June 10 update: Sephora has pledged to allocate 15 percent of its shelf space to black-owned businesses. In a new Instagram post (opens in new tab), the company said, "We join @15percentpledge and @aurorajames. We recognize how important it is to represent black businesses and communities. So we are starting now."

The Internet is full of ways to support black businesses, but when you visit your favorite major retailer, it can be much harder to find their products. A new campaign called "The 15 Percent Pledge" (opens in new tab) calls on stores to make more space for these companies.

The campaign was created by Aurora James, a fashion designer and founder of the label Brother Vellies (opens in new tab), and she is calling on major retailers like Target, Whole Foods, and Sephora to pledge As The Takeout (opens in new tab) points out, the campaign gets its name from the fact that 15% of Americans are black, according to the US Census Bureau. Retailers who participate in the pledge will commit to giving 15% of their shelf space to black-owned businesses (opens in new tab). This will not only help consumers have more equity in the products they purchase, but will also, according to the site, return $14.5 billion to the black community.

Needless to say, this campaign will always be important, but as the site points out, it is especially important now that black-owned businesses (opens in new tab) are suffering amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a graphic created by the site's @monachalabi, 21% of black-owned businesses say they do not believe they will survive the pandemic, and 40% of black-owned businesses (opens in new tab) have been forced to close during the epidemic. Furthermore, surplus companies appear to be locked out of coronavirus relief efforts.

In an Instagram post, Aurora explained her mission and why this is an opportunity to make real and positive changes to diversify the brands that companies place in their stores and to combat the institutional racism that maintains these placements. [I am a businesswoman. I am a businesswoman," she wrote, "I have sold millions of dollars worth of goods over the years in a business that started with $3,500 at a flea market. So I am offering that we can solve this problem. This is an opportunity. This is an opportunity.

Sign here (opens in new tab).