2020 has been a wake up call in many different ways. For some, it is a reminder that we need to slow down and stop basing our worth solely on our productivity. For others, it is a realization that life is transient and we need to hold the important things closer. But for all of us, including many brands, companies and industries as a whole, it is a time to reflect on racial injustice in our country, and start doing better.

As of Oct. 1, the clothing brand Stitch Fix has joined the movement to create more equity for people of color. Partnering with Harlem's Fashion Row, an organization that supports emerging talent and provides a platform for multicultural designers, they have launched a grant and mentorship program for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs in the fashion industry.

The program, known as Elevate, is part of Stitch Fix’s long-term commitment to leverage its expertise and data to promote a more equitable and diverse retail landscape for the next generation of BIPOC designers.

Elevate will choose five recipients to receive a $25,000 cash grant, market advisory support, a mentorship session with Stitch Fix’s Founder and CEO, and expertise to help grow their businesses.

The goals of this initiative are threefold: to create an ecosystem to support and grow BIPOC talent to scale their businesses, to champion technology and customer feedback to fuel innovation and growth, and to deliver their promise of helping clients find what they love by broadening their assortment of products with a more diverse set of vendors.

“As a company rooted in data and data science, we have powerful tools at our disposal to support innovation and growth. With Elevate, we look forward to leveraging these resources and our insights to mentor underrepresented entrepreneurs and promote diversity within the industry. This is an opportunity for us to create real change within our own vendor base and the retail landscape at large,” said Loretta Choy, the General Manager of Women’s at Stitch Fix.

Elevate is currently accepting online applications until Oct. 31.

The application requires the entrepreneur to provide their brand vision and mission statement, their current resume, a digital lookbook of their merchandise and a two to three minute video explaining more about the business and why they are a good fit for the program.

Winners will be announced in December, and the mentorship will begin in January 2021.