The wave of demonstrations against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death has been coupled with a broader conversation about racial injustice and structural inequalities in the United States.
And in a country with a persistent wage gap based on race — the net worth of a white household is about 10 times greater than a black household — supporting Black-owned businesses has emerged as a form of activism in this current moment of reckoning.
A Facebook group, Support Black Business 607, has been created by Sulaiminah Burns and businesses are updated daily. The group has garnered more than 1,000 members and has sparked inspiration for support of area Black businesses.
Binghamton resident Caprice Chavez, 32, supports local Black-owned-businesses and said doing so is vital to combat socioeconomic disparities and the racial wealth gap in the Binghamton area.
“It is important to recognize Black businesses and services come in all different varieties, ranging from agriculture to bookstores, medical centers, art galleries and restaurants,” Chavez said. “The basis of our American economy is capitalism, and so when the Black communities’ capital is constantly and consistently ignored and/or destroyed, the community cannot begin or continue to build generational wealth.”
Rashed Holloman, 35, of Binghamton, is a fashion designer who moved from Queens 14 years ago. He is the CEO and founder of Different Cloth Clothing LLC. He said support for Black-owned business is important locally.
“We are of value, and we have messages to give to the public,” Holloman said.
Kashief Summers, 37, of Binghamton, said supporting Black business has always been an important issue, but is even more vital now.
“We as people have been enslaved, beat, sold as property, but still have been strong enough to fight for what was right and fought for what we believed in,” Summers said. “And because of these actions, we can now own things for ourselves, but our community doesn’t support each other. It’s even more important now because we need to show our youth that we, too, can own things and run profitable businesses.”
As a Black business owner, Wand A’Lulu, 26, of Binghamton, said Black businesses should be supported not only because it’s essential but also because these businesses play an integral role in the community.
“The problem is, in most cases, Black-owned businesses don’t succeed at the same rate of their competitors because their main consumers are within their own community,” A’Lulu said. “If you look through the lenses of today, we have people coming together from all backgrounds to fight the racial injustices and inequalities; however, these same people don’t reciprocate the same mission when it comes to the support of Black businesses.”
A’Lulu said she sees only Black customers inside Black-owned businesses.
“Then, I’ll walk into another company that isn’t Black-owned and I’ll see diversity. Black people liberally support other businesses, when in most cases, people of other ethnicities and backgrounds give little to no patronage to Black businesses.”
As a Black makeup artist, A’Lulu said her clientele is mostly Black, but her goal is to work with people of all different backgrounds.
Despite all the injustice and unfair treatment Black people still receive now in 2020, Summers said Black people have to keep fighting and working.
“If we’re supposed to be a united front, a real community, that means when one person wins, we all win. But that’s not the time frame we live in,” Summers said. “Everyone only out for themselves. Like I always say, ‘Can’t expect change if we don’t accept change.’ Can’t change the world if we don’t change how the world thinks.”
Lindsey Miles, 34, Binghamton, said it’s vital to support small businesses in any community, as it’s good for the local economy while supporting individuals and families.
“It’s even more important to spend our money — and privilege, for that matter — with Black-owned small businesses,” Miles said. “If we invest in marginalized communities, not only can we help close the racial wealth gap, we can create opportunities for a more diverse leadership, and representation, in our community as a whole.”
Here’s a list of black-owned businesses in Binghamton
To be added to Support Black Business 607 click here.
Businesses were compiled from the Support Black Business 607 Facebook page and the New York State database for minority-owned businesses.
Alana Davis Photography: Photography services.
All Things Audrey: Jewelry, soaps, candles.
Asia Nicole Boutique: Clothing boutique.
B Families Mart: Caribbean, West Indian and American food.
BabyDolls Bath and Beauty: Health and beauty products.
Bernice Brews: Coffee shop.
Brothers Over All & Artist Clothing: Clothing to make you feel proud, accomplished and motivated.
Brown’s Remodeling and Construction: Offers roofing, painting, tiles, windows, fences.
Between the Lines: Telecommunications contracting.
Caribbean Patty World: Jerk chicken, beef patties and Jamaican, American Trinidadian, Guyanese, and Dominican dishes.
Dayseon’s Fashion: Clothing store.
Dayseon’s Elegant Party Rentals & Catering: Catering and party rental services.
Dayseon’s TuTus: Children’s clothing.
Different Cloth Clothing: Urban clothing with a message.
Direct Details: Auto detailing.
Dust Bunniez Cleaning: Janitorial, move-in/out, seasonal cleaning, real estate and office cleaning.
Family Delight’s: Convenience store with imported goods.
Gilead Media & Marketing: Website design.
Hair It Is: Box braids, cornrows and other hair services.
LovesickDoll Art: Paintings and artistic pieces.
Miracles Beauty Salon: Full-service hair salon.
Nature’s Design: Health food store and café.
The New Indigo: Healer/spiritualist.
Nuri Birth Services: Pregnancy care center.
Paradise Hair World: Wigs, hair products and accessories.
Shuna’s Hair Studio: Cut, color, relaxers, weaves, makeup, eyelashes.
Something Different 2 Eat: Chicken, fish, burgers, platters.
Soni Youmans Photography: Wedding, prom, maternity, school and event photography.
Spiffy Lyfe: Apparel and clothing.
Talk Of Da Town: Cellphones and accessories.
Wand A’lulu: Makeup, lashes, beauty products.
William H. Construction: Construction and contracting.
The movement has gone beyond local businesses to powerful consumer operations. The Fifteen Percent Pledge is a new petition that urges major retailers such as Target, Sephora and Whole Foods to pledge 15% of their shelf space to black-owned businesses, to mirror the 15% of the U.S. population who are black.
Activism:Binghamton activists want police forum with officials: Mayor ‘hesitant,’ sheriff declines
Yelp tool:Search for black-owned businesses
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