Supporting Black-Owned Businesses
A lot has happened this past year, and more than ever, it’s clear that small businesses and Black-owned businesses of all sizes need your support. Luckily, many online resources are available to help you locate local and national Black-owned businesses, so finding them has never been easier. One great resource to consider is Official Black Wall Street (https://officialblackwallstreet.com/), an app that can help connect you with Black-owned businesses near you.
There are many reasons to support Black-owned businesses, but here are two to think about:
- Empowering local communities; Thriving companies create job opportunities and economic growth where they have historically been lacking, while also helping to develop community pride and promoting the general wellbeing of communities.
- Closing racial wealth gaps; wealth generated through Black-owned businesses can help close the gap in the average wealth of households of black families compared to those of their peers in other racial groups.
While the temptation to rely on your larger, go-to retailers like Amazon or Target, it is worth investigating whether any of the goods or services you use can come from a Black-owned business, whether that’s a local small business or someone you can buy from online. You may even discover superior products you wouldn’t have otherwise!
Lefty’s Spices and Lefty’s Barbecue, proudly Black-owned since 1989, are just two examples of businesses that people have replaced larger retailers for.
Don’t forget that there are additional ways to show your support beyond spending money! Recommending a Black-owned business to your friends and loved ones and following their social media accounts (and sharing their posts!) are great ways to take your support even further. Liking, commenting, or sharing a post could make a world of difference to one of your favorite businesses.
As the new year approaches and you get ready to make your 2021 resolutions, add supporting Black-owned businesses to your list!