Aurora James
Founder
Aurora James is the founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, and the creative director and founder of the luxury accessories brand Brother Vellies, founded in 2013 with the goal of keeping traditional African design practices alive while sustaining artisanal jobs. In June 2020, Aurora founded the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a nonprofit that partners with retailers to diversify their shelves and commit 15 percent of purchasing power to Black-owned businesses. What began as an Instagram post has become an organization with ten full-time staff members.

“I wanted to create change that put actual money in the hands of Black American entrepreneurs.”
Featured in these episodes and videos

Bill Gates, Brian Chesky, and more: Unheard moments from our first Summit
Go to Episode
to Listen to

4 strategies for tackling the toughest challenges
15 Percent Pledge’s Aurora James
Genius Guild’s Kathryn Finney
Charity: Water’s Scott Harrison
BIG’s Bjarke Ingels
Go to Episode
to Listen to
15 Percent Pledge’s Aurora James
Genius Guild’s Kathryn Finney
Charity: Water’s Scott Harrison
BIG’s Bjarke Ingels

How to turn intentions into action
15 Percent Pledge’s Aurora James
Go to Episode
to Listen to
15 Percent Pledge’s Aurora James