Trump, rwanda
by Daniel Johnson

February 18, 2025

Experts Alarmed As Trump Administration Keeps Slashing Jobs At Health Agencies

The spin from the Trump Administration is that the cuts are necessary to streamline the federal government.

As the Trump administration continues to cut jobs en masse across the Health and Human Services Department, officials continue to stress that the mass layoffs instituted by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a department that isn’t even official, are methodical and necessary.

According to Politico, individuals inside the agencies do not agree with the position of Trump administration officials, who, in some cases, did not know which employees were getting fired or even why they were fired.

As Reshma Ramachandran, a Yale health professor who also chairs the FDA task force of a non-profit organization, Doctors for America, told Politico, the cuts appear to be coming from Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the new HHS secretary.

“On day one, the new HHS secretary is gutting the agencies that would be necessary to make America healthy again,” Ramachandran said.

However, a former HHS employee pointed to DOGE as the source of some of the cuts because some seemed to run counter to the policy aims of Trump administration officials, including those of RFK Jr., resulting in chaos.

“You’ve got policy people operating on a policy vision, but then you have DOGE,” the former HHS employee told Politico. “Nobody knows who those people are. They are coming from the shadows, and they’ve got their own set of priorities.”

According to NBC News, the firing of around two dozen workers who made up the Laboratory Leadership Service, or LLS, a group responsible for training public health laboratory staffers and supporting outbreak response efforts, is particularly concerning.

The United States is dealing with an aggressive strain of the flu virus and a potential outbreak of Avian Flu.

According to a senior official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Even if EIS (Epidemic Intelligence Service) is spared, there are multiple other fellowships that were not, and that’s a pipeline for the next generation of CDC leaders. We’re being cut off at the knees. It is going to cripple public health for decades.”

In a written statement to NBC News, Andrew Nixon, the director of communications for the Department of Health and Human Services, said the cuts are necessary to streamline the federal government to ensure that HHS better serves the American people at the highest and most efficient standard.”

But Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, told NPR that cutting 1,300 jobs (or 10% of the CDC’s workforce) are “indiscriminate, poorly-thought-out layoffs” that will end up being “very destructive to the core infrastructure of public health.”

According to Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist and the author of Your Local Epidemiologist, “CDC is the health warning system for the United States. CDC needs change, but doing it so drastically and so aggressively with an axe instead of a scalpel is incredibly dangerous to the biosecurity in the United States.”

RELATED CONTENT: ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Commission Established Following RFK Jr.’s HHS Confirmation

Valerie Jarrett To Receive 2025 Woman Of Power Barbara Graves Award
by Kandiss Edwards

February 18, 2025

Valerie Jarrett To Receive 2025 Woman Of Power Barbara Graves Award

Valerie Jarrett will receive the honor at the 19th annual Women of Power Summit in March.

BLACK ENTERPRISE is honored to give Valerie Jarrett the Barbara Graves Award at the 2025 Women of Power Summit, which takes place March 5-8 at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. 

The Barbara Graves Award, the highest honor to be bestowed during the 19th annual summit, is named in honor of the extraordinary wife of BE founder Earl G. Graves Sr.

Jarrett’s excellence, exceptional career path, exemplary character and civic service, speaks to why she is the 2025 recipient.

Jarrett, a citizen of the world, was born in Iran Nov. 14, 1956, and attended school in London. The unique tale of her birth, early childhood, and time abroad shaped her into the woman she is today.

“I learned that our stories are important. They reflect who we are. And I spent so much time trying to pretend like I was like everyone else when where I was different is my uniqueness, and it helped make me who I am,” she told NPR.

Jarrett attended the prestigious Stanford University and later obtained her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. After completing her studies, Jarrett stepped into political waters, working with Chicago Mayor Harold Washington in the 1980s.

As an attorney, Jarrett worked in multiple capacities with the city of Chicago, including the Chicago Transit Authority in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Chicago Stock Exchange (2004-2007), and eventually landed the role of CEO at the Habitat Company.

In 2008, Jarrett joined forces with a longtime friend and colleague Barack Obama to make history. Working with the first Black president, Jarrett became the longest-running senior advisor to any presidential administration. Her valued input helped shape legislation during President Obama’s two terms in office. She now serves as CEO of the Obama Foundation.

