I thought to myself, I don't think your competition is with Muslims or Buddhists, etc. I think your challenge is to draw our people from mostly white-owned establishments who choose them especially because they are white. Anyway, I laughingly said to myself. I am not going to hold either against you. In fact, that you are Black-owned pushes me to you today.
Yes, I am pushing myself more to buy Black, and not just when it is comfortable or feels right, especially when it feels not-so-right.
The market of thrift is mine. I consider myself an excellent, seasoned shopper. I know how to shop this market and get what I want at the best price. I don't buy items that I must repair or that I will use when I lose weight, retire or when the Lord comes, etc. I get what I want and need and most often feel very fulfilled in my purchases. So, I already have shops in mind, online stops, bartering options, etc. Not one of them is a Black-owned business. I push myself to find yard sales in my community -- no regular businesses though. The few that I have patronized in the past have closed. Why? Probably because I did not support enough, and enough of my kind did not.
So, I looked with eyes that said, "There are items in here for me." I was happy to hear about the 24% discount, and I pushed myself to pay a little more if needed. I found two beautiful vases. I love fresh cut flowers and was in the market for a beautiful vase as a wedding gift for our (AYA's) science teacher. She is going to love it, and she will love it more knowing that I purchased it from a Black-owned business.
Ringing me up, the sister must have added 25% to the sale price. I helped her figure it all out, and she expressed sincere gratitude. I also suggested that she get herself onto the Around the Way app so more of us can find her. It's a smart phone app that will let you know our businesses that are closest to you. Go to: http://aroundthewayapp.com/.
Also, join me in Buying from only Black-owned establishments during the month of February, 2014.
My daughter Ife and some comrades of hers at Bennett College are kicking this out. 28 Days of Black.
I'm down, Afiya, gonna need some help on finding gas stations. That's my biggest monthly expenditure, after groceries
ReplyDeleteWe are a very hurt people from the oppression of the global racist supremacy system. In recognition of that we know that 1. this system has created a legacy of diminished Self Worth 2. its legacy of deprivation has weakened our ability to resist the destructive and build up the positive 3. the system distracts the oppressed with survival (which makes it difficult to even ponder putting forth greater effort for change) 4.the collective mindset is that of incremental or gradual change in the context of an emergency (requiring immediate and drastic action) and being very relaxed and ok with such gradual attempts.
ReplyDeleteWe in knowing what we are up against know that we must do the work needed to raise ourselves ......like supporting our businesses and going the extra mile, 10 miles and when needed 100 miles.
So in the face of such easy attitude with gentle attempts to improve our dire situation when the need is immediate, pressing and pervasive I relinquish that we probably are not ready for the following conversation that we should go the extra miles to:
1 identify all black businesses that buy into the general agenda of Self Support (every one buying from people in their own cultural community every chance available - that means the black businesses where they can also buy black and support the black institutions in their area)
2 collectively by neighborhoods, cities, states, regions, nationally (as in the black cultural nation) identify ( and demand best practices from) black businesses existing and identify businesses needed with plans and programs to foster their development, growth and stabilization
3 develop and raise very high ( by promotion, status and the positive results of keeping money among ourselves) the idea of buying black and supporting those studying., preparing and initiating businesses and finally (this may need to be number 1)
this is a continuation of previous statement
ReplyDelete4 change our values shifting to what works for us (developing inroads into selected industries - like the Somalians have in parking and hotel hospitality, the Mexicans in construction labor sectors, Arabs, Lebanese and East Indians in gas-convenience stores, small clothing stores and midlevel motels -the ones at major interstate exits- or like the Koreans in black hair care). Change like learning to love our hair and learning how to wear our hair without the expensive props ( extensions, other people's hair, hair products etc) b. supporting black hair care businesses to develop our own hair care products embracing our natural hair characteristics and doing this with status attached not to someone else's hair but to our own hair.
In closing I support both the spirit and actions of buying black. You go Afiya! Maggie Anderson out of Chicago did this a few years ago and ran into the same problem of industry sectors that few if any blacks are in. I propose that we, as a model for future efforts for other industries, locate the black owned gas stations in town, establish a buyer-seller agreement (coop, or group buy plan or whatever is most appropriate) and promote blacks to buy from them, require the business support of black institutions, having an intern program to teach aspiring black gas station owners and buying at every opportunity from other black businesses.
Doing this drip by drip can work only if the drip grows into a waterfall. We needed the waterfall last century and in fact had it (Auburn Ave, Tulsa OK Black Wall Street), but the trick of integration (not into the money) and the open violence of the oppressor turned our psyche away from consolidated communities, wealth, self sufficiency and freedom to develop more liberty, justice and equality for, among and by ourselves.
By the way emphatically professing ANY religion today is subject to mild skepticism and subtle additional examination in the face of failure of ALL (supremacy influenced institutions) man made institutions (government, religion, education etc.). Even as I write a Christian preacher was found guilty of passing a deadly sexually spread virus to women, yet his behavior does not diminish Christianity (in fact) but understand that much of his ability to deceive his victims was undoubtedly in part due to their thinking that he is Christian too.
As AYA has taken on the responsibility of us teaching us as a community education resource we still must teach at home the simple Self supporting truths....... like buy black. That way the only branding needed is to say is "it is Black Owned!"