· By True Moringa
Celebrating Juneteenth & Black Owned Brands
If you’re like me, when it came to Black history in America, you learned about the evils of slavery, the Civil War, Martin Luther King, and…not much else.
Needless to say, this narrative arc leaves out a lot and makes us blind to understand the racial wealth gap that persists today and has remained unchanged for the past 70 years. Namely, it glosses over the systems put in place and the repeated patterns of violence and broken promises over the past 150 years to make it near impossible for Black people to accumulate and pass on wealth in America.
The failure of The Freedman’s Savings Bank that erased nearly $3 million of Black wealth in 1874, the decimation of Black Wall Street in 1921, and the inequity in the delivery of the celebrated GI Bill that appeared “race neutral” on the surface post-WWII are just a few examples.
Economic equity is an important cornerstone in the foundation of true freedom - one that’s often missing from our national dialogue. We believe that we vote with our dollars for the type of world we want to live in - whether it’s to promote safer natural products, a healthier planet, or a reversal of centuries of economic discrimination. It’s not an immediate overthrow of an unfair system, but rather a quiet, steady rumble of voices joining in a chorus of “yes - more of that.”
This week in honor of Juneteenth, we are saying yes - more Black owned brands celebrating Black joy and excellence. More shelf space in retail stores dedicated to products that serve the needs of Black people. More supporting Black entrepreneurs who will become the next generation of investors.