The CEO is no stranger to the BE Woman of Power Summit. In 2019, Jarrett hosted a fireside chat with Simone Sanders, winner of the 2019 Luminary Award. Jarrett admitted Washington “is a rough and tumble place” and applauded Sanders for her tenacity and unwavering dedication to be herself. The praise was no small feat coming from the history-making executive. 

Creating space for Sanders to tell her story, Jarrett revealed her witty sense of humor. She opened her arms to a fellow woman in politics by staying present and curious. Her grace, intelligence, and dedication to improving the lives of others shone through. This year BE will honor the renaissance woman for these attributes and more.

Jarrett authored the New York Times bestseller, Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward. The book, published in April 2019, details her extraordinary path of service while sharing pearls of wisdom.

The CEO believes her “glass half-full” approach to life helps push her forward.

RELATED CONTENT: Karine Jean-Pierre And Jemele Hill Will Attend BE Women Of Power Summit

Candice C. Jones, On Leadership
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 18, 2025

On Black Leadership: The Role Of Reverence In Leadership

Reverence is one of the least recognized and most important principles.

Written by Candice C. Jones


Reverence is one of the least recognized and most important principles we can apply to our leadership practice. With success comes the temptation to believe it’s all about us and relish in the empty tenets of individual exceptionalism. That analysis misses a few things: 1.) no one arrives at their destination alone (see our previous discussion on mentors), and 2.) there is no substitute for hard work.  

There is a different approach to leadership that is more about advancing the work than bearing a title. It’s not, “I’m a CEO,” but, “I have this assignment.” If you can focus on the assignment with clarity, reverence for the task follows naturally.

I remember being in a leadership position where I had two potential successors. One was excited, enamored with the title and the power and position it afforded. The other was trepidatious. I believed the latter candidate was stronger and I appreciated that they were weighing the gravity of the assignment. The position needed quick thinking, and they appreciated that. The candidate had reverence for what was demanded and knew there was a lot they couldn’t know about what they would be taking on.

KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES

Another important aspect of leadership is knowing your own weaknesses. You need to be clear about what you understand and what you don’t.

It doesn’t mean we can’t play to our strengths or take on things we haven’t done before. It requires us to build skills outside our area of expertise and put in the work to develop new muscle memory. You need to spend the lion’s share of time on what you don’t know. You’re not going to become an expert on those things, but you need a real grasp to be an effective leader. 

If I don’t understand operations, I need to get out to the facilities that house operations on a regular basis. You cannot just play to your strengths; you have to assess and compensate for your weaknesses.

I’m a Chicago Bulls fan. I love when Michael Jordan talks about what he didn’t have early in his career. The Detroit Pistons were the Bulls’ nemesis. The Bulls couldn’t get out of the Eastern Conference. Jordan talked about the Pistons’ aggressive style and the fact that the Bulls didn’t have the weight and muscle tone to match them effectively. It wasn’t just about skill; it was about getting physically stronger. They had to assess their weakness and address them head-on. They had to put in the work.  

That work will make you a metaphorically “stronger” leader.  

LEAN INTO LEARNING

Addressing weaknesses leads naturally to learning. We cannot rest on our laurels as we become more senior in our careers. We have to constantly lean into learning. We don’t enjoy demographic privilege. 

We can debate whether or not that’s fair, but if we know it’s true, why not rise above it? Privilege breeds mediocrity. It shows in the quality of work or lack thereof.  

The quickest way to learn something is to ask questions. Certainly, read what you can get your hands on and leverage your professional network night and day—but ask questions! People are afraid to ask questions. I’ve seen that too many times in my career. Be clear about what you don’t understand and ask the question. Most of the time you find someone else was also thinking it and too afraid to ask.  

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

At what point do you become an expert? Isn’t there always more we can learn?

At one point in my career, I left philanthropy because it was 30,000 feet from the action. And while I couldn’t pass up a White House fellowship, I was ready to return to proximate service when it was over.

I have done a lot of policy work in my career with philanthropy and government. I felt confident about orchestrating policy change, but I knew that I didn’t have much experience implementing it. I took a job—for less pay—that offered the opportunity to gain operational experience, and I’m a more well-rounded leader because of it.

MIND YOUR MODELS

I’d met a lot of exceptional people who taught me about having reverence for the work well before I got into my career.

