9 Black Beauty Founders on How They’re Honoring Juneteenth

Sunday marks Juneteenth, and while the occasion serves as a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, the holiday also brings a vast array of emotions. From grief to joy and everything in between, there is no right way to feel—or observe for that matter. 

We want to take a step back to acknowledge and appreciate the strides Black entrepreneurs have made in both the fashion and beauty industries. And so, we’re holding space for nine Black beauty founders to share their feelings ahead of the second year of the federally recognized holiday, at a time when many of us don’t truly feel free and safe (think: how the coronavirus affected Black people at a disproportionately high rate and the long list of Black people killed by the police). 

Below, the nine founders  share what Juneteenth means to them and how they plan on celebrating. 

Shani Darden, celebrity esthetician and founder of Shani Darden Skin Care

Juneteenth is a chance to reflect on the history of the day, as well as educate myself and others on how to continually move forward, and not backwards, ensuring that history does not repeat itself. It is a chance to celebrate Black freedom and resilience. As a Black woman and mother of two daughters, it is always on my mind about how to protect and support POC. I want my daughters and young POC everywhere be able to fearlessly live their lives and follow their dreams without fear of racial injustice. 

I’ll be spending Juneteenth with my daughters, celebrating, and discussing the importance of the day with them. As a brand, we will be making a donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund who are fighting hard for racial justice, equality, and inclusivity. 

Sharon Chuter, founder of UOMA Beauty

Firstly, for me, [Juneteenth means] freedom. It’s a celebration of resilience and how far we’ve come. I’m not from America. I’m African from Nigeria, but it doesn’t mean that the story is much different. Everybody talks about the trials and tribulations of the enslaved—and there were a lot of trials for the people who were out there and colonized as the continent was ripped and sterilized. That’s why we’re all connected; other than being connected by blood and being from the same mother essentially, we’re also connected by the same experience. Regardless of where you are around the world, you relate to it. When I think about Juneteenth, it’s about the freedom of the enslaved and the delay of people in Galveston, Texas realizing that they’re actually free people. At this point in time, it’s a celebration of resilience because we’re truly not completely free yet—we’re still on that struggle to fight for true freedom, equity, and equality. But what we must never lose is an appreciativeness and celebration of us. We’re celebrating us because it takes a lot to go through extreme violence and hate for 400 years and not become violent. I want every Black person to think about that and remember: you are beautiful, you are special. It’s a reminder we must never become that, we are better than that. 

The honest answer to how I’ll be celebrating Juneteenth this year is not an appropriate one. It’s Netflix and chill—although this year it’ll be more HBOMax. I don’t watch movies so it’ll be documentaries. I love spending that time reconnecting with my history. Every time I get a break or a moment, especially a special moment like this, I spend my time just enjoying. When you discover who we are, it is beautiful. I’ll be learning more about my culture, learning more about myself, and basking in my Blackness—using that to inspire myself for the future in terms of looking at the truth of who I am and the potential I have in me. As well as what I’ll continue to be. Overall, just chilling and having a good time.

Nancy Twine, founder of Briogeo

For me, Juneteenth means so many different things. I’m just so grateful to be a Black American and to have had the types of opportunities I have had. I think I’m one of the few founders, myself and Lisa Price (founder of Carol’s Daughter), who have sold our companies to a larger prestige conglomerate—there’s not many of us. I think about where Black people in this country started, and how the persistence and the faith and the determination has allowed us to overcome so much. I’m not saying that we’re where we should be, because there’s still a lot that needs to be improved, but I really observe Juneteenth by celebrating [it] with thankfulness for the progress that has happened to allow me to be in a position to be a Black female founder and CEO—and one that has successfully exited a company. It’s such a rare thing in itself, but for me it’s just so meaningful because I know that the people before me would’ve never had that opportunity. I think it really shows me what is possible when you stay strong, you fight for what you believe in, and maintain a strong sense of resilience. 

I never want anyone at Briogeo to think [these holidays] that are meant to celebrate and acknowledge Black people in this country as just like a day off. But the truth is, so many people aren’t prepared with the right resources on how to observe this especially if you’re not a Black person. I’ve been adamant about creating these internal resource guides for our company, which we send out and give people ideas for how they can spend their day in observation—whether it’s reading books, or we have a whole list of events that are happening across NYC they can participate in. There’s no reason you can’t find a way to observe, because we’re basically doing that work for you. That’s something I’m really proud of us for as a company. Personally, my boyfriend interviewed Annette Gordon-Reid, who is the author of On Juneteenth, and he read that book just recently in preparation for the interview so I’m hoping to spend my day reading it. 

