With the recent upsurge of hate crimes directed towards the AAPI community, it becomes our duty as a society to stand up for and with them in this fight against racism and xenophobia. Unfortunately, a lot of these acts of crimes have been directed towards AAPI women. Along with donating, signing petitions and raising awareness, supporting small AAPI-owned businesses helps the community recuperate and deal with all their losses. So, I’ve curated this list of AAPI women-owned small businesses and product recommendations that I think are useful, especially for college going women like you.
- NGUYEN COFFEE SUPPLY
-
Nguyen Coffee Supply was founded by a first generation Vietnamese American woman named Sahra Nguyen whose mission was to create speciality coffee while respecting diversity, inclusion and sustainability. She came up with the idea of selling Vietnamese coffee in the US when she noticed a huge misperception about coffee beans grown in Vietnam which were being deemed as inferior by other big coffee suppliers. She then established direct trade with a coffee farm owner in Da Lat to provide flavorful and rich Vietnamese coffee beans which are freshly roasted in Brooklyn in attempts to gain appreciation and equal representation.
Product recommendation : THE ORIGINAL PHIN KIT (FILTER + COFFEE)
- OurCommonplace
-
OurCommonplace is an ethical and sustainable market for all things related to fashion, beauty and wellness that is committed to creating a positive impact in the fashion industry by providing brands that adhere to standards when it comes to the treatment of their workers and the sustainable production of their goods. OurCommonplace was founded by Sunny Wu, a first generation Taiwanese American woman who believes in empowering women and creating positive social impact. Most of the brands marketed by OurCommonplace are either woman-owned or BIPOC-owned.
Product recommendation : ALANA ATHLETICA : The Stripe Legging
Each purchase of this item sponsors the private tutoring of 5 women in Sri Lanka who were sexually abused.
- Indifix
-
IndiFix is a subscription box for those who want to experience the unique charm and flavorful spices of India from their homes in the US. This box includes a variety of nostalgic Indian treats, including Kurkure and Lay’s Magic Masala, which are perfect for homesick Indian students or those who want to experience rich Indian flavors during quarantine. IndiFix is committed to donating at least one meal to a malnourished child in India with every box that is purchased.
Product recommendation : Original Fix
- Notte
-
Notte is a jewelry company which was started by Chinese American accessory designer Jessica Tse. Smile For Charity is a jewelry collection that was created by Notte in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide relief to the AAPI community. 50% of the proceeds from each purchase of any item in this collection will be donated to Heart of Dinner, a non-profit organization which provides meals and handwritten notes for the Asian- American homebound elderly who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
Product recommendation : MAKE YOU SMILE RAINBOW HOOPS
- Asian American Girl Club
-
Asian American Girl Club is a clothing store that aims to provide representation and a community for Asian American girls who might have felt out of place while growing up. Ally, the founder of AAGC, wanted to start this project because she did not feel included in magazines and other media which painted Asians and Asian Americans with stereotypes and never as they truly were. She wanted Asian American girls to feel like they were in the spotlight for once by creating a clothing collection that represents them and is just for them.
Product recommendation : I’M FROM HERE (UNISEX EMBROIDERED TEE)
There are a lot more AAPI-owned small businesses out there that you can check out. Like the ones mentioned above, many of these businesses find ways to give back to our community as well. Even though the AAPI community is facing increased difficulties right now, we need to continue to support these businesses on a regular basis and be more conscious about the values of the businesses that we purchase from, making sure that they promote an ethical work environment and do not harm workers that are often situated in different parts of Asia.
Happy shopping!