Social Justice & The Woven Kente

In the 60’s and 70’s there was a diversity of businesses, storefront and bookstores that flourished with more than the goal of making profits. These businesses wanted to center social justice movements like the black power movement, femisnism, and environmentalism. These entrepreneurs also wanted to intertwined social justice and education with entrepreneurship. 

This business is not a conventional profit-driven corporate business model. The Woven Kente exists to as a space that provides products centering our needs. The founder and creative director grew up in a black-owned bookstore in the heart of Pittsburgh. We often think that we must operate businesses that are strictly profit driven. As what goes around often comes around, there are a number of businesses emerging today that spotlight social justice movements and also donate a portion of their revenue to the core ethos of the business. 

The Woven Kente seeks to cultivate a space to not only provide products, but we seek to promote the goals of social justice movements by donating a portion of our profits. We also support other black, women, and minority owned businesses. We understand that entrepreneurship is a vehicle for economic empowerment, that is exactly why most of our vendors are minority owned businesses. 

We believe that we can create effective social change and for us it starts with a mission-driven business.