Miiriya, The App That Makes Shopping From Black Owned Businesses Easy
By: Kwana Adams
Black-owned businesses have exploded in popularity over the years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are now so many black-owned businesses that some popular e-commerce sites are even attempting to highlight or uplift black-owned businesses that they find. A lot of sites, however, take fees out of the profits that businesses make. It is amazing to see black people starting businesses and becoming successful, but it can get sometimes overwhelming to keep track of all of them. How can we possibly find what we’re looking for? If only there was a site that was not only for black-owned businesses but a site that is completely free to register for and 100% of proceeds go to the business…
“I wish there was a site like Etsy, but for black businesses.” “Is there an app like Amazon but only for black businesses?” If you’ve tweeted this, then you’re probably aware of the hilarity of the owner, Lamine Loco’s tweets to promote the app and you’ve probably gotten a response like these:
Don’t even think you’re going to tweet words like: Amazon, Etsy, Black Owned Business, and Miiriya’s not going to find out.
They gon’ find you..
Stop playing with this man. We’re all aware by now of the hard work, money, and time he has put into making Miiriya a place where we can thrive. This is a one man show, or one single N*gga running this whole show on his own and putting his whole foot into it. As a collective, we needed something like this where we can support and be supported. Amazon, Etsy, and other platforms can highlight black owned businesses and have separate tabs all they want, but they’re not here for us the way Miiriya is. Many of black owned businesses have praised the site for helping boost their sales. If you follow the Twitter account, you’re already aware of the daily tweets promoting products from the businesses on the site, and if you go to the website or the app, you’ll notice the many featured products and services that are constantly promoted.
Say the word three times and Miiriya will appear in your comments. What does the word actually mean though, and where does it come from? The word comes from Mr. Loco’s native language of Bambara/Dioula and it means “thoughts” and “ideas.” According to Mr. Loco, it can also be used with other words to mean “philosophers” and “thinkers.” It’s such a fitting name as the sole purpose of the app is to be a marketplace for all black owned businesses including but not limited to, cosmetics, fashion, books, decor, and more. Miiriya also now has booking services for black business owners to sell their services like hairstylists, classes, and even tutoring and language learning, and it continues to grow every day.
According to Glamour, Lamine Loco also plans to use the app to create solutions to the problems that our communities face by accepting donations from customers and vendors. The money donated will go to things such as community fridges in more areas, so that people who are hungry may go in and get food whenever they are in need.
How does one get their business onto Miiriya and prove that they’re a black business. It’s simple:
He just playin’. To register for Miiriya, simply go on to the website, click on the figure in the top right corner, or bottom corner on the app, and then click “Register Here”. After doing that, the form will pop up and click on the bubble that says, “I am a vendor” and fill out the form with your info. It will ask you to put in your email, a password, first and last name, shop name, shop URL, and phone number. After registering, wait to hear from Miiriya for any further instructions.
Since Miiriya is independently run and owned, a lot of the money that goes into running it, comes out of the owner’s pocket. It does not take a dime from any of the profits from black owned businesses. In order to thrive, aside from using his own money, there is also a Patreon where people can become patrons for as low as $1 a month to help with the costs of running the site. At the time of this article, there are currently 577 patrons with the goal being $3000 a month being donated. If you believe in what Miiriya is doing, consider becoming a monthly patron. $1 a month is not much at all to ask, and if you can spare it, the tiers are $1, $3, $5, $8, and $10. Open your purse if you can and register your black owned business on Miiriya.
During my search for information on Miiriya, I was surprised that there were not more articles written about the site. The social media game itself is enough to write articles about. Mr. One Single N*gga singlehandedly kills it on social media every time. Why are they not verified yet?! Where is Miiriya’s blue check? There are no other apps that focus solely on black owned businesses while also creating a space where we can also work on having our community on even footing. It really is a community centered marketplace where we spend our money with each other and circulate the black dollar to other black businesses. With 100% of profits going to the business owners, we know exactly where our money is going and who it’s benefitting. US. Please give Lamine Loco and Miiriya its flowers and let’s follow that example.
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