Tucson list of black-owned businesses grows as people rally to support the community

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Robb Walker, the owner of AZ Fit Kitchen, made gluten-free doughnuts in his business’s kitchen on Thursday. His business meal preps healthy foods and meals, so people don’t have to.

“Right now, we need people to be a little healthier and a little happier,” said Walker

You can find his business online, various social media outlets and now on a new list that Shannoah Green helped make. It’s a list of black-owned businesses in Tucson—like Walker’s and about 250 others.

“People can have a tangible way they can connect to the black community and make sure they’re supporting,” Green, owner of Curated Color and one of the creators of a blacked-owned business list, said. “The right time was now to be able to champion the black businesses that haven’t always gotten that opportunity.”

The list started as a way to promote black-owned businesses for a promotional event, slated to do the same on June 26. In the wake of the death of George Floyd while in police custody, the list has been shared and grown quickly.

“Not that you wouldn’t support others, or shouldn’t support others, sometimes it’s just hard to find where am I going to support,” Walker said.

Creators said many businesses have already been hit hard by COVID-19 and are already in need of help. They said a simple purchase can go a long way in financial support and race relations.

“I’m still surprised today that sometimes a person’s only real interaction with a different person of color, or with a person of color, is what they might see on social media or TV,” Walker said.

The creators of the list are working on an app, that should be out soon—and should have more information on the online June 26 event soon.

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