Instagram Debuts New Feature To Help Support Black-Owned Businesses

Today, Instagram debuted a new feature that allows Black businesses with shops on Instagram to designate their stores as Black-owned to better attract customers wanting to show support.

According to Instagram, there has been a spark in support for Black-owned businesses over the past year, with over 1.3 million Instagram posts championing the community. As the number of businesses located in the U.S. with “Black-owned” or “Black-led” in their profile has increased over 50 percent, Instagram saw fit to make it easier to discover these entrepreneurs directly.

Rachel Brooks, one of the Black women behind the new feature, said: “As the Black community continues to push culture forward and create many of the global trends that we see on Instagram, it’s important we find ways at Instagram to help strengthen such a rich and vibrant community. Today, that starts with creating more opportunities for economic empowerment directly within Black communities.”

Bianka Quintanilla-Whye, owner of @bserene.co, which sells hand-held crystals and jewelry, says the movement has added a much-needed revenue boost and has helped her store increase its visibility.

“Our spending habits hold a lot of power,” said Quintanilla-Whye. “If we consciously direct dollars towards Black-owned businesses, we have a huge impact that could close the wealth gap, promote entrepreneurial equity and create more empowering opportunities for Black communities.”

Other social sites, like Yelp, have recently launched similar initiatives. 

In related news, Mark Zuckerberg recently revealed new ways for Instagram creators to make money.