Posted by Actively Black
on September 25, 2026
AfroTech published an exclusive on Actively Black, the Black-owned premium athleisure brand founded by Lanny Smith in 2020, reporting that the brand is launching an app built to connect commerce, culture, community and wellness. Lanny announced the app at the AFROTECH Conference 2025 on October 30, and told AfroTech in an email interview why ownership has guided the brand from the start. For the Tribe, it marks a new way to move with us every day.
Key takeaways
- AfroTech reported that the Actively Black app reads existing Apple Health and Google Health data and rewards members for being active with points redeemable for discounts, free gear, and exclusive content and events.
- According to AfroTech, the app will include a retail platform and community spaces, with plans to add creator content, Black business directories, educational tools and Black history and wellness resources.
- AfroTech reported the app would be available for iPhone and Android users by mid-November 2025, with a waitlist available on activelyblack.com.
- AfroTech cited Forbes in reporting that Actively Black has generated $30 million in gross sales, including $2.1 million in its first 12 months.
- Lanny told AfroTech that 10% of revenue has been reinvested into grassroots organizations supporting education, HBCU athletics, mental health, social justice and diversity advocacy.
- AfroTech noted the brand’s American-made collection uses a Black-owned supply chain and 100% certified Black-grown cotton, alongside collaborations with the estates of Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
In Lanny's words
“We shouldn’t have to ask them to pour back into the Black community. We can do it ourselves,”
— Lanny Smith, to AfroTech
“Every purchase from Actively Black is an investment in the future and advancement of our culture,”
— Lanny Smith, to AfroTech
“We can build our own table — because there is greatness in our DNA,”
— Lanny Smith, to AfroTech
Why it matters
Lanny told AfroTech that when he launched Actively Black, many people doubted a boldly Black brand could succeed, and that he was warned putting Black in our name would limit our reach. Five years later, the brand is building its own technology to serve its own community. An app we own gives the Tribe a home that rewards movement, supports Black businesses and puts our history and wellness resources in one place.
As an athlete-owned brand, health and movement have always been part of the mission. Lanny described the app as an extension of that mission and of the idea that we build our own table. Announcing it at AFROTECH, a gathering of Black founders, investors, professionals and students, put that message in front of the people shaping what comes next.
Shop the story
Get moving in pieces from our men’s and unisex best sellers and women’s and unisex best sellers, and learn the story behind the brand on our About Us page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Actively Black app?
According to AfroTech, it is an app from Actively Black that reads Apple Health and Google Health data and rewards members with points for being active, alongside a retail platform and community spaces.
When was the Actively Black app announced?
Lanny Smith announced the app at the AFROTECH Conference 2025 on October 30, 2025, and AfroTech reported it would reach iPhone and Android users by mid-November.
What did AfroTech say about Actively Black?
AfroTech described Actively Black as redefining Black ownership, citing Forbes’ report of $30 million in gross sales and the brand’s 10% revenue reinvestment into grassroots organizations.
Who founded Actively Black?
Actively Black is a Black-owned premium athleisure brand founded by Lanny Smith, a former professional basketball player, and launched in 2020.
Read the full feature: Exclusive: Athleisure Brand Actively Black Launches App To Bridge The Gap Between ‘Commerce, Culture, Community, And Wellness’, AfroTech (October 2025)
