Lush Cosmetics Partners with Justice for Greenwood to Raise $185,000 for Tulsa Race Massacre Reparations
Written by Eric Renner Brown on June 2, 2024
We bet this epic collaboration wasn’t on your 2024 bingo card—that makes it all the more sweeter.
In collaboration with Justice for Greenwood (JFG), Lush Cosmetics, (yes, the store you grew up seeing in the mall ) has launched a new campaign to raise $185,000 in support of JFG’s mission to secure justice for the survivors and descendants of the Tulsa Race Massacre. While also working to bring visibility to other organizations fighting for reparations, the campaign will bring the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre to all 205 Lush stores across the United States calling for action to repair this legacy of harm and promote healing.
Lush has launched a limited-edition soap, Brighter Day, to reach its fundraising goal. With each sale, 100% of the purchase price, $8.50, will support Justice for Greenwood and organizations working to heal histories of harm and build a future free from injustice and inequality. The soap will be available at Lush stores and Lush.com starting May 31.
May 31, 2024 marks 103 years since the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which saw the destruction of the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, respectfully known as “Black Wall Street.” Before the massacre, Greenwood was the most prosperous, organized and successful Black community in United States history.
When Lush was invited by the Decolonizing Wealth Project to participate in their 2023 Alight, Align, Arise – National Conference on Repair in Atlanta, GA, they were inspired by Damario Solomon-Simmons’ discussion about the lawsuit and the work of Justice for Greenwood. Moved by this, Lush committed to launching a national campaign together by fall. They proposed creating a short documentary, ‘Greenwood Is Still Burning,’ which they filmed in January and are proud to premiere in Tulsa this Friday, May 31st, at a free community screening.
“The Lush partnership with Justice for Greenwood offers business leaders a blueprint for how to show racial solidarity and reject the white supremacist, anti-Black fear mongering that led to Black Wall Street’s decimation and erasure from history books in the first place,” says Solomon-Simmons.
To further tell the story of the massacre and its survivors, Justice for Greenwood provided Lush exclusive access to those most impacted and their descendants, resulting in a 28-minute documentary, “Greenwood Is Still Burning.” The documentary, featuring prominent members of the Greenwood community, will be available to view for free starting May 31 on the Lush YouTube channel and on Waterbear, an interactive streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet and its people.
By bringing the story of Greenwood and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre to the 205 Lush shops across the United States, they aim to introduce their staff and customers to the concept of reparations as a pathway to healing and justice. They will inform and activate the public through their in-shop display, Greenwood Is Still Burning, and an action component encouraging people to write to U.S. Attorney General Garland. This initiative calls on the Department of Justice to open a federal investigation into the unlawful conduct in Tulsa, Oklahoma, starting with the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, before the last two survivors pass away.
See Greenwood Is Still Burning below along with other vignettes from members of organizations seeking justice on Lush’s YouTube channel.
