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The Color of Money

A Lemonade Stand, An Economics Lesson, and a Recipe for Pride

Mrs. Avant tapped her chalk against the emerald green chalkboard, the sound sharp against the whirr of conversation in her economics class. Her class, entirely of Black students from the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, was known for its lively debates – today’s topic: The Lemonade Stand.

“Alright, class,” Mrs. Avant began, her voice warm but laced with a hint of amusement, “We all know about lemonade stands. But what if we saw them through the lens of microeconomics?”

A hand shot up in the air – it was Amir, known for his entrepreneurial spirit. “So, it’s not just about making a cool drink? Or Beyonce’s album?

“Precisely, Amir,” Mrs. Avant smiled. “Let’s say you set up a stand on a hot day. You’re offering a product, lemonade, to satisfy a demand – people’s thirst. But there’s a cost, right? The lemons, sugar, cups, maybe even a permit.”

A chorus of “uh-huh” rippled through the class.

“Here’s the beauty,” Mrs. Avant continued, her eyes sparkling. “You, the entrepreneur, have to decide how much to sell your lemonade to cover your costs and, ideally, make a…