61.1% of the population in Harlem is black. Almost since its inception, Harlem has been a haven of black creativity, pride, and culture. In order to continue this rich tradition of black empowerment in Harlem, we have to support and empower black entrepreneurs and black-owned businesses.

Here are some tips for fostering and supporting black businesses.

Shop Black-Owned Businesses

Shopping local has been a big trend in the 2010s, but black-owned businesses often still get overlooked. The Black Lives Matter Movement (started in 2013) gained a lot of momentum in 2020, which resulted in protests all over the world. And during that time, many people wanted to know how they could fight for and support black communities even if they didn’t live in a racially diverse area.

One of the biggest answers was to shop black – patronize black small businesses the same way we’ve been focusing on shopping small and local. The most direct way to empower and support black business owners, in Harlem and around the world, is to seek out black businesses and buy their products and services.

If you’re not sure how to find black-owned businesses, give it a Google. There are tons of great resources for finding black creators and businesses based on industry, product, location, and much more.

Share Your Favorite Black-Owned Businesses Socially

We all know how important word of mouth is when it comes to building a sustainable brand and business. But consumers have this strange problem: we don’t trust businesses that don’t have enough reviews or ratings, but many of us don’t write reviews online or share them on social media when we find a brand or product that we love.

Always remember to talk up your purchases from black-owned businesses. Tell your friends, tweet it, take photos of the product or service results. The more you share your preferences, the more people will get curious, and then get interested in black entrepreneurs’ offerings.

Build Up A Relationship with BOBs

BOBs (black-owned businesses) are much more than a trendy hashtag or temporary fad. Small businesses have to stick together, so if you have a content project – you write a newsletter about the best sustainable baby products, or you have a political podcast or fashion YouTube series – make sure you are shouting out black-owned businesses regularly.

BONUS TIP

ALWAYS SUPPORT HARLEM WEEK

HarlemAmerica Digital Network Is Looking to Help Black Entrepreneurs and Creators

Harlem America Digital Network is here to amplify black voices, from Harlem and around the globe. Check out our website to learn more about our small business membership packages.