Hi friends, thank you for stopping by and reading this post! I have spent the past week really reflecting on the events happening around our country, my own personal past and experience with racism, and educating myself. Although I am not racist, and I firmly believe in equality for all humans and stand against racial injustice, I would be lying if I said that I have never witnessed racism. I grew up in a white home, and lived my life in my “white bubble”, for lack of better words. I lived in a community where all my neighbors were white, and attended private schools where all of my classmates were white. I was told by my teachers growing up that racism was dead and that everyone has been treated equally since the Civil Rights Movement, and I believed them because I didn’t know any better. I didn’t see any racism or any of the oppression that blacks faced because I was sheltered from it.
It wasn’t until I graduated college and began my first teaching job in an urban school in Louisville that my eyes were truly opened. About 90% of my students were black, and the challenges they faced broke my heart. I spent most of my time that first year teaching learning from my students, instead of the other way around. They taught me about what they face on a daily basis. They taught me about the crime they face in their neighborhoods, and how their struggles as middle schoolers and the fears that they had were much different than what I was struggling with at their age.
What surprised me the most while teaching those students is just how angry they were. I never understood their anger, though. They would come to school in horrible moods, and I would do anything to put a smile on their faces. Over the past week, I have learned why they were always so angry. They have a right to be angry, because what happened to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery was happening to their neighbors and loved ones every day.
Over the past week, I have taken the time to further educate myself on the history of black oppression and the systemic racism in our country. Obviously, I knew about the Civil Rights Movement and the history of slavery, but there is so much more to our history than those events. I watched documentaries, specifically 13th and When They See Us on Netflix and learned so much about policies that have been put in place that makes it easy to target blacks, and just how serious the racial profiling is in our justice system. Educating myself has made me angry, as it should. I truly do not know how anyone could learn about the history of oppression of blacks in our country and not feel angered and hurt for that community.
I made a vow that I would do better in the future. I cannot change the past, but I can help shape the future. I can use this platform to educate, and I can educate my students on the true history of our country to hopefully help shape mindful and respectful citizens. There is so much that I, and we all, can do to help fight for justice and racial equality, and I wanted to start by sharing local black owned businesses that we can support. These businesses are around the Dallas area, and I will continue to share more on my Instagram as I learn about more! If you are a black owned business in the DFW area, or you know of any that I have not listed, please reach out to me so that I can share your business on my platform!
Cookie Society– Frisco, TX
I mean, just look at these cookies. They look amazing, and I promise you that taste even more amazing than they look (if that is even possible)! The Cookie Society is owned by Marissa Allen who has a passion for baking the most delicious cookies. You can place orders online and pickup in store, and they also offer nationwide shipping, so you can ship these delicious cookies to your loved ones across the country!
Address: 9320 Dallas Parkway, Frisco, TX, 75033
Avery’s Savory Popcorn– Dallas, TX
Popcorn has always been one of my favorite snacks, and I definitely inherited that from my dad! He loves popcorn just as much as I do, and Avery’s Savory Popcorn is offering awesome sports team themed tins filled with Hennessy Caramel and Cigar flavored popcorn for Father’s Day! This popcorn shop is family owned, and offers custom packaging for parties, fundraisers, events and more!
Address: 1001 Ross Avenue, Suite 102, Dallas, TX 75202
Kessler Baking Studio– Bishop Arts
Again, just look at these cinnamon rolls. If you want any, you better order early in the week! They are definitely a favorite and sell out fast! Owner of Kessler Baking Studio, Clyde Greenhouse, is known as the “Bow Tie Baker”, and was nominee for the James Beard Outstanding Baker award in 2020! They offer delicious baked goods and are available for pickup at their Bishop Arts location, as well as delivery!
Address: 1129 North Beckley Avenue, Dallas, TX 75203
Fluellen Cupcakes – Dallas
Okay, can you tell that I have a serious sweet tooth?! But seriously, these cupcakes are gorgeous and look amazing. They have so many delicious flavors, and would be perfect for special occasions or a sweet treat on the weekend! The owner, Keith Fluellen, is also the owner of Dimples Cupcakes in Frisco!
Address: 1408 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75202
Indigo Seventeen Forty Five– Bishop Arts
Indigo Seventeen Forty Five is a boutique with impeccably curated pieces for both men and women. They have clothing, accessories, body products and are even selling face masks right now! They have unique items that you will not find anywhere else. They are a perfect spot to find gifts for Father’s Day, or anyone in your life!
Address: 370 West 7th Street, Dallas, TX 75208
If you are looking for a unique gift for a music lover in your life, this is definitely the place to find it! The owner is a lover of Jazz music and was so inspired by it that he created candles to represent the feelings of various jazz songs. These, paired with the classic sounds of jazz music, can definitely set the scene in any space!
Online orders only.
Pressed Roots – Dallas
I absolutely love everything about this salon. They took the blowout bar model and made it so much better, because they are an inclusive salon that provides services for all hair types. Their team is trained to skillfully press all types of hair in a healthy way, and they have mastered the perfect blowout. I admire the owner, Piersten Gaines, for creating a solution to a problem that she found among the black community: a salon that can cater to textured hair while providing an upscale, truly spa-salon experience. She originally founded Pressed Roots in Boston, then went on a pop-up salon tour around the United States. I am so proud to say that their flagship salon is located in Dallas! You can book your experience through their website and view their gallery of incredible work!
Address: 320 Singleton Boulevard, #160, Dallas, TX
*All photos that are pictured in this post have been approved to use by the business owners. I do not in any way own the rights to these photos. All rights to these photos are owned by the business.