All over the south, tobacco shops are springing up daily in mostly Black neighborhoods. The most disturbing element is that these businesses are never owned by blacks but by people of Middle Eastern descent. Why is it so easy for these sorts of business to open up in areas that rarely have commercial properties?
The average American is well aware of the disastrous health effects of smoking tobacco, yet these businesses continue to open and thrive despite the extreme detriment they bring to these areas. Most of these owners do not reside in the areas where their shops operate and can comfortably take their profits back to their side of town. By visiting one of these establishments you will find much more that just cigars and cigarettes. They usually openly sell paraphernalia that is meant for harder drugs and may even offer the opportunity to sell a white tee or lottery tickets (serious side eye).
Until we recognize the harm that these business bring and their lack of support for the neighborhoods they inhibit, the black dollar will continue to be viewed as easy income for those who are not concerned with our well being. Challenging the status quo of behavior is what is necessary to bring about change.
We must pool our resources to not only start our own businesses, hire those that are often looked over, and support these ventures by spending our dollars there. Black business owner should go above and beyond to offer quality services at prices that are reasonable. The biggest complaints about small black businesses are their lack of customer service and offer low quality product. Both of these can easily be fixed.
Only when we understand and respect the power of black consumerism will we forge ahead and rebuild the great markets that we are capable of.
No comments:
Post a Comment