While there are tons of summer holidays, did you know that all of August is National Black Business month?
The world is learning more and more about the Black Lives Matter movement, and continuing to find ways to show support for our communities in need. From protesting, to petitioning, to educating, people are finding ways to show up for each other and for the Black community.
But did you know that the way we spend our money can be a great way to show solidarity? Supporting Black-owned businesses is a great way to show your support.
Here are three easy ways you can participate in and celebrate Black business month this August!
1. Eat Black
Take a break from recipe testing for a while and put that energy into finding Black-owned restaurants near you!
Supporting Black business includes the restaurant industry, which means youare not only supporting a local small business - you get a fantastic meal out of it as well! If you don't know where to start finding your local restaurants, there are resources online such as this list of restaurants in the Los Angeles area.
Try eating out at a different Black-owned restaurant once a week!
If you are still having trouble finding local vendors, order online! Order some coffee beans from a Black-owned cafe or roaster! We can personally recommend the Rise & GRND from BLK & Bold.
2. Shop Black
Another thing you can do to celebrate Black business month is to buy from clothing stores that are Black-owned. Clothing is an intense industry too — there's a lot of fast fashion drama that is perpetuated by the economy and overall values of society.
Take a minute to slow down and dive into some clothes that are made and designed by Black men and women. You're more likely to be supporting an ethical clothing development process as well as some great Black business owners that could use your support!
3. Read Black
Finally, one of the best ways to participate in celebrating Black business month is to buy and read books written by Black authors!
The likelihood that you'll read books written by white authors is much higher compared to Black authors because of the publishing industry. You can help flip the script and elevate Black voices by buying books, and most importantly, reading them!
Black authors have a lot of important things to say and as of recently, they've been climbing the charts. It's the perfect time to keep that momentum going and continue supporting Black authors.
Make Black Business Month Every Month
What's most important is that just because Black business month is in August, doesn't mean you should only shop Black in August alone. This month is for you to discover great businesses that you can integrate into your daily life no matter what month of the year it is!