Many of my law professors taught me reverence early in my professional training. One of my professors, Randy Hertz, models reverence so well, as do the legion of people he’s taught. There’s Bryan Stevenson. If I email him at midnight about some byzantine case, I will have an answer by 2 a.m. People note the inspired oration and the notoriety he has achieved, but please do not miss the incredible work he has put into everything he has touched. Then there’s Kim Taylor-Thompson, whose model we covered earlier in this series. 

I’d also seen it growing up as a Black woman being raised by a Black woman— the earnestness of an honest day’s work and a house that is well kept. My mom never takes a sick day. She’s never late. She volunteers at church and in her community all the time. She has a lot of reverencefor her varied assignments: colleague, community member, mother.

When you have reverence, you respect the work and yourself. You do your homework. You ask informed questions that leverage what you read and who you know, including mentors and advisors.

Reverence is not about you, a job title, or a career trajectory. It’s about the work, and what you can bring to it.

Candice C. Jones, On Leadership
(Photo courtesy of Candice C. Jones)

Candice C. Jones joined the Public Welfare Foundation in Washington, D.C., as its president and CEO in 2017. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor at Chicago CRED, an organization that focuses on gun violence in Chicago. 

Candice received her J.D. from New York University School of Law. To learn more about Candice’s background and work, find her on LinkedIn.

Hip hop,
by Daniel Johnson

February 18, 2025

Hip Hop Caucus To Host Virtual Black Banking Panel This Week

The virtual event will attempt to marry the history of Black banking in America with the modern struggle for climate, racial, and economic justice.

Back in March 2024, the Hip Hop Caucus launched its Black and Green Campaign, a multi-year economic and environmental justice effort aimed at disempowering mass incarceration and systemic environmental racism. Part of that aim was a focus on Black banks, and on Feb. 19, the group will continue that work through a virtual event titled (the) History of Black Banking: From Reconstruction To Modern Financial Activism.

The virtual event, which begins streaming at 6 p.m. EST, will attempt to marry the history of Black banking in America with the modern struggle for climate, racial, and economic justice.

According to Let Us Put Our Money Together: The Founding of America’s Black Banks, the history of Black banking stretches back as far as 1833, if not earlier. It began informally when some successful Black entrepreneurs, particularly New Orleans in the South, began offering rudimentary financial services.

This book, which Tim Todd published in 2019 with the assistance of the Public Affairs Department of The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, traces the origins of the first true Black banking apparatuses and arguably the first step toward Black banks in America, started in most cases by the formerly enslaved.

As it relates to the event which Hip Hop Caucus is putting on, there will be a virtual panel discussion featuring Dr. Shennette Garrett-Scott, national director of the Association of Black Women Historians and the author of Banking on Freedom: Black Women in U.S. Finance Before the New Deal; Dr. Brandon Winford, an associate professor of history at the University of Tennessee, as well as the author of John Hervey Wheeler, Black Banking, and the Economic Struggle; and Kenya Tyson, executive director of the Black Massacre Project, an independent public research center that explores the historical race massacres perpetrated against Black Americans.

The panel discussion will discuss some of the early Black financial pioneers in America and how their work paved the way for the Hip Hop Caucus’ Bank Black & Green Campaign.

According to the announcement, “Attendees will gain insights into modern MDI/CDFI challenges, explore innovative campaigning strategies, and engage in a critical dialogue on reinvestment into our communities.”

RELATED CONTENT: Black-Owned Bank Celebrates 100 Years In Business During Black History Month

Tyla, Nike
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 17, 2025

Tyla And Nike: A Perfect Fusion Of Music, Fashion, And Movement

With Nike, Tyla envisions taking her artistry further, teasing the idea of designing her own sneakers. 'A Tyla shoe? That would be fire,' she says with excitement.

Grammy-winning artist Tyla has joined forces with Nike, combining her love of music, fashion, and movement in a natural collaboration. Known for her signature “popiano” sound and viral hit “Water,” the South African star has captivated global audiences with her talent and style.

“I’ve always been a Nike girl,” Tyla shared, reminiscing about her childhood admiration for the brand in Johannesburg. Now, as a partner, she’s merging her passions and influencing a new generation through music and sport.

Tyla’s fashion sense has evolved alongside her career. From DIY outfits born of necessity to bold red carpet-statements, her style is rooted in creativity and transformation. “I hate anything that looks too perfect,” she said, embracing imperfection as a hallmark of her unique aesthetic.

