We've got the power ... lets use it!

It was really nice to see all of the Obama family portraits or blacked out profile pictures across different social media platforms in protest of the new head of country. I will admit, I partook of it myself. Some people decided to wear black to represent the death of the nation BUT I have one question ... wouldn't that energy be better put to use with real action? I won't go into the whole who voted or who didn't or even how DJT ended up in office because we already know those stories but what I will discuss is how we are so quick to jump on the easy train but walk away from harder challenges. Change is good and can be tough but it's done at your own pace and can start with something as simple as supporting black owned businesses. People of color give so much of the spending dollars to "others", supporting their livelihood, just to say you own something name brand. Is it that you want someone to ask "ooohhhh what are those?" Just so you know, some of "those" are not fly, just expensive. Why not spend that money with your brothers and sisters? Keep it in house! Spending money with black owned businesses assists in increasing the black economy and growth in our own community. Stop trying to fit in, we can't beat them so lets JOIN US! Here in Jacksonville, there is a movement called B.E.E.F., it stands for buy Black Each & Every Friday. Organize locally, BUY & SELL BLACK! LEARN, TEACH AND REACH BLACK. As black business owner, Traci Evans, of Meow and Barks Boutique says LETS

Which leads to another call to action: getting active in the community, especially in the at risk communities. If being a big brother/big sister, mentoring or working with children is your calling please get on board. There are so many children at risk of failing and/or becoming another statistic to incarceration or death. Even if we cannot save them all, making an attempt is so much better than not doing anything. Checking with local organizations for information on volunteering is a great way to get started. Lets not forget our older community that may need help. If there are elders that you know personally or maybe you have seen in the neighborhood that may need help getting around, working in or around the house/yard offer your assistance. These are just a few places to start.

So people of color tell me, NOW that the reigns of the country have been handed over to new leadership can WE learn to work together? The election has brought out the worst in quite a few of us, that includes all races. It is fine to disagree, that is a part of life so let it out but once that's done, shouldn't we still be able to get along? I have noticed a great division in the black community, so many blacks are screaming Obama did nothing for the black community ... I ask ... what did you and are YOU now prepared to do for yourself? Trump has been sworn in as the 45th president and we all know he has no intention of doing anything for anyone but the wealthy. If we want to see change it needs to start in our community with us. We need to organize and build where we live!

It is perfectly okay to be selfish within ourselves, they have been doing it to people of color for years! Once we all understand that we can control more on a local level than we can nationally and get people on board a change can take place. It begins with taking care of our own, keep the spending power among ourselves. B.E.E.F.'ing once weekly will eventually increase to several days and will soon be a norm. Don't let this new presidency make you negative Nancy's without a cause. I've seen negativity up and down my news feed on every social media platform. Instead, let that anger motivate you to GROW INTO POWER! I have so many minority FaceBook friends and REAL life friends, who own businesses. They offer services ranging from retail, massage therapy, cosmetology services, culinary skills, healthy lifestyle supplements, auto-body repair to providing your family with life insurance. This is only scraping the surface of the services those around me provide. There will be things that we cannot get within our community YET but utilize what's available to you. If you are reading this and you are a black business owner or know of one please comment with the business info. No matter where you are located, provide your business info so that anyone looking for a black owned business to patronize in your specific area may find you. This sounds like a lot but think of how extra we are about things that have no meaning. If we exerted half as much energy into things that matter, that could better us as a people, think how powerful we would be!