If you run a business, then you already know how difficult it is to do so if you’re not a marginalized member of society. However, if people discriminate against you, then growing will be even harder. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the reasons to support black owned businesses.
Supporting a black owned business allows you to support people who may not have otherwise had as much of an opportunity to succeed due to racial barriers. However, there are other reasons, including the fact that you simply like the business’s product or service.
Granted, a single paragraph hardly gives us the space that we need to express the many reasons why you would want to support a black owned business. We’re going to take a deeper look at these reasons and you may end up finding that you agree with some of them on just as deep of a level.
Why Support Black Owned Businesses?
The main reason why most people who support black owned businesses do so is because they want to see those businesses succeed. In the competitive world of business, it can be difficult for businesses to survive and thrive, and doing so is much harder when you’re running a business as a member of a community that has been subjected to racial discrimination.
Countering Racial Discrimination
By supporting a black owned business, some people look at it as evening the odds in the favor of black people who have had to endure repeated historical difficulties. Once they’ve found a black owned business, someone may decide to go ahead and make it their go-to business in that domain.
For example, if you’re looking for a bakery nearby and you notice that one of them is black owned, that may be a factor in your decision to support them. Of course, you’ll also want to make sure that their baking is good, but the business being black owned may be the tipping point that distinguishes them from otherwise similar bakeries.
Because of the Business’s Quality
Of course, not everyone has the same reason for supporting black owned businesses, and some people may do so coincidentally, perhaps without even knowing that a business is black owned. In these cases, someone will support a business because they like the products and services that they offer above all else.
If a business is subjectively superior or perhaps even objectively so, then the free market will determine that they’re bound to thrive, or at least that’s what economic theory says. In reality, things are a lot more complicated than that, but that’s a good way to boil down why this group of people would choose to support a local black owned business.
Promoting Unity in the Black Community
Black owned businesses are also a good way to foster unity in the black community. In the wake of the past few years of racism in the United States, the black community has become more supportive of itself than ever, and these businesses are a great way to show support, no matter your race.
Discrimination is never okay, and the very same people who discriminate against individuals will have the same feelings towards businesses run by those individuals. Due to the large number of racist individuals who may not shop at a black business, supporting a black owned business is a way of offsetting things.
By giving a business your monetary support, you’re able to somewhat even the playing field because you’re supporting a community that may not otherwise see much support from the general population. As we’ve already mentioned, this may not be the main factor, but it can be a deciding factor.
Other Reasons for Supporting a Black Owned Business
On the other hand, some people may be acquainted with the people who run a particular black owned business. If a friend or family member runs a business, then you’ll be likely to support them with your money, even if it may end up costing you a little bit more.
This decision is entirely yours to make, and since everyone has their own reasons for supporting both old and new black owned businesses, it’s hard to generalize why people do so. Some people will go out of their way to find out how to shop black owned while others will only do so if it’s convenient for them.
When it comes to fighting racism, every little bit that we can do counts. Whether you’re speaking up on someone’s behalf in public or if you’re using your money to support a black owned business, you’re helping the world progress into a better future.
