Two black women have sold their shoes and a woman’s wedding ring to raise money for a homeless shelter.
They were selling black shoes and wedding rings at a shoe shop in central Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday.
The owner said they hoped people would use their experience to help the homeless, who have become more vulnerable due to the housing crisis.
“We want people to use their own money and not take from us,” the owner, who didn’t want to be named, told the New Zealand Herald.
“It’s a very important thing that people can use to get out of the situation and get on their feet.”
The women were selling a pair of black shoes to raise $150 for a shelter called the Bunnings, where they are providing basic living for homeless people in Auckland.
One woman sold the shoes to buy a pair for her friend, who was looking for a wedding ring.
“I was going to buy her a ring for her wedding but she’s not a ring-wearing woman, so I thought, ‘You know what, let’s get a pair in black’,” the owner said.
“And it’s very much a Black shoe and black women’s shoe and I’m not ashamed of it.”
They are selling a black wedding ring for $15,000 Black shoes are popular items in New Zealand because they are often worn by Black people.
But the sale of black-themed items has also raised controversy in New York, where a group of Black men said the sale was racist and disrespectful.
The pair of shoes are sold as a way to show support for homeless shelters.
“They’re not about being white or Black,” the shop owner told the Herald.
“They’re about getting out and getting the money out.”
The owner of the shop, who also didn’t wish to be identified, said they wanted to raise awareness about homelessness.
“Black people have a really hard time,” she said.
“We’ve got an incredible opportunity to do that by selling our shoes and our rings.”
The sale is expected to raise about $150,000.
The woman’s friend said the shop was a “wonderful place to be”.
“We’re getting paid to do it and that’s why we’re there,” she told the Guardian.
“People come in and get a job, a roof over their head, and they’ve got a little bit of a cushion and they’re OK with that.”
“I’m happy to support a shelter and to make sure they get the money they need,” she added.