Launched earlier in January by Street Smart Collaborative, the Black-Owned Box curates high-quality Black-owned brands and other goods for men and women that are perfect for gifting. The initiative was birthed from a desire to create connections that power communities and it is with this drive that they are providing a much-needed boost to Black-owned businesses.
Street Smart Collaborative is a registered non-profit organization founded by high school besties, Kyndra Jones and Khloe Washington who are both using their public relations and communications skills to do better for the community with an ultimate goal of economic empowerment for Black people. The venture started in Washington, DC as a means to accelerate social, economic development in underdeveloped communities. And as such, they are very passionate about plugging people into black-owned brands and small businesses.
The organization is committed to structural change and betterment of the Black community by providing a range of services including but not limited to strategic communications services like branding, website development, SEO and more. At the heart of it, Street Smart Collaborative consists of a team of five who work very hard to serve their clients. 100 percent of their profit goes towards their mission of eradicating the economic threat of racial injustice.
Jones spent over eight years leading mission-driven communications for Fortune 500 Companies in New York City and Washington D.C. She aims to create a legacy organization that cultivates safe spaces for employees and communities to thrive.
Washington has a BA in Journalism and Communications from Shaw University and MFA in Global Journalism and Communications from Morgan State University. She has a passion for journalism and communications and cultivates order through her innate Project Management leadership.
Moved by current happenings in the Black community, these two women decided to spring into action. “Following the death of George Floyd and the emotional trauma that ensued, both of us started to ask ourselves about what things we could do to help the community and we saw a strong need for economic empowerment.” says Jones.
The Black-Owned Box is a gifting service which offers a low-risk opportunity for Black-owned brands to get their products to the market. The box curates signature collections of gift items and Black-owned products that are designed for and by the people. Both Jones and Washington started out by selling and marketing Black businesses and eventually realized that this gifting service would be beneficial.
At the moment, the Black-Owned Box features a Relaxation Retreat Box (perfect for Mother’s Day) that allows all moms to manage their busy lives and still get some time-out for themselves. The box includes a fresh linen room spray, a stress relief candle, natural body butter, a lavender eucalyptus bath salts and loose leaf tea with infuser. On the other hand, the Men’s Essentials box is the best gift for showing the man in your life how much you really care. It includes an embroidered beanie, a signature tote, beard oil and a limited edition pair of socks. This box helps encourage self-care and mindfulness for men.
The Black-owned box is keen to work with new and merging brands. They usually receive inquiries from brands via their website, which are then passed through a vetting process to ensure proper alignment. Products are then purchased on wholesale and shipped from their studio in Maryland. In the future, shoppers can expect to see more types of boxes in the future with a combination of many different products.
Another initiative of Street Smart Collaborative is an online directory to highlight local Black businesses in the greater DC, DMV and VA area. Also in the works is Jun–Con 2021, short for Juneteeth Convention, which is a fundraising walk for Black lives in celebration of Juneteeth taking place in Washington, DC. If you live in the area, you might want to attend or check this out. According to Jones, “We want to partner with local Black-artists and keep the spirit of George Floyd alive by remembering those we have lost while exploring opporunities for economic success.”
Tell me your experience with brands in the Black community! Have you ever purchased a Black-owned box before?
Jamila Kyari
I’m a writer who focuses on African fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Subscribe to my newsletter and stay updated on the latest trends!
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