By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher
It’s interesting to watch corporate America try to find the right position from which to capitalize on the Protest of Racism Pandemic. Already some who have done no business with Blacks are lining up to find a Black nonprofit to give a few thousand dollars to. Note, the operative word is “non profit.” There is a big difference between making a gift to a nonprofit, which one can write off at tax time, and doing business with a Black-owned business, especially when a part of one’s corporate profits come from Black consumers.
Now is a good time to tell corporate America that we are not “all in this together” unless we are doing business with those who are doing business with us.
Corporate America will remove “Uncle Ben” and “Aunt Jemima” from food labels, but their marketing components still do not advertise with our newspapers or media groups. Even worse than that is the fact that those crying “Black Lives Matter,” and rightfully so, are still slow in demanding that the business of business with us be a real part of the justice we seek. Corporate America must realize that this is not a moment to throw us a few dollars and go back to business as usual. This time, there are and will be real demands and expectations. Just as old statues are coming down, flags are being changed and old names are being removed, so must new names come with meaning and corporate America must come with substantive change. Substantive change such as equal pay where it did not exist before; and a real commitment to removing racism, police brutality, and attacks on Black people, no matter where we are.
This movement will not allow people or corporations to be Black for a minute and return to business as usual. Those days are gone.
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