There’s an opportunity to support Black businesses next weekend at an annual Black Friday event in Sacramento.
The Black Friday Coalition will make the return of its Fifth annual Shop Black Friday event at Florin Square. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 26 and from noon to 6 p.m. on Nov. 27.
Shop Black Friday will take place at 2251 Florin Rd,. where both local and out-of-town Black-owned businesses, vendors and entrepreneurs will sell their merchandise and products during the two-day event. Vendors are selling plenty of goods, such as books, apparel, food, wellness items, jewelry, accessories and more.
The objective of the annual event is to continue the practice of keeping the dollars within Black communities and to help create sustainability for many of the Black businesses participating in the event.
Community organizer Berry Accius said that the event is not just about Black people, though. It’s also an opportunity to bridge the gap from culture to culture.
“This is not just about an event, but a culture and a lifestyle. That’s how you normalize shopping and building Black,” said Accius. “This whole platform that we utilize is more than a mindset shift but it represents exposing upcoming Black entrepreneurs, seasoned entrepreneurs, and mom and pop businesses.”
Last year, the event welcomed 50 small businesses and vendors. They are looking to increase that number with already over 80 vendors registered. Interested vendors, owners, and entrepreneurs can register for a booth by contacting Accius at 916-949-9026 or by emailing blackfridaysac@gmail.com.
The Black Friday Coalition was launched by Accius, Ayesha Ransom-White and Dana Maeshia, three entrepreneurs whose goal is to help empower, celebrate and support other Black entrepreneurs.
This year, the event takes on a more sentimental value as they look to honor the life and legacy of Maeshia, who unexpectedly passed away in August. She loved the Shop Black Friday events because of how it connects Black businesses and provides a space to come together as a community and uplift one another.
Accius, a close friend and business partner of Maeshia, said this event will continue to keep her name “lit” and relevant in the hearts and minds of the people in the community.
“This year we lost a dear sister, Dana Maeshia. She was a huge component in the creation of the Shop Black Friday. This event will forever be in her honor, as she was about the build and the culture,” said Accius.
The concept of Shop Black Friday comes from the desire to continue building on the legacy of Black Wall Street in Tulsa.
The Black Friday Coalition’s mission is to redefine the mindset of African-American and Black citizens to become self-sufficient economically. The event was created for Black people to shop as an alternate to mainstream businesses such as Walmart or Target.
Marcus D. Smith is The Sacramento Bee’s Elk Grove reporter. He joined The Bee in 2020, covering Black communities for the Equity Lab. Prior to The Bee, Smith covered high school sports at the Citrus Heights Sentinel. He received his journalism degree from Texas Southern University.
