In the wake of the recent killings of innocent Black men by incompetent racist police officers, the importance of how we use our $1.1 Trillion economic power has once again risen to the surface. Buy Black always comes up in light of these type of horrific racial crimes as many are convinced that marching can only do so much. It’s the money that talks that can bring real change.
In my opinion demonstrations are functional but more than just a call to support Black-owned businesses, learning to consciously spend our dollar will truly make a difference. Money talks but utilize your spending power and you’ll speak volumes.
Mind shift
Although it is great that the call to buy Black resulted in Black-owned banks signing up thousands of new customers in recent weeks, we should not have to wait for plain public slaughtering of our people to support Black-owned businesses.
At the same time, I do realize it can be quite a challenge to support Black-owned businesses. Yet, rather than citing stereotypical notions that we have been fed for centuries, just like with our hair, I suggest you watch One Family’s Effort to Buy Black for a Year or read Our Black Year: One Family’s Quest to Buy Black in America’s Racially Divided Economy. You’ll get an understanding of where we are and hopefully be inspired to make an effort to support Black-owned businesses. Here is an updated directory: http://blackfollicles.com/buy-black
What can you do?
My question in trying times like these is always, what else can I do? This time the answer is very clear. I will use this opportunity to finally bring to life this idea that has been manifesting in my mind for years: An online marketplace for natural hair, Black beauty and Diaspora fashion: What Naturals Love.com!
A Marketplace to utilize our $500 Billion Black Hair Care Market
The reason for this marketplace is clear. Going-natural.com, online since 2002, has been at the root of the internet revolution that sparked the online natural hair movement and propelled the Black hair business to this new dimension. Yet there is more.
My main inspiration comes from the fact that Black women are the driving force behind the Black hair care industry but it’s not reflected anywhere.
We, the inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs who keep building this industry earn next to nothing from it. Companies that wouldn’t even hire us with our natural hairstyles are striking up the profits.
No one knows our strands like we do. We are the authority on Black hair so it’s only natural that we should also own this industry and o yes we can!
We may not have the capital to go toe to toe with big corporations but we sure have the power to get our share.
The growing ecommerce climate allows us to turn things around. An online marketplace that offers Black hair care products , will not only give Black entrepreneurs the opportunity to expand business; It also has the potential to create a shift so Black businesses can take back the hold of the $500 billion Black hair care industry.
Black follicles are the one thing that connect us throughout the Diaspora and beyond, regardless of our origin, religious beliefs or political differences. So with the growing internet highway connecting us the potential is endless. All we need to do is to make it happen.
If you agree, please help build this marketplace by ordering from WhatNaturalsLove.com and spreading the word. Your SUPPORT doesn’t only help us to build the marketplace but also grows the community and the more the merrier.
If you don’t have the funds please share this story with everybody you know, on and offline. Help make this message go viral. Your support is appreciated in any way kind or form.
This article was first published by https://blackfollicles.com/blog/43-black-follicles-matter