Historically, huge companies have been pressing small businesses and putting a heavy burden on the low-income communities such as the black community for a long time now. For instance, the presence of Amazon As an e-commerce platform has cost local mom-and-pop shops to go out of business, especially during tough times such as quarantine. Building diversified market spaces such as black-owned stationery in the UK could strengthen the nation’s and community-based economic vitality while uplifting the community and promoting productivity, and expanding job opportunities for the community.
Here are the few reasons that one should buy from black-owned businesses in the UK:
- Closes the racial wealth gap
Today’s racial wealth gap is far and wide open. They still use the Jim Crow-era practices such as redlining and see massive job discrimination when it comes to African Americans, segregating them from getting high paying jobs homeownership opportunities that stops them from wealth building. In fact, statistics show that the median health for white families is 12 times more than that of Black families, and every one in four black families has a net worth of either zero or negative dollars which is so far below that of white families. By encouraging the growth of black-owned businesses such as black-owned stationery in the UK, you invest in small entrepreneurs and give them the opportunity to flourish in societies with disparities towards them.
- Strengthens Local Economies Always
As small businesses grow, so does their standing in the community and the community altogether as well. However, banks tend to under probe by discriminating against these weaker societies’ weaker sections while seeking loans for the business. A study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition found that in the year 2017, banks were more likely to provide loans easily to their white applicants than black applicants. Supporting black-owned businesses in the UK enables black people to support their families, employ more black people, and support other business owners and attract a community of people to provide banking services to their community.
- Holds Companies Accountable
By supporting black-owned businesses in the UK and worldwide, the global market is kept in check and accountable for their designs. Gucci was scrutinized for the highly offensive sweater design that they came up with, which resembles a blackface. Quite often, smaller and minority communities often bear the brunt of corporate discrimination through bigger companies. When you invest in black-owned companies, you keep bigger companies in check and hold them accountable for these kinds of ill-practices of discrimination. You also support the implementation of equitable policies for all and support diversity through this venture.
All of these aspects of supporting a black-owned business help black people, their community, and the nation grow together and foster an equal society while uplifting each other.