byblack

Black-owned business owners urged Kansas City’s African-American community to only shop at their businesses earlier this week.

As part of the National Black United Front’s “Blackout Monday” initiative, the organization wants the community as a whole to take note of what’s happening in Ferguson, Missouri. 

From WDAF-TV:

Workers at Leon’s Thriftway tell FOX 4 News they often see customers who make a special trip to buy their groceries at this store, specifically because it’s the only African-American owned grocery around.

More customers are doing their shopping at Leon’s as part of the Buy Black Empowerment Initiative. Organizers say African-Americans have more than $1 trillion in spending power nationwide. They say by sitting on their money today, the African-American community hopes to send a message and honor all murdered black men, women and children.

“The importance is we have spending power, which means we have the power to make change,” said Taty Richards, a member of the Buy Black Empowerment Initiative. “In order to get that change made, you have to be heard. We’re going to pull our money out and hold it and put it in our own businesses in our community.”

Read more at WDAF-TV

The National Black United Front has created a free Buy Black KC app for Android and iPhones. The app helps consumers identify black-owned businesses near them. Owners are expected to uplift the entire community through further investment and employment, if consumers only shop at black-owned establishments.

Organizers hope to continue blackout buying days every Friday and on holidays.

What do you think of the buying black initiative?

In what other ways can we improve the economic status of black communities?

Sound off below!