As DEI disappears from major retailers, Shop Red Bag gives Black-owned brands a new home

As major retailers walk back their diversity commitments, Candi Carter is building something new: a movement powered by everyday purchases.

In a conversation with TheGrio’s Natasha S. Alford, the veteran media executive and founder of Cistus Media unveiled her latest project, Shop Red Bag, an online marketplace created for consumers who are rethinking where their money goes, especially in the wake of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) rollbacks at major corporations.

“When I saw the outrage and the backlash online around all of these DEI programs being rolled back, or we’re just not gonna call it that, or we are caving to the administration, I just felt like because of what I did, what my company does, even though we are small, we are mighty. And I decided to be part of the solution,” Carter told TheGrio.

Launched just in time for Juneteenth, Shop Red Bag is Carter’s response to a question many Black consumers have been asking: If we boycott companies like Target and Walmart, where do we go instead?

Carter’s answer: a curated hub of underrepresented brands—Black-owned, women-owned, LGBTQ+, veteran-owned and more—offering everything from toilet paper and paper towels to cosmetics, cookware, and stationery. The platform had over 60 to 80 brands sign on in its first week and continues to grow.

“Every time somebody buys something on Shop Red Bag, we want them to post it, put up the hashtag, and say that your money matters—because your money matters. Every dollar matters,” Carter told theGrio.

Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the U.S., is about more than symbolic freedom. For Carter, it’s an opportunity to reclaim economic power, which is something she believes the Black community is more than capable of doing. She says she respects the boycott Pastor Jamal Bryant had led and sees it as a successful rallying of the community.

“We have shown that we’re powerful with our dollar,” she said. “We can show that we’re even more powerful by letting our businesses grow and thrive during the next four years. Thrive, not survive.”During her conversation with TheGrio, Carter described Shop Red Bag as more than just a store but rather a movement.

“I know we can all come around each other and uplift each other,” she said. “But it’s not open air. We did it. We set up the store. Come and shop. That’s all you gotta do. Just change your habits.”

Carter, who made her mark producing shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show and The View, is now focused on technology and e-commerce through her company, Cistus Media, which powers online shops for major media brands.

Still, launching Shop Red Bag is personal. Carter saw too many brands being quietly dropped by big retailers or unable to stay afloat as they were directly impacted by anti-DEI rhetoric which impacted investment and sales. With store programs evaporating, many of these companies were left in limbo.

“We created Shop Red Bag so we can put all these incredible brands in one place,” Carter explained. “So we’re here and we have an alternative for people who are saying ‘If they don’t support me, I’m not supporting them.’”

The platform includes brands like Nicole Ari Parker’s Gymwrap workout wraps, KJ Smith and Skyh Black’s Black Coffee, and Footnanny, a Black-owned skincare line once featured on Oprah. Visitors to the site can also shop by founder category, such as women-owned, veteran-owned, and Black-owned.

Although the name “Shop Red Bag” wasn’t directly inspired by a Target takedown, Carter admits the irony isn’t lost on her.

“We just wanted something that just felt like anybody could shop,” she explained.

For Carter, this moment isn’t just about protesting with words but also about pivoting to a mindset of caring for our own. And she’s hoping more consumers will join her.

“Every alert is something that’s being taken away, but we’re not victims,” Carter tells theGrio. “We are empowered. And that’s what Shop Red Bag is.”

As Juneteenth celebrations continue, Carter’s message is clear: Don’t just talk about freedom. Shop like your money is free and deserves respect.