With Nike, Tyla envisions taking her artistry further, teasing the idea of designing her own sneakers. “A Tyla shoe? That would be fire,” she said with excitement.

This partnership solidifies Tyla’s position as a cultural force. It embodies Nike’s legacy of innovation and individuality while setting the stage for what’s next.

RELATED CONTENT: Issa Rae And Hannah Diop’s Nationwide Launch of Sienna Naturals ‘Is A Dream Come True

Sanderson Railroad Blaine Smith, Diane Smith
by Daniel Johnson

February 17, 2025

As Rural Georgia Town Battles Eminent Domain, One Family’s Fight Illustrates The Stakes

'We've had to fight to keep this land. It's always somebody coming in trying to bamboozle you out of it.'

On Feb. 4, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Craig L. Schwall Sr. ruled that despite the Sandersville Railroad Co. would be allowed to proceed to build a rail spur through a historically Black neighborhood in rural Sparta, Georgia.

Families like Blaine and Diane Smith claimed the use of eminent domain would uproot their family’s legacy and dump hazardous materials on their property,

According to Capital B News, the 600 acres of land has been in the Smith family since Blaine’s grandfather purchased it in the 1920s. It’s been used for farming, fishing, and hunting.

Thanks to the Sandersville Railroad Co. invoking eminent domain, that legacy could be in jeopardy.

Per a filing from the Georgia Public Service Commission, the railroad wants 11 acres from three parcels owned by Blaine and Diane; approximately six acres from a cousin, Marvin Smith Jr and his wife, Patricia; and approximately two acres from Blaine’s nephew, Ahmad Lee.

The railroad would run through the Smith family’s property, potentially damaging the land with hazardous materials that could be transported via the train tracks and disrupting the peace.

Sandersville Railroad claims that hazardous materials will not be transported via the railroad, but that doesn’t satisfy Blaine Smith.

“We’ve had to fight to keep this land. It’s always somebody coming in trying to bamboozle you out of it,” he told Capital B. “There’s people trying to come hunt on it and trespass on it. It’s gonna be easier for them to do that if we put a railroad through the middle of it.…You asked me, “What things bother me about it?” I mean, everything bothers me about it.”

“We understand some of the property owned by the Smith family is special to them given their heritage, and we regret that they may have felt that our initial offers, based on independent appraisals, were not adequate,” Benjamin Tarbutton III said in a statement. “We would welcome the opportunity to re-engage in meaningful conversations about how both the landowners and Hancock County can benefit from the Hanson Spur.”

Although Tarbutton and Sandersville Railroad have emphasized the railroad’s potential role in bringing economic stability to Sparta, citing the railroad’s ability to raise the income ceiling of residents in the area to $90,000 in a town where the median yearly income is approximately $34,000, residents remain skeptical.

In fall 2024, after the Georgia Public Service Commission voted unanimously to approve the rail spur, requiring only 11 minutes to do so, the Institute for Justice appealed the decision and argued that the rail did not meet the requirements for “legitimate public use.”

According to Bill Maurer, a senior attorney for the Institute of Justice, the rail ia “entirely for the benefit of a handful of private companies is not a public use under the U.S. and Georgia constitutions and Georgia’s eminent domain laws.”

Maurer continued, “We look forward to the Georgia Supreme Court’s review and are thankful that our clients will not have to deal with Sandersville building tracks on their property until the higher court weighs in.”

Diane Smith, meanwhile, remains hopeful that the Institute of Justice’s lawsuit will succeed at protecting what her family has spent the past two generations building.

“Is it against the law to protect what you have?” she asked. “We want to build generational wealth for our children, but not off the backs of someone else.”

Blaine added, “Every time you hear an eminent domain case…it’s them against us, and we’re the bad guys because we try to hold on to what we have…Leave us alone. Let’s make this clear: They are looking to get our land to make money for them. If we win and they don’t…there’s no compensation for us. There’s nothing in it for us other than our peace of mind, and that’s what we want.”

RELATED CONTENT: ATL Restaurant ‘This Is It!’ Forced Out By Eminent Domain

eviction, Beauty Mart, Clayton County, beauty supply store, sheriff's department, landfilll
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 17, 2025

Tenants Face Eviction From Detroit Apartment After Withholding Rent Over Housing Conditions

The tenants will still face evictions after a court ruling sided with the landlords.

Aggrieved tenants at a Detroit apartment complex are facing eviction following a court ruling.

