It all started when...
Shortly after Michael Brown was killed, I had a candid conversation with a friend of mine who was dealing with discrimination in Corporate America because of his beard. It was at that point my frustration with the racial climate turned into inspiration. I wanted to create a platform that specifically catered to the black community, particularly black men. After doing my own research, I found that the beard market was dominated by and catered mostly to white men, and on November 4, 2014, I started Black Men With Beards on Instagram. Within two months, the account grew to over 1,000 followers. The response was overwhelming, and we had no idea we were filling a void by empowering and motivating not only black men but black women, too.
What initially started as bringing awareness to men owning their bodies has evolved. Since then, we've sponsored, participated in and hosted unique events with a purpose, have been featured in publications such as ESSENCE (twice), ChicagoNow and Madam Noire, interviewed on WGNO News With A Twist, partnered up with B.A.B.E. of Brooklyn, Shear & Shine, Titus Unlimited, The NOLA Nobles and Sephora, told stories through personal interviews and highlighting #blacklove, published our first Calendar, and currently offer black businesses exposure through advertisement.
As we continue to build, we still live by the foundation of connecting others, creating opportunities, and changing negative perceptions. We have some amazing things in the works, so stay tuned!
