2021 Holiday Gift Guide Blog Post

Happy holidays from Accion Opportunity Fund! Our 2021 holiday gift guide spotlights the incredible entrepreneurs we support.  Purchasing amazingly thoughtful gifts while strengthening diverse communities is the holiday season cheer that creates smiles for all.

Alicia’s Homemade

Founded in 2015 with strict dietary needs in mind, founder Alicia Haddad brings all natural, great tasting sauces and spices right to your door.  Her mantra “you only have one body, feed It healthy” is the inspiration for her products.

Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas

Long-time AOF client,  Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas, creates hand-crafted tamales with love.  Alicia’s online meal kits and tamale care package make it possible for you to share the love beyond the Bay Area, where her company is  based.

Avocurl

Tired of products that left her hair dry and infused with harmful ingredients, college student Jasmine Curtis created AVOCURL out of her dorm room.  Her product line focuses on healthy hair, moisture, and protecting curls.  Handmade in small batches and filled with certified organic ingredients like avocado, aloe vera, and coconut,  AVOCURL is for all curly hair textures including locks and beards.

Browndages

Intisar Mahdi created “the perfect bandage for brown skin”  to meet a need of the BIPOC community that has been ignored for too long: flesh-toned bandages in shades darker than the pale mass-market standard. In addition to bandage packs, you can also find other gifts such as face masks, books, first-aid kits, and pajamas.

Ciela Handmade

Amber Hammond created Ciela Handmade to break the cycle of poverty in Latin America. They work directly with female artisans in vulnerable communities to provide you with one-of-a-kind handbags and accessories. They believe that “you can look good, and do good at the same time.”

Cowgirl Camryn

Author Abriana Johnson expresses her love of  horses, farm life and self love in this children’s book.  Send Cowgirl Camryn and her barnyard friends to the kids in your life, and support the movement for representation in art and media.

Cre8tive Motifs

Cre8tive Motifs offers personalized gifts for all occasions, from family Christmas presents to your office’s Secret Santa. Their gifts will encourage customers to love, live and cre8te just as their product suggests.

Glow by Michelle

Glow by Michelle is Michelle Henderson’s passion, after suffering from acne as a teenager. Her mission to create effective, natural, and handmade skincare products will make you “’glow in every way.

Kobi Co.

Started as a way for founder Kobi to fund her college dreams, these hand poured, environmentally friendly products are described as “self-care that smells good.”

Mango Moi

Mango Moi’s vegan body care products cater to kinky, curly hair and all skin types. Amanda Caymitte quit her 9-to-5 to pursue her passion, and by trying her handmade products, you’re helping her dream come true.

MESS in a Bottle

MESS In A Bottle’s concept was developed based on ancient communication (dating as far back as 310 B.C.) when messages were sent in a sealed container and released into a large body of water. With sayings about life, love, and career, MESS in A Bottle t-shirts are bold and witty phrases that will capture anyone’s attention.

Ms. Jetseter

Founder Tracey McGhee’s global travel experiences with poor quality accessories, fueled the creation of Ms. Jetseter.  Now you can enjoy affordable, high quality, stylish travel goods without compromising style.

Narrative Food

Narrative Food founder Jennifer Piette creates her meal kits infusing nutritional value with food that tells a story.  She’s been delivering thoughtfully curated meal kits nationwide since 2010 and has personal chef services available in Southern California. 

Their Narrative Provisions pantry box is packed with wonderful culinary products from women producers and growers! Each purchase of this box donates $20 to Accion Opportunity Fund to upend inequities and catalyze change so small business owners of all identities can thrive.

Natural Do

Valonne Smith created a space were “curlfriends” can come together and embrace their natural beauty. Natural Do is a membership salon and retail store, where you can get specialized hair care products without having to visit Stockton, California. You can also purchase a la carte services or a full membership if you are local.

Rise Koffee + Kulture

Founder Cortney Alleyne created this “coffee with a cause” Florida -based company to bring about sustainable change.  From supplier diversity mandates to monetary support of financial literacy and entrepreneurship programming, each purchase from “Rise Koffee + Kulture is helping to elevate and educate the Black community.

Tea Botanics

Denise Pines started Tea Botanics with Dr. Pei Vuong, a detox specialist and herbal alchemist to find relief from hot flashes. Sourced from  high quality teas that follow an eight-step process to perfection, these teas are perfect for a friend in need of a cool down.

Teas with Meaning

Kamilah Mitchell started With Meaning, LLC in 2010,and courageously expanded her business into Teas With Meaning after a cancer diagnosis in 2017.  Her diagnosis made her realize that all the herbs and magic she needed to heal were at her fingertips.  Kamilah’s teas have uses beyond your initial brew. You can also visit their GoFundMe to help them open their first brick-and-mortar tea lounge in Oakland, California!

Waistbeads by Ethea

Ethea not only creates waistbeads for you to accessorize with, but she shares the deep significance and meaning of them with every woman who stops to listen. Passion, connection and excitement drives the creation of  her authentic African Waistbeads. When you order make sure to ask about the story behind your purchase.