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By Maya Mackey
“It all started with a single post”. You’ll see this declaration all over the 15 Percent Pledge’s Instagram account as well as the personal Instagram account of the 15 Percent Pledge’s founder, Aurora James.
In May 2020, shortly after the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, there was a racial reckoning in America. For the first time in my lifetime, it seems that white people were finally paying attention and admitting to what Black folks had been saying all along. “The system” is racist. That system includes our constitution, the criminal justice system, and the policing protocol—the DNA of this whole damn country.
Enraged and driven to action, Aurora James made a plea on Instagram, knowing that at last, African Americans had White America’s attention. Her plea? Asking retailers to match the population of Black Americans (15%) on their shelf space. It’s almost 4 years later, and that one small plea has garnered more success than imaginable!
Currently, the 15 Percent Pledge has blossomed into a non-profit with over 25 company pledges, including retail titans: Macys, Bloomingdales, and Victoria’s Secret. They have also curated a directory of Black-owned businesses of various sectors from beauty to fashion to books and more.
On February 3, 2024, 15 Percent Pledge opened its doors to the public by hosting a pop-up shop in Hollywood, where people could view and purchase from some of the retailers on their roster.
I high-tailed it there, in the rain because of how awestruck I was that something like this for us actually exists. Usually, I’m weary of pushing “Black Capitalism” as a means to freedom for African-Americans. But when Aurora James and her team said the 15 Percent Pledge has redirected $14 Billion in revenue to Black brands, my perspective shifted. This isn’t about backing capitalism, this movement is truly about equality and equity.
Aurora James is right. It’s only fair that 15 percent of the population gets 15 percent of the GDP recycled into their pockets. Especially, when 1 dollar out of every $5.75 spent is by a Black person or other racial minority.
Dignity, hono,r and equity are principles I can get on board with. If you want to support their work or advocate for a business to take the pledge, visit 15percentpledge.org Also, feel free to leave your comments below.
