Brianna Arps, founder of Black-owned fragrance brand Moodeaux, holds her “Mini Mart" perfume in Atlanta on March 21, 2025. Her brand, carried by retailers like Urban Outfitters, faces new challenges as corporate DEI programs recede.
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Black-owned brands adapt their plans for a post-DEI era
The co-founders of a company that makes lip products for darker skin tones no longer hope to get their line into Target. A brother and sister who make jigsaw puzzles celebrating Black subjects wonder if they need to offer “neutral” images like landscapes to keep growing. Pound Cake and Puzzles of Color are among the small businesses whose owners are rethinking their plans as major U.S. companies weaken their diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