Residents at the City Club Apartments and a local housing advocate believe that the judge failed to implement housing codes that protect tenants from losing their residence. Detroit Metro Times reports they now want city officials to prevent nearly 20 renters from being kicked out of the high-rise building.

The tenants held their rent in escrow after their landlord failed to fix severe maintenance issues, which included water damage and plumbing concern. The persistent problems led the renters to withhold rent. Instead of resolving the matter, the complex’s management company, Friedman Management, reportedly filed eviction notices.

However, the 750 Chene Tenants Association and Detroit Tenants Association believe the renters were legally within their rights not to pay up. The building lacks a certificate of compliance, which, under Detroit city codes, should prohibit landlords from collecting rent or filing evictions for nonpayments.

Despite this, the filing would jeopardize the renter’s screening reports, potentially causing issues if they chose to move elsewhere.

“It’s a really messy situation,” expressed Steven Rimmer, an organizer. “The building hasn’t been compliant for a long time. Some of these people escrowed their rent, and they can’t afford these eviction cases. The city law clearly says if an apartment is not compliant, they can’t collect rent or evict residents.”

Tenants’ experiences include constant car break-ins due to a broken security gate and a dead possum that remained in the pool for days. City officials have taken some steps, such as issuing an inspection that led to $1,000 in ticket violations for compliance issues.

The tenants, emphasized that they were not trying to take advantage of the complex. They refuse to live in shabby conditions while paying high-rise prices.

“I’m not trying to get out of rent,” explained resident Cyle Anderson. “They don’t recognize our right to withhold rent as tenants.”

However, judges have yet to uphold tenants’ legal rights due to an underlying issue in the Detroit eviction system. According to Rimmer, the judges “feel the city of Detroit doesn’t have adequate staff to do adequate inspections, so they aren’t going to fault the landlords for not being in compliance.”

Furthermore, there remains a lack of clarity on who currently owns the building. Friedman management has said the property was placed into receivership by its original owner, Jonathan Holtzman. The previous owner has also missed payments on loans totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump’s Reckless Renaming Of Landmarks Reflects Broader Failures And Unchecked White Male Privilege

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, PAYMENTS, LUXURY RETAILER
by Keka Araújo

February 17, 2025

Saks Warns Suppliers Of Payment Delays Amid Luxury Retail Challenges

With its repayment plan in motion and a commitment to suppliers, Saks aims to restore trust and stabilize operations amid a challenging landscape for luxury retail.

Luxury retailer Saks cautioning suppliers about payment delays in a memo obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

The Feb. 14 memo promised suppliers that new orders would be paid within 80 days of receipt while outstanding balances would be covered in 12 monthly installments beginning in July.

“Our expectation is that this provides the clarity and certainty you have been seeking,” Marc Metrick, CEO of Saks Global, wrote in the memo. “To that end, we are looking forward to seeing the flow of merchandise return to normal levels.”

The memo follows reports last summer that Saks had missed hundreds of payments to vendors, with smaller suppliers filing lawsuits to recoup overdue balances. The retailer attributed the delays to its efforts to navigate a challenging macroeconomic environment and emphasized its commitment to meeting financial obligations.

Saks’ financial struggles come as the luxury retail market faces broader challenges, particularly a slowdown in spending in key markets such as China. The hesitation among high-income consumers, driven by economic uncertainty and shifting values, has pressured brands to adapt.

“High-income consumers remain a critical source of demand, but they are becoming more price-conscious, seeking greater value and quality in their luxury purchases,” PYMNTS noted earlier this month.

While leading brands like LVMH continue to grow in segments such as fashion and cosmetics, others, including Burberry, are performing worse. Analysts argue that the industry is experiencing an “existential crisis” as younger shoppers prioritize sustainability and inclusivity, prompting brands to rethink their strategies.

Saks’ recent financial hurdles follow its $2.7 billion acquisition of Neiman Marcus, which brought together the marquee brands Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Saks Off 5th under the Saks Global umbrella.

The combined flagship properties of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus boast an asset value of $7 billion. According to PYMNTS, the deal also included Amazon taking a stake in the newly formed company with an eye on streamlining logistics and inventory operations.

Despite its aspirations to revitalize luxury department stores, Saks now faces the dual challenge of resolving supplier payment issues and navigating a rapidly evolving luxury market.

