CBX Daily 5/21/2025

Author

Kori Hale
May 21, 2025

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Today, banks are joining the crypto game, but let’s start with how tariffs are setting beauty brands aflame…

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Tariff Trap: How Trade Wars Impact Beauty Brands The Hardest

CBX Vibe

U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports continue to squeeze supply chains, beauty brands are finding themselves caught in the crossfire. For Black consumers who drive more than $9 billion in beauty product spending annually these tariffs are having a major impact. Many of the beauty brands they shop with rely on affordable packaging, containers, and raw materials from abroad, and these new cost burdens threaten to push smaller players out of the market. 

Crypto Gains Banking Muscle With $2.3B in U.S. Investments By 2025

CBX Vibe:

In a bold move that underscores just how quick the financial tides are turning, central U.S. banks are ramping up their crypto operations as regulatory bodies ease longstanding restrictions. With the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) softening their stance, banks are moving quickly to stake their claim in the crypto market, which was once seen too risky for traditional institutions. 

Challenging The Future Of Work Without Affirmative Action

CBX Vibe:

Affirmative action’s demise and the reconsideration of legacy admissions could significantly impact the demographics of university enrollees and, consequently, the composition of the future U.S. workforce. However, experts argue that the effects of these policy changes on student body diversity and the subsequent potential downstream effects on the workforce will vary. 

Tune-in Tuesdays!

With companies scaling back DEI efforts and economic uncertainty in play, Black women find themselves with the shorter end of the stick again as they lost the most jobs. Why are Black women always the first to be let go and the last to be prioritized?

A. “Cranes in the Sky” by Solange – Black women carry the weight and stay composed to push through but the systems meant to support them is just abandonment wrapped in silence
B. “Unappreciated” by Cherish – There has never been real support for Black women, only performative allyship that fades when it's no longer convenient or profitable for those holding the cards
C. “Can’t Sit With Us” by Honey C – The illusion of inclusion crumbles when resources shrink. DEI promised a seat, but what good is a chair if the table disappears?

What are your thoughts on this? Tune in next Tuesday to see which jam captures the prevailing sentiment!

A  |  B  |  C

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Last week’s results are in and it seems people think the trade truce between U.S. and China is ‘Only For A Moment’

How Young Women Are Turning Tough Times Into Triumph

CBX Vibe:

We're living in unprecedent times and young women know this all too well. Financial success is slowly slipping away from the hands of the young generation and instead of enjoying now, they have been forced to savor for tough times ahead. In fact, 73% of Gen Zs admit to adjust their spending habits downwards due to the high inflation rate and if this isn't a recession indicator, I don't know what is. 

FemTech’s Future Is Female, Funded, and Ripe for Disruption  

CBX Vibe:

FemTech is not just about periods and pregnancy, it's about data sovereignty, community health, and economic power. The term encompasses software, diagnostics, products, and services focused on women’s health, and is on the rise with a global market expected to surpass $103 billion by 2030, according to a Deloitte report. Funds like 100KM Ventures are continuing to invest in the future of work and health, knowing that game changing FemTech entrepreneurs like Arion Long, CEO of Femly, the world’s first smart touchless pad and tampon vending machine are poised to gain a fair share of this market. 

Vibes of the Week

Tariffs “ Crash” the beauty industry, as told by Rico Nasty in our CBX Vibes!