hats.
#8 @carmenreneeblog
Wife and Mama, Carmen takes you on a journey through her impressive wardrobe and everyday family life. Her feed is pure fashion-inspiration.
#9 @itstashhaynes
Tash, together with her husband, Ike, is a wedding photographer by day, a blogger and active member of the community by night, and a mother and wife all the time. She offers snapshots of her life, full of fun and happiness and, in safer times, also her experiences traveling as a family.
Even though most of us can’t travel at the moment, Tash has some tips for you on how to make a staycation feel like a vacation with family.
#10 @abbysrollercoasterlife
Abby’s life is full of day or camping trips, thoughtfulness, and the family moments that matter. She talks openly about the lows and shares the highs, making her a good, positive and authentic addition to your feed.
#11 @trinitysierra
Youtuber and Instagrammer Trinity shares her experiences of life as a mom, a wife, a make-up fan, lifestyle as well as her faith as a Christian. Trinity speaks honestly about the hard bits of life but always finishes up with a dose of positive thinking.
#12 @daniellelickey
Self-proclaimed Disneyland fanatic + HP nerd, Danielle is all about lifestyle, love and family. Dancing, jogging, swimming and just having fun outings with her partner, son and dog – all this features heavily.
#13 @missyhalle
Down to earth relationship talk, a sprinkling of politics and more recently some beautiful wedding pics. That’s what you’ll find and more on Melissa’s account.
… Travel niche
#13 @hey_ciara
A solo traveler by nature who quit her job to travel the world, Ciara posts travel inspiration and guides from her memories for travel in 2021 (fingers crossed!). In what’s been a tough year for a traveler creator in particular, Ciara has talked honestly about the struggles involved – something we can all relate to – and how she considers her community something of an escape.
#14 @glographics
Glo’s account is motivating, progressive and educational. Her feed is interspersed with videos, beautiful photos and short bite-sized guides to interesting and important themes like, ‘What are the most racist countries?’ or ‘Things introverts wish you understood’. Glo’s been to around 80 countries in the last ten year and has massively gained perspective, experience and a wealth of beautiful photos.
#15 @thetravelingchild
Next up, a whole family of travels. The motto? If kids live there, then kids can travel there. They’re not traveling super far at the moment, but the Hambrick family are still posting family adventures, photography tips and regional trips in the USA.
#16 @wildginaa
Gina captures insanely beautiful, often eerie moments with nature along with the story or a related story behind it. This account is worth following for the photos alone, but Gina’s voice and stories behind it make it all the more persuasive.
#17 @irietoaurora
Adventurous and curious and resilient, Naomi lives the van-life on the go with her partner, Dustin and the adorable Amara the lap dog. Her posts support self-care, educate about racial bias and white privilege, and of course, share her experience of traveling across the country.
Black-owned brands to shop
By shopping Black-owned businesses, you’re actively helping to build up the Black communities which have been discriminated against for generations. This in turn helps in the long term to close the wealth gap between Black people in the USA (and overwhelmingly the wider world too) and white people. In more general terms, it leads to a more equal representation of Black people in society.
Here are the Black-owned brands our team likes:
Interior and creativity brands
@boleroadtextiles
Bolé Road Textiles sells – you guessed it – textiles, and beautiful ones at that. If you’re looking to spruce up your interior, head here for cushions, bed spreads and more.
@lollylollyceramics
Discover clean, modern designs for your morning coffee. You’d better follow on Instagram too though, if you want to catch stocks before they sell out!
@plantkween
Christopher, or the plant kween lives through their plants. And even has a plant-insipired collection with tonlé to satisfy all your zero-waste fashion cravings.
@harlemcandlecompany
Beautiful scents and beautiful styles. That’s what you’ll find in Teri Johnson’s Harlem Candle Company – a mix of fragrance, jazz and harlem!
Family and lifestyle brands
@braveandkindbooks
Brave and Kind Books curates inclusive stories for kids as well as running creative workshops and book clubs.
@littlelikeskids
These toys aren’t mass-produced, one-size-fits-all products. They’re lovingly and thoughtfully designed for the under-6 age kids based on the lives kids live now.
@kidochicago
Kido focuses on representation and inclusivity in it’s inspiring selection of toys, books and outfits.
@puzzlehuddle
As a game for kids in their early stages, it’s so important that children are able to see diversity and representation in puzzles. That’s the gap in the market that Puzzle Huddle fills.
@lepetitorganic
Le Petit Organic sells quirky kids’ clothes up to age 8. The feel is vintage and the focus is handmade and sustainable. One for the future!
Travel brands
@airfordable – Book flights at a fraction of the price
@dipaways
For you perfect group or solo getaway, get it designed for you by dipaways. The special part of these trips is that they support small local communities at your destination.
@travelnoire
Travel Noire is aimed at millennials who love travel from the African Diaspora. It’s all about making travel inclusive and representative. The company can help you create and book a roadmap for your journey.
@noirbnb
Noirbnb is aimed to improve the experience of travelers of color traveling to destinations around the world. It allows people to become BnB hosts or stay at places which feel like a home away from home. It originated as a way to fill the empty space when it came to serving Black people in the travel niche.
It’s not just the rest of the world that needs to change to start actively welcoming travelers from the African continent… Guest blogger, Fisayo, argues that travelers to Africa need to change their attitude and their assumptions. Here are the things you need to know about Africa and the 7 racist stereotypes that have to change.
@madeleatherco
Made Leather Co. creates leather bags which are classic, fashionable and quality homemade products.
Final word
The heading here might be ‘final word’, but our work is a long way from done. We will keep doing our research, try to educate ourselves, hire Black creators and try to connect with Black-owned brands, 365 days a year. Feel free to drop feedback or ideas on what else we can do to improve – we always have an open ear for you.
If you have any Black influencers or Black-owned brands you love, let us know!
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