I hear many people sharing compelling talking points, but I hear even more people asking for real solutions. Many believe a massive cash infusion will solve our problems, but money alone isn’t enough…

Let’s say all these extremely wealthy Black People with the cash and the power put up the money…  Ask yourself, “Is there a solid infrastructure to support it?”  I personally believe solutions are found also in planning, strategy, design, infrastructure, integration, implementation and deployment.  With this stated, I have a few bullet points listed below that are derived from my economic brainstorming.

• For instance, a great start is doing business with Black-Owned Banks and getting the Black Banks on one accord as the financial institutions supporting Black Businesses and Home Ownership through seed funding, loans and bringing in grant holders to support it.
• Creating and sustaining more Black-Owned and operated investment firms who invest in our own markets and startups creating new entries into the stock exchange recognized as a part of the S&P 500 and other ETFs.
• Putting legislators in place (by voting them in) to normalize all sentencing in the criminal justice system (a Black Man should not get charged with a felony and handed twice and up to 10 times the penalty as a white man for the same crime or misdemeanor).
• New Black-Owned Educational entities and facilities built with a curriculum that includes our history properly documented and taught (and not white-washed like it has been), the restoration of the arts, the teaching of trades, technology, coding, financial management, credit and how money works.
• Funding our own auto industry in the United States.  There are a few auto manufacturers in Africa, but the U.S. does not recognize them here, nor do they allow their imports.  So, we need to create it here.
• Keep improving on adding more Black-Owned grocery and agriculture companies through that same funding.
• Funding our own community restoration instead of allowing the type of gentrification that pushes us out, and with this, place businesses and industries in or near these communities that allow the community to work and create more opportunities.
• Funding to help facilitate this growth and improve on customer service and the quality of products and services by using the capital to improve our products and perfect our service offerings.

Along with shopping Black, as patrons, we all need the patience and support to allow our emerging Black Companies to improve as they grow instead of complaining and tearing them down.  All other cultures allow their businesses this courtesy, and as a benefit from a collective effort, they pour more money into their communities to help them grow and improve. What I am speaking of here has more to do with the mindset of unwavering support to accommodate these cash infusions instead of just providing the funding alone.

SURE, the listed bullet points are tall orders, however they all can be done.  It just takes time, discipline and focus.  I say all this to say, though the cash would help, the mindset has to accommodate it to circulate these funds in the Black Community while giving us the power to affect the change we so desperately want to see.  In certain parts of the country, this is happening, though slowly, progress is still being made.

In the end, these are some of the many solutions I think about.  Money alone just won’t do it, however, it WILL help!  In addition to asking all of you for your support in supporting this infrastructure financially, I have decided to do my part to provide a platform to help facilitate the business and personal needs of our community, The Black Community.

A. T. Holt, Founder
CirculateBLACK