Five Years Strong: Blax Friday Celebrates a Milestone of Black Business Impact in Arizona
Tucson's Black business community is growing — and this month, one of its boldest champions is celebrating five years of transformative work.
Ashley La Russa, founder of Roux Events and Blax Friday, launched what is now the state’s largest directory and only app for Black-owned businesses in the summer of 2020. What began as a crowdsourced resource with 150 listings has since grown into a powerful, statewide network connecting Arizonans to more than 2,000 Black-owned businesses — from e-commerce brands to brick-and-mortar mainstays.
But Blax Friday is more than a directory. It's a cultural force.
Over the last five years, through transformational programs and community events like Soul Food Wednesdays, the BOB Fest Block Party, FLAVA, the Pitch Black grant competition and Arizona’s first community-managed BIPOC loan fund — Ashley and the Blax Friday team have succeeded in creating spaces where visibility, opportunity and collaboration thrive — especially for businesses often overlooked by traditional networks.
Shoppers at a recent Blax Friday event
“Some might look at what she’s built and say it’s a niche. But they’re missing the point,” said Shane Reiser of Tucson Foodie. “What Ashley has created isn’t just a directory or an event series. It’s a full-on cultural force — one that’s grown in size, reach and impact while staying grounded in its original mission: to uplift Black-owned businesses and create space for community, celebration and connection.”
That impact was formally recognized by the Pima County Board of Supervisors, who issued an official proclamation declaring June 6, 2025 as “The 5th Anniversary of Blax Friday” in honor of La Russa’s visionary leadership and the organization’s commitment to building a more inclusive and prosperous Arizona.
Blax Friday founder, Ashley La Russa
As a Local First Arizona Business Coalition member and a We Rise program mentor, La Russa continues to lead by example. Her work reflects the values we hold at Local First: building inclusive economies, amplifying underrepresented entrepreneurs and supporting locally owned businesses to grow and thrive.
Through her mentorship with We Rise — a six-month, no-cost training and networking course for Black entrepreneurs — Ashley is opening doors for new business leaders and helping to shape the future of Tucson’s economy.
“It takes a community,” La Russa said. “A community to let us know what businesses we're missing, how to locate them and how to keep growing together.”
We’re proud to celebrate with Ashley and the entire Blax Friday team as they mark five years of community impact. Join the celebration on Friday, June 20 at One East Broadway in Tucson.
Learn More & RSVP to toast five inspiring years of progress — and the future of Black-owned business in Arizona.
Related Information:
Follow Blax Friday on Instagram
Learn about the We Rise Black-owned business accelerator program
