Why We Need Black Voices Now More Than Ever

by A Collier
black voices

Why We Need Black Voices Now More Than Ever

Listening to and giving platforms to black voices has always been and will always be an important endeavor in American history. Here’s why we need black voices now more than ever.

black voices

Listening to and giving platforms to black voices has always been and will always be an important endeavor in American history. Here’s why we need black voices now more than ever.

2020 was an important year for a lot of people. It brought a global pandemic, economic recession, and the latest in civil rights-based movements, like #BlackLivesMatter. But as we move forward, we know that listening to and giving platforms to black voices has always been and will always be an important endeavor in American history. Here’s why we need black voices now more than ever.

Black-Owned Businesses Were Some of the Hardest Hit by Covid Shutdowns

There’s no denying it – if you are or were a small business owner in 2020, you had a rough go. However, though 13% of the US population is black, only 7% of the 15 million small business owners are.

And not only are there fewer black-owned businesses in the US, but 21% of those black-owned businesses were “financially distressed” before the pandemic even started, compared to a mere 5% of white-owned businesses.

In entrepreneurship, like most other industries and statistical comparisons, the black community also struggles to qualify for or receive the same amount of assistance and resources that are available to their white counterparts.

2020 Was the Year of BLM – And the World Was Watching

Events like Black Out Day (held last year on Tuesday, July 7, 2020) – where black Americans participated in a one-day spending strike to highlight the realities of how the Black dollar is essential to the U.S. economy – and the numerous Black Lives Matter protests that were organized after the unjust killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd sparked international outrage have done a lot in just one year to shine a spotlight on the differences in how black Americans are viewed and treated.

Though the BLM movement started in the early 2010s, a whole host of events created a media firestorm that allowed the movement to exponentially increase its reach in 2020. While this global awareness is a great start, it’s important for media outlets and industries to recognize the power of black voices.

COVID hit black businesses hard, and in order to make sure we don’t see a generation of black entrepreneurs wiped out, we need to take steps to encourage and empower those who are struggling so they can continue to set an example for young black entrepreneurs everywhere.

HarlemAmerica Wants to Help Amplify Black Voices

2020 was a year of change. And some of that change included hearing and seeing, in stark detail, how important it is for black Americans and entrepreneurs to truly be heard. And that’s where HarlemAmerica comes in.

HarlemAmerica Digital Network is here to amplify the next generation of black voices, from Harlem and around the globe. Are you a black entrepreneur or entertainer, dreaming of hosting your own podcast? Check out our website to learn more about our small business membership packages.

Share This

Leave a Comment