Why You Should Support Black-Owned Business
The Summer Olympics are in full swing, and one of our favorite events to watch is women’s gymnastics. While watching recently we saw something that we thought was pretty savvy. Luciana Alvarado, the first ever Costa Rican gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, used her time on the international stage to pay tribute to the Black Lives Matter Movement by taking a knee with one arm behind her back and the other raised in the air with a fist at the end of her routine. According to this article by Newser, Alvarado said she wants to raise awareness of the importance of equal rights "because we’re all the same. And we’re all beautiful and amazing." Which got us thinking, what can WE do ourselves to help this important cause? While we aren’t Olympians capable of raising awareness on any grand scale, we do have purchasing power, which we discussed before. That’s why we are going to encourage shopping at Black-owned businesses as a direct and sustainable way to support the Black community! We’re giving a shoutout below to 12 of our personal favorites; two for each of our Savvy sections:
Beauty & Fashion
Career & Finances
Food & Beverage
Health & Wellness
Home Life
Travel & Entertainment
These above are just a drop in the bucket of the many other amazing Black-owned businesses out there.
Why is this small action we can take so important? Many reasons, but simply put, Black Americans systematically are not afforded the same opportunities, especially economically and in careers, as white Americans. By supporting Black-owned businesses, we can help begin to (albeit too slowly for our liking) shift the economic disparities for a more equitable future for all races in this country.
In all honesty and realness, as a white female who feels extremely privileged, sometimes I do not think it is my place to discuss such topics. However, we live in a day and age when it is no longer acceptable to just not be racist. We have to actively be anti-racist. So make sure to educate yourselves, have the difficult conversations, and speak out when you can, even if you think it may be insignificant.
To learn more on other ways you can support the Black Lives Matter movement, please visit the Resources Page at https://blacklivesmatter.com/.
If you would like to find and support Black-owned businesses where you live, you can visit Support Black Owned’s website or mobile app.
Image: Ashley Landis/The Associated Press
