LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For seven years, Tamra Means has been fighting to get Paradise Island Tea onto store shelves and into the hands of customers, even if it means taking her show on the road - literally.
"I was an Uber driver for six years. I drove Uber to use that as a platform to market my company," she said. "It's been a long journey. It's definitely had lessons to be learned and I often tell people I understand why business and success don't come overnight."
People can now find Means' Sweet Tea at many stores throughout Kentucky and Indiana, including area Krogers, but when the protests started forming around the country in light of the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, she knew she had to do more.
"Paradise Island Tea has been active for seven years now in the community and we also have to be active when there's injustices going on," she said. "We need to stand with the community."
Means said she is donating a portion of her proceeds to local organizations fighting for racial justice and equality. She said she hopes to make that donation by October.
As a Black female entrepreneur, Means said she has experienced discrimination and prejudice both professionally and in daily life, which made this fight for change a personal one.
"It's just one of those things that I grew up in that and I've seen it on so many different hands, so many different areas, so many aspects of my life, so it pulls my heartstrings," she said.