Beyoncé & Zerina Akers' Black Parade Route Offers An Overflowing Directory Of Black-Owned Brands
As people continue supporting the Black community in myriad ways, it’s important to have resources on hand so you can actively live a more inclusive life and ensure these efforts are long-lasting — not just for a moment. That’s why you’ll definitely want to check out Beyoncé’s latest resource. Created by Beyoncé’s stylist, Zerina Akers, Black Parade Route is an overflowing directory of Black-owned businesses. The website was released on Juneteenth 2020 and has an extensive list of businesses that span across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home, and more.
The creation of Beyoncé’s website all started with Akers’ initiative, Black-Owned Everything. With the tagline “For when the trend is over,” the organization and accompanying Instagram account encourages people to continue to show support to Black people in everyday life by shopping Black-owned businesses. On the account, Akers showcases an array of companies from detergent to dog grooming to clothing and so much more. This Instagram account was established on June 4, but then, Akers and Beyoncé took things a step further.
“Happy Juneteenth. Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right,” Black Parade Route’s website reads. Also curated by Akers, Black Parade Route makes it so you can easily search for any kind of business you need. There are also categories like Arts and Design, Restaurants and Bars, Beauty, Fashion, and more. You can find anything you need while supporting Black-owned stores in the process. To align your business with both Black-Owned Everything and Black Parade, you can register here.
Alongside the release of the directory on Juneteenth, Beyoncé also dropped a new single, “Black Parade,” celebrating Blackness and the Black experience. “I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle. Please continue to remember our beauty, strength, and power,” Beyoncé wrote on Instagram. And as a commitment to raising up Black creatives, Beyoncé will be giving the proceeds of the song to her BeyGOOD Black Business Impact Fund.
As protests continue across the country, it’s important to take steps to integrate true racial equality into your everyday life. While donating and consuming/sharing anti-racism materials are vitally important in the fight against systematic racism, there is always more you can do, and shopping Black-owned businesses is a great start. Bookmark Black Parade Route so the next time you want to try a new restaurant or get a new outfit, you can easily consult Beyoncé and Akers’ directory.
