I am feeling a bit nostalgic today. I know a lot of it has to do with being a person of a certain age, but a lot of it has to do with our current state of affairs.
I grew up in a time and a community where we loved being Black. We loved living as a community. We all knew each other's names and we could shop freely within our own communities and were treated with respect. Whether you were a single mother on welfare or were one of the professionals in the community, maybe you worked at the bank, or the post office or you worked in an automotive plant and made "good money" for our time. We didn't discriminate against each other. We were united by God, our community and our southern roots (never forgetting from whence we came).
We didn't have to be reminded to spend our money with folks who looked like us. We wanted to spend our money with folks who looked like us. We didn't do it for "likes" or "clicks" or because it was "trendy." We did it because we did.
I realize that tech has taken over and we don't even have to leave our sofas to order up groceries on our smart phones. There are very few Black owned small businesses because the owners have passed away and the children are now all well-educated and enjoy successful careers.
This is just a friendly reminder that we can still support each other - even if it's not at the corner store.
(Bonus points if you can spot the pig feet)
4 comments:
It is my prayer that many young African Americans will read this blog. Mature African Americans can print and share with the youth whenever and wherever an opportunity presents itself. Your article is inspiring and a reminder that the African American community has a GREAT HISTORY of respect for each other and not a history of disrespect and destruction of each other. Respect was commanded and given in the communities. History can and often does repeat itself. Your article is a reminder of what is possible with teaching and effort.
Thank you, Brooklyn!
Wonderful piece!! I particularly love what you said here: "We didn't have to be reminded to spend our money with folks who looked like us. We wanted to spend our money with folks who looked like us. " It is easy for all of us to take the easy way these days--shop online with Amazon or other well-known retailers--rather than trying to find the Black-owned business, but you can find Black-owned businesses online. I try to do that whenever I can--especially when I need to buy gifts. I often go to Etsy where there are a lot of people of color selling their products. I also search on other sites like QVC and HSN for businesses owned by people of color. But more so than supporting our businesses, I wish more of us were talking to our young people, trying to keep them from settling their disputes with guns rather than good will and good sense. That is a tough task, but let us all keep that in mind and try to teach the young that they are wiping out their own futures by being so quick to shoot someone with whom they disagree.
Barbara, thank you!
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