Black-Owned Vintage Shops You Should Support
As racial tensions heighten in the United States, the gap between white privilege and black reality also grows. Those of us identifying as white have had to do some tough reflecting and a lot of research to catch up after ignoring this major issue for such an embarrassingly long time. Although it is uncomfortable, it is nothing compared to the hardships that black people have had to endure for hundred of years, just for being black.
While many of us have claimed not to be racist, myself included, there are many micro-aggressions that we have overlooked in ourselves or allowed others to commit without reproach. It is long past time for discontinuation of these instances, which seem small and inconsequential to some of us, but truly hurt our black friends and people we care about. Little words or jokes, choices we make without thinking, allowing others to cause pain; no more.
Feeling guilty and apologizing don’t make much of a dent when it comes to civil liberties, so what can we do instead? We can work to make sure that our black community members feel included, that our black friends know we will stand up for them, and that others will be held accountable for racist words and actions against them. We can march, we can donate, and we can start conversations. We can listen. And we can offer our support.
The system is rigged against our black friends from before they’re even born. This is an inarguable fact. As someone with undeniable privilege, I feel it is my duty to attempt to close the gap. Because of the topics I usually discuss on my blog, I’ve decided to be intentional in my support and promotion of black-owned vintage brands. While the following is not a comprehensive list, these are the vintage brands that I found while researching. I hope you will click through some of these links and find a new curator (or a few) that you love!
The Collective at Indigo Style
Whether you want to march in a peaceful protest, donate to a non-profit, or simply educate yourself on how to do better when it comes to racism, it’s time to be a part of the conversation. We have to make sure that BIPOC have a seat at the table. It is not enough to say that things are equal, but we must change the system so that it truly is. By supporting black-owned businesses, we can make a tiny dent in the quest to balance the system and take a look at diversifying our own consumer habits.
Black Lives Matter
Have you shopped with any of the above brands before? Leave a comment and let us know who did a great job! Do you own or know of a black-owned vintage business that we should support? Leave their links in the comments so we can check them out!
