It's the season of giving and gifting; put your money where your heart is this season.

Look, we're all on a budget! With everyone trying to stretch their precious dollars as far as they'll go this holiday season it's not easy to always be a conscious consumer.

With the holiday spending season here please think about the locally-owned shops you frequent and favor, as they're especially hurting this year. Doesn't it feel like we say that every year?

I'm often finding myself wondering exactly where my dollars are going because if I'm going to spend my limited funds I want to be sure to spend them wisely. Don't you? I'm glad I'm not alone! On the local Kalamazoo Reddit page one user asks,

With holiday shopping seasoning coming up, let’s make a list of businesses that are BIPOC/LGTBQ+/woman owned or support those populations....I’m not trying to make any kind of controversy or anything...what would you recommend!?

Southwest Michigan's Vibrant BIPOC, LGBTQ-Owned Businesses

You can feel good about shopping local this holiday season.

Gallery Credit: Lauren Gordon

Top 5 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in Michigan:

According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI), these Michigan cities are among the most friendly and inclusive for its LGBTQ+ citizens.

Gallery Credit: Lauren Goron

Here Are At Least 8 Women Owned Businesses in the West Michigan Area

These businesses vary in what they offer but, they do have one thing in common. They're all owned and run by women.

Gallery Credit: Via/ Instagram, Via/ Tiktok, Via/ Facebook