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Mahogany chatted with Jacqueline Carrington, CEO of People of Color LLC, to find out what motivates her, who empowers her, and how she celebrates her Blackness.
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What was your inspiration for starting People of Color LLC?
People of Color is a non-toxic, vegan, cruelty-free nail polish brand made to complement the various shades of brown skin as the first thought—not an afterthought. The brand was launched in May 2019, after I was inspired by my daughter’s interest in nail polish. It rekindled my interest as well and made me think back to childhood; I skipped wearing nail polish because I played basketball, and I never saw the colors shown on brown hands. I wanted to create a nail polish brand that celebrated and represented people of color from all over the world by telling our stories, our way, through nail polish collections. We make “nail polish for People of Color and those who live in color”—because we all live in a world of color!

What do you hope Black women will feel when they wear People of Color?
We want Black women and other people of color to feel seen, represented, and celebrated by our brand and with our nail polishes, and to know we create products to promote healthy, natural nails. We strive for each collection to tell our stories, our way. And we hope our brand community wears our nail polishes proudly, not only for being a beautiful color, but for what the color represents.

How does it feel to receive support and encouragement from our community?
It feels amazing to have created a community of nail care lovers within our community. As a community known for having their “nails did,” it’s an honor to contribute to that in a positive way that is for us, by us, but for all to enjoy.

Who in your life encourages and empowers you the most?
My children encourage and empower me most, even if they don’t realize it. Their openness, curiosity, and innocent joy encourages me to keep pushing forward to create a better world, future, and legacy for them—and for those who the work of our hands will impact.

What advice would you give to a sister who wants to start her own business?
As the Bible says, write the vision and make it plain! Write down your idea—as much as you know and can see. Then, make a plan with actionable steps to get started. Getting started is the hardest part because you have to overcome the fear of “what if.” Do it scared and keep going!

Here at Mahogany, we’re motivated by purpose, faith, and community, to celebrate Blackness 24/7. How do you celebrate yours?
I celebrate my purpose, faith, and community by just existing as God created me, and constantly asking Him to guide me on who to impact and how. He hasn’t failed me yet!

Anything else you want readers to know about you and your business?
Stay tuned for a new exclusive color we’ll be launching soon in collaboration with a new film releasing in February 2024!