#NewBlackFriday: How To Tactically Address Racial Inequality This Month

The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and David McAtee — five of the most recent losses in a long history of black lynchings — have prompted necessary dialogue, powerful marches, and the introduction of important legislation. However, many of us are still wondering — how do we sustain the anti-racist sentiments that have swept across the country? And how can individuals translate that sentiment into tactical action?

We have two responses: first, do not underestimate the impact of protest itself. Civil rights activists have long relied on taking to the streets to bring about hard-fought change, with some of the country’s most notable legislative successes to show for it. Second, broaden the attack on injustice to address economic inequality by committing to 1) buy from black businesses, 2) share black businesses with friends and family, and 3) advocate for racial diversity in the workplace. This coordinated buy, share, advocate initiative will kick off on Friday, June 19th. We will refer to the 19th as New Black Friday (#NewBlackFriday) and hold each other accountable against the following three actions to take a unified step towards leveling the economic playing field:

1. Buy a product or hire a service from a black-owned-business if you’re an individual or household consumer. If you manage a business, reallocate your procurement portfolio to reflect your support for black-owned third-parties.*
2. Share individual efforts to close the gap in order to spread awareness and amplify the effects of support.
3. Advocate for black folks’ proportional representation at all levels of the workplace (particularly black LGBTQ+ and women’s representation). This can take shape as company or organization-wide conversations, an update to recruiting policies, or a letter to leadership with a list of demands for diversity.

#NewBlackFriday, June 19th, purposefully falls on “Juneteenth” — a long-standing African American holiday that commemorates the day a group of freedmen was first read the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, TX. The holiday has evolved into a celebration but also remains a sobering reminder that the American economy was built on the free and forced labor of black slaves.

Since the inaugural Juneteenth in 1865, that same economy has transitioned from exploiting slaves to systematically disadvantaging black people, with plenty of evidence to show for it: as of 2016, the average household wealth of white families was ten times that of black families. The outcomes of such statistics (e.g., limited resources to invest in new ideas) only further compound the effects of the racist systems that created the inequality in the first place. And yet, despite seemingly endless headwinds, black business owners continue to lead and serve their communities, with an influence that stretches far beyond their bottom line. We urge you to champion these black business owners on #NewBlackFriday through the buy, share, advocate initiative. Doing so will maximize the impact of your dollar — and get you something top-notch to show for it.

* For help finding black businesses to support, please email buyshareadvocate@gmail.com with a shopping category or in-person / online preference.