The desire to smell good is nothing new. Based on what archeologists have discovered in ancient tombs , Egyptians and Mesopotamians were making perfume with ingredients such as jasmine, resin and myrrh way back in 3,000 B.C. Today, womens fragrance is a $679 million industry in the U.S. and Black people account for a whopping $151 million of that spending, according to a 2018 Nielsen Report .

Our demand for perfume is strong, but those who want to go from consumer to creator face a challenging path due to a lack of access to education (traditional perfumers typically study in France), capital and mentorship. Although nearly 74 percent of all perfumers are white, a whiff of change is in the air.

And its about time. For decades, perfume ads and commercials have served as a reflection of everything most humans want: love, sex, power and validation. Consider the coolness projected by Calvin Kleins CK One campaigns, the sophistication of Chanel No. 5 images and the sex appeal exuded by Dior Jadore ads. As consumers, we know were buying into a fantasy, but the power of perfume is undeniable.

With just a spritz or two, fragrance can make you feel confident, desirable and worthy of taking up space. It can unlock memories and create new ones. Thats why a growing group of perfumers from the diaspora is disrupting the landscape with indie brands, letting the industry know that people of color belong there too. These pioneers arent just grabbing a piece of the pie theyre also forging strong connections with underappreciated customers and championing the need for change.

Diversity is happening in the niche fragrance business, but it would be great to see more people of color in perfumer roles at the bigger houses, said Maya Njie, founder of an eponymous line of perfumes. With new generations coming in, this will happen more and more. The industry should offer scholarships and training that encourage diversity and show that it is a field where anybody can flourish if they put their mind to it.

Find out what inspired her and her fellow entrepreneurs:

Dawn Marie West, founder and creative director of La Botic