The Black in Jewelry Coalition

What The Black in Jewelry Coalition does

The Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in August 2020 during the social awakening of that summer, and is described as the first international nonprofit membership association dedicated to the inclusion and advancement of Black professionals within the gem, jewelry, and watch industry. Headquartered in New York and operated by 11-50 staff and an active Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, BIJC delivers community, advocacy, education, and business-development resources to jewelry designers, retailers, gemologists, bench jewelers, manufacturers, suppliers, students, and trade organizations.

Its core products center on a tiered membership program: Individual memberships at $95/year for designers, artisanal small miners, and students; 501(c)(3) nonprofit memberships at $125; and corporate tiers at Silver $315, Gold $625, and Platinum $1,250, each providing company-wide access plus sponsored individual seats at higher tiers. Members receive access to a Wild Apricot-powered member portal, a public membership directory, on-demand webinar hub, job board, mentorship board, private member forum, speaker/SME directory, regional meetups across California, Chicago, Miami, NYC, and Las Vegas, plus exclusive trade show participation through the JCK Las Vegas x BIJC Collective and JIS Miami. A consumer-facing Shop Black-Owned Directory extends visibility into the retail layer.

BIJC's business model is recurring annual membership dues plus donations, supplemented by partner-funded programs including the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP, jointly developed with Jewelers of America), the Lonia Tate Scholarship with Ben Bridge Jeweler (~ $15,000 value covering GIA Graduate Gemologist tuition and a paid internship), and the American Gem Society's annual Conclave grant for BIJC members. Partnerships with the Natural Diamond Council (high school education program), USAID's Zahabu Safi project, The Gem Corps, and the Responsible Jewellery Council extend the coalition's reach across the supply chain and into adjacent advocacy initiatives.

Name

The Black in Jewelry Coalition

Legal name

Black in Jewelry Coalition

Website

https://blackinjewelry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Black in Jewelry Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 2020 that advances Black professionals in the gem, jewelry, and watch industry through tiered memberships, scholarships, accelerator programs, networking events, and partnerships with leading trade organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewelry Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused) (CRAEADAI)

Keywords

• Jewelry industry advocacy
• Professional networking coalition
• Diversity inclusion initiatives
• Scholarship grant programs
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Freeport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: BIJC generates revenue primarily through tiered membership dues ranging from $95 for individual members to $1,250 for Corporate Tier III (Platinum) members. Individual and nonprofit memberships fund member benefits including the directory, resources, events, and scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association that advances Black professionals in the gem, jewelry, and watch industry. It sells tiered individual, nonprofit, and corporate memberships, runs the Shop Black-Owned directory, the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP), the Lonia Tate Scholarship, the AGS Grant, and member events and educational programming.

