A New Yorker has co-founded “Buy Black 30” so people can show their love for Black-owned business for the month of June — and well beyond.
Prompted by the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, Astoria native Dorissa White and Kiera Mallett (based in Pittsburg) created a movement that challenges people to put their money where their mouth is and buy exclusively from Black businesses for 30 days straight.
The goal of the initiative is to not only build up and support the Black community, but also make enough of an economic impact so lawmakers tangibly act on police reform that will protect people of the Africana Diaspora in the U.S.
In order to acclimate participants to new shopping and spending habits, a different “category” of businesses will be highlighted each week. This includes: dining at black-owned establishments exclusively, shopping at black-owned retailers exclusively, canceling all streaming services that are not black-owned, and circulating dollars with black-owned banks.
This week, order from Black-owned restaurants in NYC like Home Sweet Harlem, Melba’s, Brooklyn Chop House and many more (see their growing resource list of Black-owned restaurants in NYC here).
“In 1955, Rosa Parks sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott,” said co-founder Dorissa White. “The bus company lost 65% of its income and the boycott was the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. The small act of defiance and the boycott that followed eventually led to the Supreme Court declaring that Alabama and Montgomery’s laws requiring segregated buses were unconstitutional.
“This boycott, amongst several economic boycotts in the past proves that organizing is effective. African-American people are tired of protests falling on deaf ears only to have to protest for similar reasons each year. The Buy Black 30 Challenge ultimately means that there is strength in numbers.”
So, here’s what to do!
- Follow @buyblack30 and share the posts and resources with your followers.
- Ask your followers for any black-owned businesses (this is important because many black-owned businesses are unlisted); make note of all the ones they send you and make a list separated by category (business type) city and state.
- Take pictures, videos, etc. of you patronizing black-owned businesses and tag #buyblack30challenge and we will share your post. Leave reviews for black businesses on Google and Yelp if they’re listed.
- SHARE SHARE SHARE…Please post on your social media pages. If you want to begin your own challenge without our platform, we will encourage you and support you.
featured image source: Courtesy Photo Brooklyn Chop House