RELATED CONTENT: Issa Rae Becomes Part Owner Of Major League Soccer Expansion Team San Diego FC

Sienna's Natural, Issa Rae,
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 17, 2025

Issa Rae And Hannah Diop’s Nationwide Launch of Sienna Naturals ‘A Dream Come True’

Years ago, Hannah Diop texted Issa Rae that 'we need to take this all the way to Sephora.' Well, mission accomplished!

Issa Rae and Hannah Diop’s clean haircare brand, Sienna Naturals, made its nationwide debut in 178 Sephora stores nationwide on Monday, Feb. 10, a milestone the founders describe as a “dream come true.”

Over seven years in the making, Diop and Rae are elated to finally introduce the beauty world to a plant-based haircare solution for textured hair.

Diop founded Sienna Naturals as a pioneer in H.A.P.I. (Hydrating, Alimentary, pH-Balanced Ingredients) plant-based haircare. Frustrated by the lack of high-quality holistic hair products for textured hair, Diop developed the line and later welcomed Rae as a cofounder.

(Photo courtesy of Sienna Naturals)

The plant-based haircare line delivers everything a textured hair queen seeks—combatting dryness, promoting growth, repairing damage, enhancing curl definition, and soothing scalp sensitivities—while prioritizing hair health from the root. Following the successful soft launch of the D.N.A. Scalp Serum on Martin Luther King Jr. Day via the Sephora brand app, Diop is thrilled to expand the full product line to Sephora’s online store and select locations nationwide.

“This is a dream come true. It is truly,” Diop tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I think I have a text message that I saved in my phone from 2018 where I was calling Issa like, ‘We need to take this all the way to Sephora.’ And now the day is here and we’re launching in Sephora stores.

“I think you know I’ve been on this journey for a while with Sienna Naturals, and it just feels like the timing is divine,” Diop says. “I’m able to appreciate everything I’ve learned and the company we’ve built, and [I’m] just so excited it feels very, very aligned.”

Products available in-store include the D.N.A. Scalp Serum, Plant Power Repair Mask, Daily Elixir Hair & Scalp Oil, H.A.P.I. Shampoo, Untangled Conditioner, Dew Magic Leave-In Conditioner, Dream Curl Cream, and Mini H.A.P.I. Hydrating Ritual Set.

Rae has been instrumental in elevating Sienna Naturals, passionately advocating for the brand while seamlessly incorporating the products into her daily hair care routine. Her commitment to clean, effective haircare has helped bring even more visibility to the line, making it a staple for those seeking healthier, plant-based solutions.

“I love Dew Magic. I literally [wear it] every single day,” she shares. “I do wash my hair like every other day, every two days. And so adding that to my hair is just like a balm, and it makes me feel secure.”

Another Sienna Naturals favorite for Rae is the Dream Curl Cream.

“I love the mousse. The mousse specifically because it’s not heavy and it just, it does lay my hair down in a way that surprises me because other mousse don’t necessarily do that.”

The launch coincides with recent research exposing the presence of hazardous toxic chemicals in nearly 80% of beauty products marketed to Black women. Hannah highlights how the industry often emphasizes controlling textured hair, but she aims to shift the focus toward nurturing hair health—emphasizing that proper care ultimately leads to better manageability.

“There has been this focus by brands and by the consumer to style the hair to control the hair to get it to do what you want it to do,” Diop explains. “And really, there’s been a lack of focus on how do you nurture? How do you help? How do you bring health and vitality and wellness?”

That’s Sienna Naturals comes in, Diop says.

“We’ve been able to find these plant-based alternatives to a lot of the harsh chemicals or chemicals that are known to cause harm,” she says “In, you know, endocrine disrupting chemicals and cancer-causing chemicals in some cases is through plants. I think it’s really important, and It’s so wonderful that we’re able to bring this to market.”

Sienna Naturals’ in-store debut at Sephora follows a milestone moment at this year’s Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala, where Rae and Diop were honored with the second annual Sephora Beauty Grant—a $100,000 award recognizing outstanding Black-owned beauty brands and supporting their continued growth.

Shoppers can now find Sienna Naturals products in the ‘Curly, Coily, and Textured Hair’ section at 178 select Sephora locations. The full product line is also available for purchase online through Sephora.

RELATED CONTENT: Issa Rae Becomes Part Owner Of Major League Soccer Expansion Team San Diego FC

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