Actively Black

Lanny Smith is the founder of Actively Black, a premium athleisure brand launched in 2020 with a mission to uplift, empower, and reinvest in the Black community. Since its inception, Actively Black has become one of the fastest-growing Black-owned athleisure brands in America. 

A former professional basketball player, Lanny's NBA career was cut short by a career-ending knee injury during his rookie season. Rather than allowing adversity to define him, he redirected his passion and competitive drive into entrepreneurship, building a purpose-driven brand rooted in ownership, representation, and community. 

Actively Black has been recognized by Ad Age as a Breakout Brand Leader, named one of Inc. Magazine's Best in Business, and featured in Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, Essence, and numerous other national publications. 

Actively Black has also built an impressive portfolio of collaborations with some of the world's most recognizable names and brands, including Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, the Muhammad Ali Estate, the Bob Marley Estate, the Tupac Shakur Estate, FUBU, the Estates of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Michael Jackson. In 2024, Actively Black proudly outfitted Team Nigeria for the Summer Olympics in Paris. 

Among the company's most impactful initiatives is the Harvest Collection, an apparel collection made with cotton sourced from Black farmers, demonstrating the brand's commitment to creating economic opportunities throughout the supply chain and investing directly into Black communities. 

Lanny's vision is to build a global brand that unites and uplifts the African Diaspora through commerce, culture, and purpose. His philosophy is simple yet powerful: "It's time to stop asking for a seat at the table and build our own table."