Posted by Actively Black
on September 25, 2026
Fast Company profiled Actively Black, the Black-owned athleisure brand founded by Lanny Smith in 2020, in an October 2023 feature by Jay Woodruff titled “How Wakanda inspired Actively Black’s founder to make the brand a love letter to Black identity.” The story notes that Actively Black was honored on Fast Company’s 2023 Brands That Matter General Excellence list. It follows Lanny from the injury that ended his NBA dream to the movie theater where the idea for Actively Black took shape.
Key takeaways
- Fast Company reported that Actively Black was honored on its 2023 Brands That Matter General Excellence list.
- Fast Company wrote that the brand outfitted Nigeria’s team for the 2022 Winter Olympics and secured a Disney and Marvel licensing deal for a Black Panther: Wakanda Forever collection.
- According to Fast Company, Actively Black has collaborated with Allen Iverson, appeared in NBA 2K24, and partnered with John Carlos, Lupita Nyong’o, Fredrika Newton, and Muhammad Ali’s estate.
- Fast Company reported that Daymond John helped connect Smith with Marvel and Disney licensing, and that Smith was pitching them days later.
- Fast Company reported $5.6 million in direct-to-consumer sales in 2022 and nearly half a million dollars donated to grassroots groups such as the Liberation Fund and Compton Girls Club.
- Fast Company noted that Smith announced Actively Black on Juneteenth 2020 and released the first products on Black Friday 2020.
In Lanny's words
“That was the first time in my life I had seen a Black superhero on the screen.”
— Lanny Smith, founder of Actively Black, to Fast Company
“I want to create a brand that makes the Black community feel the way I felt walking out of Black Panther.”
— Lanny Smith, to Fast Company
“There’s a mission, a purpose behind this, and that’s how I’m measuring our success.”
— Lanny Smith, to Fast Company
Why it matters
Fast Company’s profile shows that the brand was built on lived experience. After a knee injury ended his time with the Sacramento Kings, Lanny moved back into his mother’s home in Texas and started over, teaching himself web design and business to launch his first company, Active Faith. Fast Company describes how letters from customers showed him apparel could mean more than fabric, and how racism he faced as a founder shaped what came next. His mother, whom he calls a superhero, integrated schools, was the first in the family to go to college, and became a top computer programmer in Texas.
When brands rushed out statements after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Lanny told Fast Company it felt performative. Actively Black was his answer: a company that measures success by mission, not by chasing unicorn status. Recognition as a Brand That Matters confirms what the Tribe already knows. The clothes are the uniform for the movement, and the movement is ownership and reinvestment in our community.
Shop the story
Explore the collaboration Fast Company highlighted in our Wakanda Collection and Eyes of Wakanda, or wear a legend in the Muhammad Ali x Actively Black collection.
Frequently asked questions
Is Actively Black a Fast Company Brand That Matters?
Yes. Fast Company reported that Actively Black was honored on its 2023 Brands That Matter General Excellence list.
What inspired Actively Black?
Lanny Smith told Fast Company that seeing Black Panther made him want to create a brand that makes the Black community feel the way he felt walking out of the film.
Who founded Actively Black?
Actively Black was founded in 2020 by Lanny Smith, a former University of Houston basketball player whose NBA career with the Sacramento Kings ended after a knee injury, according to Fast Company.
Is Actively Black Black-owned?
Yes. Actively Black is a Black-owned athleisure brand whose mission is to celebrate Black culture and reinvest in the Black community.
Read the full feature: How Wakanda inspired Actively Black’s founder to make the brand a love letter to Black identity, Fast Company (October 2023)
