While attending Norfolk State University, Ashley Jones was disappointed with the collegiate apparel available on campus. None of it, she felt, reflected her individual style or appropriately represented the ethos of the HBCU. So she created Tones of Melanin, her own line of collegiate athleisurewear. Jones, who has a background in graphic design, soon struck licensing deals with HBCUs across the country, as well as with historically Black fraternities and sororities. Tones of Melanin, which is now sold at a variety of big-name retailers in addition to on HBCU campuses, includes a wide range of items, including shirts, jackets, pants, bags, hats and more.

Avid travelers James Baker and Ashley Sharma know firsthand the hassle of traveling with several bags: either carry one, which weighs you down, or constantly struggle to keep a small bag atop a larger case. Recognizing that most bungee cords don’t do a great job at keeping items tethered to a roller case, they invented Cincha Travel Belts, which cleverly slide over a case’s extended handle and secures totes, backpacks and other personal carry-on items. The thick elastic belts are adjustable to fit various sized bags and feature a durable quick-release buckle. Additional items in the line include Belt Buddies, small pouches that slip on the Travel Belts for easy access to ear buds, ID, keys and other small items.

Margaret Nyamumbo, who graduated from Smith College before earning an MBA from Harvard, grew up as a third-generation coffee farmer in Kenya. That’s where she learned that land-owning men receive nearly all compensation for coffee, yet women, who perform most of the labor, are often not compensated at all. To help women earn their due, Nyamumbo launched Kahawa 1893, derived from the Swahili word for coffee and the year the bean was commercialized in Kenya. Nyamumbo works directly with women farmers in Kenya, Rwanda and Congo, who supply the beans for the company’s various blends, offered as whole bean or ground. In addition to providing these women farmers with fair and sustainable earnings, Kahawa 1893 enables consumers to tip the women by scanning a QR code on each bag, and matches every tip the women receive.