Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve witnessed some drastic changes in the conversation regarding policing and race in America. People have come out en masse to show their support for reforming and defunding the police, and many have asked how else we can help make further progress toward racial equality in our culture.
One of the major talking points has been to expand our efforts in supporting Black business ownership. Historically, Black Americans have been denied access to bank loans, leases on homes and retail spaces, and positions of power within business structures. If we truly hope to bring about equality in this country, we have to expand that access and foster the growth of these new endeavors. So how can we as skaters and consumers support Black skaters on their journey to become successful entrepreneurs in a global society that has shunned them for so long?
Our friend and contributor Patrick Kigongo worked hard to put together a list of Black-owned skate companies that you can support, conveniently compiled in this Google doc below. Odds are you’ll find a brand you’ve never heard of which can expand your horizons and tastes. Help support a Black-owned business today.
—>The Black List<—
Patrick’s abbreviated foreword (originally appeared in Artless Industria):
“… The anti-police brutality protests that erupted across the United States in reaction to the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers has led to a spike in the demand to support all things Black. Millions of Americans are now sharing lists of Black restaurants and bookstores in cities across the nation. Being a Black skater, I wanted to chip in. When I realized that there wasn’t a list of Black-owned skate companies, shops, or organizations, I decided to create one.
…
I was floored by the range and diversity of the products these companies offer. Atlanta’s Big Black Biscuit boasts luxurious Afrocentric board graphics. New York’s Gang Corp and Public Housing Skateboard Team mix skate rat energy with Uptown iconography. Total Luxury Spa is wavy and deeply indebted to South LA’s rich Black history. And New Mexico’s Grandma skateboards are a garage operation that does everything in house, from cutting board shapes to hand-screened shirts.
Real talk, there’s something for everyone.
When I started street skating in 1994, I was the only Black kid in my crew in suburban New York. Sure, there were a decent number of sponsored Black skaters, but there were just a handful of Black-owned companies … Over the last decade, skating has diversified and globalized tremendously. Despite this progress, however, “The Industry” remains very white, very Californian, and it retains hegemonic control over the direction of skateboarding.
…
I believe that getting eyeballs on a list of Black-owned brands is a humble, yet necessary offering to building whatever lies ahead.
At the very least, I wanna get some of my brothers and sisters paid.”
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June 10, 2020 7:01 pm
This is a double edged sword. While it’s certainly ok to support black-owned brands especially in these times, I’m worried that creating Google documents like this can backfire. The alt-right is strong and this could remind them of a certain yellow badge.
Greetings & solidarity from Germany
June 13, 2020 2:11 pm
f-off with this politically correct bullshit Jenkem
June 22, 2020 7:54 pm
maybe ur just a racist
August 8, 2020 5:47 am
lmao go chug a monster
June 10, 2020 7:24 pm
Patrick, I’d also like to see you write about Brandon Biebel’s whoopin’ and hollerin’ Story of his friend assaulting a mental ill and/or homeless Black man in LA the other night. Crailtap posted a black square the other day and I wonder if you believe they can support BLM *and* a White pro who does exactly the opposite, and how they should deal with it.
June 11, 2020 4:34 am
Where did you see this?
June 11, 2020 2:00 pm
There was a depressing thread on SLAP about it
June 12, 2020 4:41 pm
As we all know, the Slap message board is gospel.
June 11, 2020 1:59 am
What about Asians, Latinos etc? They doesn’t matter? Hmm that’s a discrimination if not a r…… Hipocrites….
June 11, 2020 6:39 am
They matter but we are having problems with the black community stop being so close minded
June 12, 2020 4:46 pm
Asians and Latinos matter too! But right now they’re not the ones being murdered in hoardes at the hands of the police, the ones who are supposedly there to “protect” us.
Come to think of it, Latinos are being killed too, but in a different way. And Native people! But we all know the OP here only gives a shit about these groups when somebody else’s welfare is being aided. Classic distractor.
June 25, 2020 3:24 pm
The person who made this post is black so it makes since that he listed black businesses. If someone of those races wants to make a list of businesses in their community no one is stopping them or you. If you truly care about the businesses of these other races by all means please make us aware of them.
July 21, 2021 3:24 pm
STFU with your gaslighting and downplaying. You don’t go on the Lung Cancer Society’s website and comment “All Cancer Matters”. If all lives matter then Black Lives Matter should not bother you.
July 13, 2020 3:38 pm
no one ever said they didnt matter
June 14, 2020 3:16 pm
When you say support black owned businesses, to black lives matter, Were all people we all go threw the same things from cops harassment to supporting our local small businesses. When you say support Black businesses and black lives matter……that makes you the racist. Same with black awards shows BET etc.. If it was white awards to white entertainment tv.. We’d once again be racists. but truth be told its racist of you to want to take away from everyone…..How about were all equals with our own problems….
June 15, 2020 11:05 am
I’m surprised by the amount of ignorance in these comments – I hope you are still just a young skate kid unbothered by the complexities of the world.
Just a quick note: there is no such thing as “reverse racism.” It’s just semantics, since racism is defined as something like “discrimination against a minority group.” YES, black people (or people of color) CAN feel prejudice towards whites. That isn’t racism since white people have systematically secured their place at the top in society. The history on this is not hard to find.
Racism is a nasty tool to make sure poor whites, blacks, etc. stay on different sides. we all have so much more in common than otherwise. There’s enough resources in this world to truly provide everyone with enough to have fulfilling, safe lives.
June 16, 2020 5:47 pm
“YES, black people (or people of color) CAN feel prejudice towards whites. That isn’t racism since white people have systematically secured their place at the top in society.”
Are u serious? Go kill yourself, you brainwashed f’ing idiot.
June 16, 2020 3:45 pm
haha you’re a moron. Haven’t heard the ol’ “BET reverse racism” bullshit since i was in high school. Are you in high school? FYI Black award shows, BET, black colleges, etc all exist because white people wouldn’t let us into their shit. It’s also statistically way harder for black people to get business loans compared to whites. These things were made out of necessity, not hatred. If black people didn’t create avenues for themselves we wouldn’t get anywhere. We didn’t make the rules, just surviving. Nice try.
June 20, 2020 7:17 pm
The fact on the loans issue is because black people have the worst job history worst credit, its because your all mostly worthless. White is not the top of society idiot. Money puts you at the top. Not your color. Gets old hearing how the white man keeps you down. Guess what white people have it hard also. Fact is give a white family 1k and a black family 1k. You see the difference in the life choices. White family uses the money to better themselves. Black guy gets his jordans, new gold chain some rims for the rusted monte carlo.or tries to double it buying dope. That’s why you never get outta the black hole. because your all dumb as hell. Now what did you do with your stimulus money?? Back support on ten babies, new chain?? new kicks?? Surviving we all do its the choices we make day to day in the survival that separate us.
July 20, 2020 12:16 am
Umm Chile….how should I say this… you are racist
August 6, 2020 5:34 pm
You have country music award several times a year black people or brown and latino could not be found so leave BET along.