Shop Black Week, which began today, welcomes consumers across the country to direct their dollars in-store and online to black-owned businesses.
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About 150 organizations and businesses owned by African Americans, with some in Georgia, will participate in the national consumer awareness week. The Gwinnett County Atlanta Black Business Owners/Entrepreneurs, Gwinnett County Black Chamber of Commerce and Blueprint Atlanta are some of the Georgia organizations that will embark on Shop Black Week.
The organizers of Shop Black Week, which runs until Nov. 29, expect this holiday season to be the largest turnout in its 25-year history. Based on the number of followers for each company and members of business associations participating, the campaign team expects millions of consumers to engage this year.
What we believe is that if every American made a purchase, no matter how small or big, most Black-owned businesses wouldn't be able to handle the increase, providing evidence that by supporting Black-owned businesses on a regular basis, we could permanently and systematically change the economic condition of the Black community forever." − Carla Tillman, PhD, Shop Black Week's media strategist.
The national shopping celebration comes when areas including Washington, D.C., and Atlanta are increasingly becoming hubs for black business. According to a report by New Pittsburgh Courier, Washington has the highest ratio of black-owned businesses in America, with 28% of all businesses having African American owners at the helm.Georgia follows with about 20% of its businesses being black-owned. Their report says the more than 2 million black-owned businesses across the country employ nearly 1 million black people.
For Shop Black Week, organizers hope the awareness and engagement will show a sense of solidarity and enhance visibility for black businesses in various communities, said Phillip W. Dunn, CEO of A Seat At The Table, a Texas business.
“Corporations want our dollars, celebrities want our viewership and politicians want our votes; so, it's only fair that they give us their support during this movement as well,” he said in a written statement.
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Those who shop at black-owned shops and retailers during the next week can share photos of their purchases on social media using #shopblackweek and #SBW2019 to raise awareness about the movement.
For more on businesses and organizations involved, visit
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