In honor and recognition of Black History Month, Community, the innovative text messaging platform that powers direct relationships and one-on-one conversations at scale, is pleased to kick off Amplify 2022 in support of 6 black-owned businesses across the nation. As the largest drivers of culture, it’s important that Community continues to support Black owned businesses, while also amplifying their impact and contribution to the world around them. 

Amplify Leaders each receive a unique, 10-digit Community number that will allow them to connect directly and instantly to their audiences at scale, while also driving impact, awareness, and sales for their respective businesses. Previous Leaders supported through the Amplify program include over 39: Black-owned businesses; AAPI businesses; LGTBQIA+ businesses; and Latinx businesses in SoCal; who have used Community’s technology to scale their business needs. 

The 2022 Amplify Class includes: 

Angelwear:  a medical scrub line that was created for healthcare workers to upgrade their work attire by providing a stylish yet comfortable scrub option. Based in Detroit, Michigan Crystal went from working in healthcare to becoming a full time business owner disrupting the medical scrub industry. Angelwear takes medical scrubs to a whole new level, allowing women to look and feel good at work, embracing confidence on the job. 

Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen: Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen: founded by Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan, Hilltop creates fun environments for people to connect with each other + themselves while bringing quality ingredients & good vibes to its community.

Hike Clerb: an LA based intersectional women’s hike club and 501c(3) founded in 2017 by changemaker, Evelynn Escobar. Inspired to take action by the lack of representation of people of color in the outdoors, Hike Clerb was born as a radical solution to this issue and more. They are equipping Black, Indigenous, women of color with the tools, resources and experiences they need to collectively heal in nature from Los Angeles and beyond.

Inner Workout: founded by Taylor Elyse Morrison, Inner Workout is a wellness lifestyle brand dedicated to making self-care more inclusive and accessible. Inner Workout creates experiences and products to help people listen within and respond in the most loving way possible. 

Just Add Hot Sauce: Alex Hill is a former Brooklyn girl now Washington, D.C. based, self-taught cook with a passion for making food that’s filled with flavor, functional and affordable. Her affinity for cooking developed at an early age watching her mother, Evelyn, create mouthwatering dishes for their family combining both her Puerto Rican and African-American heritages. 

In 2017, she created Just Add Hot Sauce as an outlet to show an expression of love to the people you care about the most…through their stomachs. From dinner parties and blogging recipes to teaching cooking classes and trying new techniques, cooking is what brings her joy. Whether you want to add a little flavor in your recipe or a boost in your day, you can always get a kick when you ‘Just Add Hot Sauce’!

Justin Leggett: Justin has had an innate eye for style starting at a young age, with his professional journey beginning 30 years ago at the Gap. Justin has worked his way up in the fashion world from stockroom to fitting room. He has risen to be a top stylist for a nationally known luxury department store, styling Fortune 500 executives as well as celebrities. Even with this high calibur clientele - he will also find the perfect dress for you for your daughter's wedding that you will love.

Justin has served on the board of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization in Seattle and has worked with Dress for Success. Justin dresses both men and women and has clients in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and Miami. 

The Black History Month’s Amplify 2022 class will receive services for the year. They will then be able to pay forward and nominate other businesses for future Amplify classes. 

As the President and Chief Operating Officer of a tech company, I have the privilege of being one of the very few women of color to serve in this role. I believe that this privilege comes with the responsibility to make a positive difference and that is why I am proud to be kicking off the second year of this Amplify program. Through my own humble experience as the daughter of African-American and Mexican-American small business owners, I know that having support and a meaningful connection to your community makes a big difference for small businesses. Please join me in celebrating, texting with, and supporting this Amplify class.  

- Diankha Linear

President and Chief Operating Officer of Community

‍

‍