Product overview

Black in Jewelry Coalition is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to advancing Black professionals in the gem, jewelry, and watch industry. The organization offers a multi-tiered membership structure including Individual ($95/year), 501(c)(3) Non-profit ($125/year), and Corporate tiers (Silver $315, Gold $625, Platinum $1,250). Core offerings include the Member Portal with curated resources, a public Membership Directory, On-Demand Webinar Hub, Job Board, Mentorship Board, Members-Only Events, Regional Meetups (California, Chicago, Miami, NYC, Las Vegas), JCK Las Vegas x BIJC Collective participation, JIS Miami eligibility, Speed Mentorship Sessions, Private Member Forum, and Speaker/SME Directory. Additional offerings include the Shop Black-Owned Directory for member visibility, Grants and Scholarships programs (AGS Grant, Lonia Tate Scholarship), the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP) developed with Jewelers of America, and various virtual and in-person events including networking nights, webinars, and exhibit tours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program provides $5,000 grant to one participant and $1,250 each to remaining four participants
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• American Gem Society (AGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGS partners with BIJC to provide annual grants for members to attend AGS Conclave events. Grants cover registration (valued at $1,275-$1,425), hotel accommodations for up to four nights, and a $500 gift card for travel and incidentals. The partnership supports professional development and networking opportunities for Black professionals in the jewelry industry.
• Ben Bridge JewelercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBen Bridge Jeweler sponsors the Lonia Tate Scholarship in partnership with BIJC. The scholarship honors Lonia Tate, the first Black president of the Seattle Chapter of Executive Women International. The scholarship (valued at approximately $15,000) covers tuition, books, and lab equipment for GIA's Graduate Gemologist program and includes a three-month paid internship opportunity with Ben Bridge.
• Jewelers of America (JA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIJC and Jewelers of America jointly developed the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP), a series of interactive workshops to help new retail jewelry entrepreneurs build and maintain successful businesses. The eight-month program includes eight workshop topics led by subject-matter experts and concludes with grant awards of $5,000 to one participant and $1,250 each to four remaining participants.
• Natural Diamond Council (NDC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDC partnered with BIJC to launch a jewelry education program for high school students, expanding educational opportunities and industry awareness among emerging talent.
• JCK (Jewelry Communication Knowledge)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerJCK partners with BIJC to host the BIJC Collective at JCK Las Vegas, providing exclusive participation opportunities for BIJC members at one of the industry's largest trade shows. The EJAP program is supported by the JCK Industry Support Fund.
• USAID Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIJC and USAID's Zahabu Safi project connect women working across the jewelry supply chain, focusing on ethical sourcing and supporting Black women in the jewelry industry.
• The Gem CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Gem Corps partners with BIJC through programs like GEM X, supporting education and development for emerging talent in the gem and jewelry industry.
• Responsible Jewellery CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElyssa Jenkins-Pérez, BIJC President, serves as Head of North American Development at the Responsible Jewellery Council, indicating an organizational connection and potential partnership for industry standards and ethical practices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jewelers of America (JA): Jewelers of America is the leading US jewelry trade association, offering membership, education, and advocacy across the industry. It is a direct strategic partner of BIJC (co-developing EJAP) and the closest analog in terms of organizational structure and member-base overlap.
• Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA): CFDA is the leading US fashion industry trade association, recently featuring BIJC. It is a peer in the broader fashion/jewelry ecosystem and competes for the same corporate DEI sponsorship dollars.

Emerging players

• National Black MBA Association: NBMBAA is a long-standing professional association advancing Black business talent through membership, scholarships, and corporate partnerships — a structural and operational analog to BIJC, applied to the broader business community.
• Black in Fashion Council: Black in Fashion Council is a DEI-focused industry organization promoting Black representation across fashion, including jewelry. It is structurally analogous to BIJC as a sector-specific diversity coalition and potential partner.
• Fifteen Percent Pledge: Fifteen Percent Pledge is a nonprofit advocating for Black representation in retail and consumer brands. It is comparable to BIJC in mission (Black economic advancement through industry inclusion) and corporate-engagement model.

Others

• GIA (Gemological Institute of America): GIA is the leading gemology education and certification body, whose Graduate Gemologist program is funded by BIJC's Lonia Tate Scholarship. It is an enabling/institutional peer in jewelry industry talent development.

Direct peers

• Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC): RJC sets ethical, social, and environmental standards across the jewelry supply chain. BIJC's current President also serves as Head of North American Development at RJC, making it an institutional peer and close partner in jewelry industry advocacy.
• Women's Jewelry Association (WJA): WJA is a jewelry industry association advancing women professionals, structurally analogous to BIJC as a demographic-focused professional membership organization in the same industry.
• National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA): NAJA is a professional association for jewelry appraisers offering membership, education, and credentials. It is comparable to BIJC as a membership-driven professional body serving a specialized jewelry industry segment.
• American Gem Society (AGS): AGS is a jewelry industry professional association focused on ethics, education, and credentials. AGS partners with BIJC to provide annual grants and Conclave access to BIJC members, and competes for similar corporate sponsors and industry talent.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlackinJewelry
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackinJewelryCoalition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-in-jewelry-coalition
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackinjewelrycoalition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Black in Jewelry Coalition