Posted by Actively Black
on September 25, 2026
Watch the full segment: How this million-dollar sportswear brand supports Black communities, Scripps News (June 2023)
Scripps News featured Actively Black, the Black-owned athleisure and sports apparel brand founded by Lanny Smith, in a June 19, 2023 report by correspondent Jamal Andress titled “How this million-dollar sportswear brand supports Black communities.” The segment, published on Juneteenth and later syndicated on AOL, focuses on why Lanny believes ownership matters and how the brand reinvests in Black communities. It captures, in his own words, the reason Actively Black exists.
Key takeaways
- Scripps News reported that Actively Black started in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and launched in November 2020.
- Scripps News reported that, according to the company, Actively Black is valued at $30 million.
- According to Scripps News, Smith said 10% of the company’s profits in 2022 went to organizations such as Black Kids Code, Our Own, and The Liberation Fund.
- Scripps News noted that Steph Curry, Lupita Nyong’o, Steve Harvey, and a former president have been spotted wearing the brand.
- Scripps News reported that Actively Black was the official outfitter for the Nigerian Bobsled Team at the 2022 Olympics and partnered with Marvel on Wakanda Athletics.
In Lanny's words
“I think ownership is very important and ... we have far too long only been consumers and not owners,”
— Lanny Smith, founder and CEO of Actively Black, to Scripps News
“I’ve got opportunities now that the previous generations didn’t have,”
— Lanny Smith, to Scripps News
“There’s so much of this that literally is one generation away.”
— Lanny Smith, on his mother’s experience integrating schools, to Scripps News
Why it matters
Scripps News framed the story around a simple contrast: the biggest sportswear companies have built billions with Black athletes as the face of their brands, and Lanny, a former college standout who reached the NBA himself, decided those marketing deals were not enough. He told Scripps that the declarations many brands made after George Floyd’s murder felt performative and like part of a marketing strategy. Actively Black was built to do the work instead, with profits flowing back to organizations serving our community.
The report also shows what the brand means on a personal level. Lanny told Scripps that seeing a stranger in the airport wearing Actively Black hits him the same way as seeing an NBA player in it, and he connected his own opportunities to his mother, who grew up in Jena, Louisiana, and was part of a class that integrated schools. That is why we say we’re not asking for a seat at the table, we’re building our own table. The clothes are the uniform for the movement, and the movement is ownership.
Shop the story
Rep the Olympic moment Scripps highlighted in the Team Nigeria Kit, explore the Marvel partnership in our Wakanda Collection, or shop our women’s best sellers.
Frequently asked questions
What did Scripps News say about Actively Black?
Scripps News reported that Actively Black, which the company says is valued at $30 million, directs 10% of its profits to organizations such as Black Kids Code, Our Own, and The Liberation Fund.
Why did Lanny Smith start Actively Black?
Smith told Scripps News that brands’ declarations after George Floyd’s murder felt performative, and that Black people have too long been only consumers and not owners.
Who founded Actively Black?
Actively Black was founded in 2020 by Lanny Smith, a former University of Houston basketball player whose NBA career ended due to injury.
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.
