What do Frida Kahlo, Angela Davis, Assata Shakur and Cardi B have in common?
They are all radical women of color who have inspired an entire generation of women to be their most authentic selves. And best friends and social activists Mickey Ferrera and Brittany Brathwaite created The Homegirl Box in their honor.
The quarterly gift box contains items inspired by all of these revolutionary women of color. Each box includes four to five clothing, beauty, decorative, health and wellness or home items as well as a staple herstory card which describes the legacy of the historic women who inspired the box.
Whether you’re a revolutionary like Angela or regular degular schmegular girl from the Bronx like Cardi, there’s something for every flavor of woman. Get to know Mickey Ferrera and Brittany Brathwaite and discover why they created The Homegirl Box.
What year were you founded?
The Homegirl Box was officially founded in July 2016. We opened our online Homegirl store in March of this year.
What inspired you to launch your biz?
Our sisterhood is the inspiration! The love that homegirls show to each other and the realness of how they show up is what we wanted to invoke with our company. We want homegirls everywhere to know this: We believe that all women need to be told how much they matter in a world that constantly devalues them; We believe in the small acts of love that say “Sis, I see you. I appreciate you. I got you”; We envision a world where women are free, loved and celebrated each and every day.
What makes your brand unique?
There are 3 things we think make us unique: We believe in creating personal and authentic relationships with all of the women creators we work with. We think a lot about the ethics and the labor practices of every aspect of our work – from where our products are sourced and how they’re made to the politics of the creators we work with. If you look at our feed, we aren’t just selling products. We have voices and opinions about the communities and world we live in and don’t shy away from being political and using our voices to spark conversations and make waves.
Why should everyone #BuyBlack this holiday?
We believe in the power of supporting the brilliance and labor of Black women – not just during the holiday season but every day. Black people have led in innovation but haven’t always been recognized for their contributions, and it’s important that Black folks and non-Black folks take steps to begin shifting that. Buying from Black creators and businesses isn’t just an exchange of money for products; it’s a proclamation of support and affirmation that we are worthy and that we matter.
How do you pay it forward with your community?
We seek to support our homegirls always – from showing up to volunteer (and give away homegirl swag) at girls conferences to highlighting women doing necessary work in our communities to doing giveaways that get our boxes to community healers and organizers whose work can sometimes feel unseen to donating money to fund our sister’s projects and ideas. We show up with our full selves and value action as a practice of love for our community.
Whats your company mantra?
Our mantra is: “Small acts of love for the revolution.”