Texas Children’s Hospital remains committed to supporting equality, justice, respect, and the Black Lives Matter movement. The Psychology Section’s Collaborative on Racial Equity and Inclusion for Black Youth (REI) provides resources and information, and supports our patients, colleagues, and the broader community in this important mission. One aspect of this collaborative is providing actions the Texas Children’s community can take. In the newest installment of the “Take FIVE” series, we offer suggestions on how to support Black-owned businesses as a strategy toward anti-racism and promoting equity. We encourage you to “Take FIVE” and consider carefully where you spend your money and what businesses you support. Check back often to learn more ways you take action.
Why is it important to support Black-owned businesses? Read this piece from the Amplify series on Mashable to understand the background for this important prioritization in spending habits.
Go local! Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States. Because of that, it is highly diverse and is home to many Black-owned businesses across several industries. Check out Houston Buy Black, The Houston Black Pages, and Houstonia Magazine for searchable directories of local restaurants, stores, and services that can support the Black community in and around Houston.
When you need a product that isn’t available locally, take a pause before clicking on the big box store. Prioritize shopping at Black-owned businesses across the country. Lists of such stores are abound. Here are a few places to start: Google’s new business profile features indicating Black-owned, The Strategist from New York Magazine, and Refinery 29’s list of apps & websites to locate Black-owned businesses.
Support companies that support anti-racism. Whether you are buying a COVID-19 mask, clothes, beauty items, or art, there are opportunities for your dollars to be transformed into donations to support anti-racism organizations. If you need to beat the summer heat, Ben & Jerry’s has a long-standing commitment to racial justice and dismantling white supremacy!
Make an impact on Black-out days. Following on a Civil Rights Era tradition of boycotts to take a civic stand and be heard, Black-out days are a way to impact the United States economy by withholding spending for one coordinated day. Learn more: https://money.com/what-is-blackout-day-2020/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackoutdaymovement/
Click here to read the previous Take FIVE post on how to access some educational tools about racism.