Black History Month: Why it's important and how to support Black entrepreneurs
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February marks a time to acknowledge and praise Black History in the United States.
It’s no surprise when this fact gets pointed out to me. I’ve lived in the United States my whole life, and we’ve celebrated this holiday since I was in grade school.
I say ‘celebrated’ loosely. We discussed it in school. We learned about Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, and many more influential African Americans or Blacks in our safe, academic setting.
There are more important people within our communities that exemplify important figureheads. We shouldn’t hold ourselves accountable to know the five most notable people and be satisfied that we have done enough.
I’m here also to say that isn’t enough.
I am a cis, white woman. I do not face similar (in any capacity, really) experiences that a Black or African American faces in the United States. Even then, the only thing I can somewhat relate to is being a woman. Still, even that designation is not enough to compare our realities.
Black history month is essential. Plain and Simple.
I encourage local communities to delve deeper into their local or regional Black and African American leaders. How have they impacted your community, and who are they? They will play a more considerable impact than figureheads that might cause their eyes to glaze over in class.
With the events of the past year and the increased rate of the coronavirus affecting minority populations, it’s more important than ever to realize their fights are not over.
As a business owner, whether minority or not, it can make a difference when you support African American businesses. According to 2018 data, African Americans make up 2.2 percent of American led small businesses. Among women, they make up 36 percent, the highest percentage of any ethnicity.
Even outside of the business owner mindset, I remember interviewing two employees for my full-time position in over two to three years in the minority, disregarding gender. An overwhelming amount were men, and all were white.
There are many things I think that you can do to increase your awareness and support your local or regional Black-owned businesses. The most important is to purchase their products and services. Liking a Facebook page or Instagram account won’t put money on the table to continue their businesses.
Here are a few things that can help you support Black and African American-owned businesses:
Buy Black or African American products and services
Buying from Black and African American business owners are one of the most significant contributions you can make. To keep black and African American businesses open, buy their products.
Even if you go to their fast food restaurant, it will keep your money within your community compared to a big brand store. Dan Cathy and Chris Kempczinski don’t need more of your money.
Small orders are all it takes to make an impact.
Remember when I noted more Black women were business owners than other ethnicities? They were also some of the poorest and hardest to grow and receive funding. Offering your support can change that statistic by either buying, investing, or supporting their business.
Like, Follow, and Share their Social Media pages
While not the best, interacting on social media is one of the smallest ways to spread the word about local Black or African American-owned businesses.
By liking, following, and, most of all, sharing their social media content, you can spread the word about their businesses. In the end, you might not buy something, but someone else might.
Also, be authentic about liking their content. If you know someone who might appreciate more local products or services, let them know and share your experiences with them. Reviews and word-of-mouth referrals go a long way to switch a person’s loyalties.
Read books authored and about Blacks and African Americans
Reading and becoming more knowledgeable about Black and African American culture, authorship, and literature has seen a massive wave of support over the last year.
While required reading would have been helpful during school, I find it enheartening that people want to educate themselves now. My sister also brought The 1619 Project, a journalistic piece commemorating the first slave ship arriving in the New England colonies, to my attention around Christmas and is a great read.
Some of the most read or recommended were:
Again, this isn’t a huge step, but it’s a step in the right direction to understand if and when you are the problem in the situation.
Learn more about local Black and African American history and communities
While this might be a small thing, learning more about how your local minority impacts your community also helps supply educational materials about minority leaders.
As an Oklahoman, I usually refer to some of the Native American cultural centers and museums in the area and state. Visiting these establishments help the represented communities and gives back to local communities rather than if you went to a big-name amusement park or attraction.
On another note, you’re missing out on experts on these topics. Curators and specialists usually find their way to niche communities like historical sites and museums. They can quickly answer some of your questions or find resources that you can find to answer your questions.
There are many ways you can support and vitalize Black and African American businesses around your community if you know where to look. Your only contributions do not have to be listening to rap or learning the top five African Americans in the Civil Rights Movement.
Do you know of any other ways you can support your local Black or African American-owned businesses and entrepreneurs? Please leave a comment below!
