Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala Raises Money for Black-Owned Businesses Amidst Political Attacks on DEI

It’s more important now than ever.

That was the call to action at the Fourth Annual Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala held Saturday night at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, where $3 million was raised by a starry crowd committed to doing what the U.S. government and corporate America are increasingly not under the Trump administration.

With deportations and rollbacks of diversity and inclusion initiatives continuing at a fast clip, and suggestions from the highest office that race and “woke” policy caused the deadly Washington, D.C. plane crash and the wildfires that have ravaged the city of L.A. over the past four weeks, it was crucial to push forward, organizers said.

“This is exactly the time we need to show up and continue to speak out,” said Aurora James, who founded the racial equity and economic justice nonprofit advocacy organization in 2020, to urge major retailers and corporations to commit 15 percent of their purchasing power to Black-owned businesses, which have historically been underfunded and underrepresented on store shelves.

“Each and every one of us, our stories, our pasts, our cultures and identities, are part of the fabric that makes America great. Dare I say more than great, we make it f–king spectacular,” she told guests at the glamorous gala. “We are nobody’s DEI hire. This country in its best form is a product of each of our beautiful and individual contributions. Never, ever, ever let another person tell you otherwise. We belong, you belong, all of our children belong here.”

The room was filled with an extraordinary mix of culture and business movers and shakers who kept the atmosphere celebratory, including Ciara; Kim Kardashian; Kelly Rowland; Teyana Taylor; Jesse Williams; Keke Palmer; artists Amy Sherald and Mickalene Thomas, who both have had major exhibitions in California recently; CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Rachel Scott of Diotima; Danessa Myricks; Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai; model Amber Valletta; celebrity stylists Law Roach, Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald; celebrity colorist Kadi Lee, facialist Shani Darden, and many more.

Since its inception, the Pledge has partnered with 29 retailers to drive their commitment of dedicating 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses and has provided opportunities for more than 800 brands.

“We’ve created the potential to shift $17 billion in revenue to Black-owned businesses,” said chairwoman Emma Grede, explaining that the Pledge is growing despite DEI attacks, and is expanding partnerships to digital retailers, and helping founders harness the potential of AI.

The event was held for the second time in L.A., with a “Black tie, Black designers” dress code, and a block party over two days with Black business pop-ups from Diotima, Christopher John Rogers, Nichole Lynel, Brandon Blackwood and more. All proceeds from the activation ticket sales go to businesses impacted directly by the recent wildfires.

“Now more than ever we need to support the community, that’s what’s giving me strength right now,” said Rachel Scott, who flew to L.A. for less than 24 hours to attend, in the midst of New York Fashion Week prep.

“This organization is so consequential especially now when everything’s in question and it shouldn’t be,” said creative director June Ambrose. “At the end of the day, these are entrepreneurs who just want their fair share of the real estate. And color, the fact we have to talk about it, means there is something wrong.”

After cocktails and shopping, guests moved to Stage 28 for the gala, where dinner was curated by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. Actress-comedian Yvonne Orji warmed up the crowd with a high-energy monologue: “Apparently, DEI is now responsible for plane crashes, but who can tell the man in the White House that DEI labor built the White House?”

The event shined a spotlight on the Eaton Fire’s devastating effect on the historically Black community of Altadena by awarding a $50,000 grant to the small business owner of the family-run Little Red Hen coffee shop. “I didn’t know anybody knew me,” said chef and owner Barbara Shay in her tearful remarks, recounting how her mother opened the restaurant in the 1970s despite not being able to get a loan, and vowing to rebuild the community hub.

Sephora president and chief executive officer Artemis Patrick took the stage to explain how the retailer has graduated more than 33 brands from its incubator program, more than tripling the Black-owned prestige beauty brands offered in stores and online. She then awarded the $150,000 2025 Sephora beauty grant to Hannah Diop and Issa Rae, cofounders of hair care brand Sienna Naturals.

The Pledge awarded $200,000 in grants to three businesses — fine jeweler Bernard James, specialty tea company Brooklyn Tea, and period products brand RedDrop, which also works to normalize puberty education.

“In a time of madness that we can get together and celebrate each other is a really special thing,” said James, taking the stage.

“Thank god. We needed this,” said Brooklyn Tea cofounder Jamila Wright. “All these dresses are very pretty and all this food is very cute, but being a Black business, we struggle. We struggle to get capital and loans.”

“To be validated and seen by your own people is something,” added RedDrop chief impact officer Dana Roberts, a teacher who bootstrapped the brand to $4 million after she discovered that more than half the girls in her fifth grade class would get their first period at school and weren’t prepared. “We have sacrificed so much but every day we do this work to change generations of girls, especially in the world we live in today.”