Nyakio Grieco, founder of Thirteen Lune and Relevant: Your Skin Seen

Juneteenth is a representation of how much Black people have overcome in the United States. It’s a time to honor our ancestors, and celebrate how our culture finds beauty, joy and hope in even the most difficult moments. 

Personally, I’ll be with my family [this Juneteenth]. It’s because of my ancestors I’m able to build generational wealth for minority communities, which has been a core mission for Thirteen Lune and my brand Relevant. I will continue to elevate BIPOC founders and give them the resources, the visibility, and the support they need to expand their businesses and create generational wealth for their own families. Given the history of Juneteenth and the systemic effects of slavery in this country on generation after generation, I can’t think of a better way to honor the day. 

Ron Robinson, founder of BeautyStat

Juneteenth is a celebration of liberation and independence as well as pride in how much we have progressed (though more work still needs to be done). Though I knew of Juneteenth before, it’s meaning to me became more significant in 2020 based on the murders of several African Americans and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement.  I celebrated last year by spending some time researching the many struggles and achievements of so many African Americans who helped pave the way for me and so many others. 

This year, I’m making a tradition of spending time with other Black beauty founders whether it’s dinner, drinks, or just a long walk so that we can catch up, share, reflect and celebrate both our challenges and accomplishments. 

Olamide Olowe, co-founder of Topicals

As a Nigerian raised in Texas, Juneteenth is a holiday I’ve learned more about over time. Juneteenth to me is not only a day of celebration but also a day of remembrance. It means coming together with people from different walks of life to honor a momentous day in Black American’s history.

Personally, I plan to celebrate Juneteenth with my friends and family at a block party. As a brand, we plan to support the work of Freedom March NYC by collaborating with them to donate products to a women’s shelter.

Katini Yamaoka, founder of Katini Skin

Juneteenth is a special day recognizing our ancestor’s greatness, where they came from, and affirming who they are today. It’s a time to remember the rich cultural heritage, triumphs, and adversities that African Americans had to go through to make up this country’s history. The day is about freedom, gratitude, and the power in our diversity. 

Personally I love to start the day by listening to music. As an artist myself, music is the universal language and a meaningful way for me to appreciate emotions words sometimes can’t express. Some of my favorite artists such as Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nina Simone came up in such times of adversities, but through music were gracefully able to express their hopes, struggles, and dreams... As a brand, I want people to explore some of our incredible ingredients such as Baobab and Honeybush that are native to the beautiful content of Africa. I also want our customers to know that through our partnership with Black Progress Matters (BPM), a portion of every sale made at Katini Skin (always, not just for Juneteenth) goes back into funding other founders of color to create more Black ownership. 

Lesley Thornton, founder of Klur

For me, Juneteenth is Black Independence Day. It’s a day to reflect on the past and what Black people had to endure to receive our God-given rights. It’s a personal reminder that I am entitled to breaks and deserve labor-free days, because our ancestors weren’t afforded these privileges.

I don’t think Black folks should do anything on Juneteenth other than what sparks joy—it’s a day for celebrations and rest. We don’t use it to promote anything but Black Joy. It’s a paid day off. Every year I celebrate by not working or doing anything stressful. I take the day off, read a bit, and cook something nourishing. I spend time with my 90-year-old grandma, who is full of life, still writes me notes in cursive, and loves telling me stories which makes the day very special; it’s something I truly cherish.

Karen Young, founder of Oui The People 

As a Caribbean American, Juneteenth to me is an unburial and observation of yet another one of America’s secrets. It feels painful and exhilarating at once, and I’m glad to see it become a moment of celebration and recognition. 

My good friend Alliah L. Agostini has released a book called The Juneteenth Story and I’ll be purchasing a copy from my local bookstore for my son. As a brand, there is a very fine line that a number of retailers have already crossed: using Juneteenth as an opportunity to market sales. We won’t be doing that. It starts there really—as a Black founder I have a gravitational pull towards diverse representation that celebrates POC, naturally and always. It’s evident in our products, the concerns we address, and the visuals we represent.