As a cooperatively owned community market that is always looking to connect & welcome our community, we will be partnering with The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) during February for their Shop-Black Owned Campaign, part of the Shop Indie Local year-round movement. AMIBA will be championing these efforts in February, and we are thrilled to have signed on as a partner! AMIBA aims to amplify all local, statewide, national and international networks’ efforts to promote buying at black-owned businesses in February and year-round.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has intensified the need to support Black-Owned Businesses. A lack of access to funding and financial relief has exasperated black business ownership and entrepreneurship. Forbes noted that black business ownership dropped more than 40% between February and April 2020. The COVID-19 Pandemic shined a brighter and necessary light on other inequities black families have faced and continue to face, including the generational effects of wage disparities, unemployment, mass incarceration, and wealth inequalities. Forbes pointed to this study, indicating a massive gap in the median wealth of black and white families. These are just a small number of the reasons why amplifying and supporting our black-owned businesses is vitally important. Black entrepreneurship and businesses can grow and gain greater economic freedoms by showing support.
AMIBA will continue to invite independent business alliances, neighborhood associations, and local economy-minded business networks to become partners in their Shop Black-Owned Campaign. Small businesses can support black-owned businesses both internally and externally; one way is by sharing directories for black businesses with their networks, including, Black Business Green Book, The Black Directory, Black Pages Online, We Buy Black, EatOkra, Support Black Owned, and Official Black Wallstreet.
There is no cost in becoming a partner with AMIBA’s Shop Black-Owned campaign; by joining the campaign, you’ll help spread the word by sharing creative ways you’ve engaged your community in these efforts, share links to any events or promotions you may be organizing to support this campaign and your organization’s name will be listed on AMIBA’S Shop Black-Owned Month’s webpage. It’s easy to become a partner, fill out this form to get started, Become a Partner.
Check out The Black Wealth Data Center and learn how race influences indicators that contribute to wealth including education, employment and asset ownership.
