Beyoncé Pledges Another $1 Million to Black-Owned Small Businesses
Today is Beyoncé’s birthday and like a true queen, she’s using the occasion to continue giving back. Anyone not living under a rock knows Queen Bey is no stranger to charitable giving, 2020 included. For instance, she pledged a whopping $6 million to mental health wellness organizations earlier this year and used her platform to bring attention to a myriad of causes and injustices. Additionally, in lieu of the global pandemic’s impact on small business owners, along with the social justice efforts ignited by the death of George Floyd, she’s focused her most recent efforts on the economic liberation of Black people (and rightfully so).
(Sidebar: let’s also not forget the breathtaking Black is King film that gave us beautiful sights and sounds, including at least 10 outfits I would love to have in my closet and wear on a regular basis.)
But back to the task at hand. In July, the multi-hyphenate artist announced the launch of the Small Business Impact Fund, a collaboration between her philanthropic organization BeyGOOD and the NAACP. The goal of this partnership is to assist Black-owned businesses impacted by COVID-19, as well as to “help strengthen small businesses and to ensure economic empowerment for Black businesses.”
A total of $1 million was spilt among 20 businesses at the end of the first round and covered a slew of different industries. The recipients included Curl & Co., a New York City-based hair salon, Ivy Leaf Farms, a community farm in Houston, TX (Beyonce’s hometown), the Minneapolis-based co-working space New Rules, and more.
That being said, Black small business owners of any industry have little excuse to not apply. Get ready to throw your hat in the ring by bookmarking the NAACP website so you can swiftly apply once the application opens later this month. The same rules apply this time around. Simply apply and wait with bated breath to see if you made the cut. And if you’re not a Black small business owner and want to show your support, consider donating to the BeyGOOD x NAACP Empowerment Programs so you can strengthen their mission and help expand their support services.
In the meantime, make sure you’re registered for BlogHer Biz, a monthlong series of weekly virtual (and free) workshops that will prepare you for the big leagues, whether you’re a newbie small business owner, a blogger hoping to get more website traffic, or an influencer who wants to master their elevator pitch before meeting with a brand. In other words, we’re celebrating National Women’s Small Business Month (October) all month long. Learn more here.
