Seize the Moment Today, Tomorrow, and Forever More

Collectively around the world, July 7, 2020, African Americans everywhere decided to keep their money in their pockets to show the world, the value of the Black Dollar. Since the occurrences of police brutality and the insurgence of bias and racism towards African Americans recently, Blacks around the world have gathered in droves in protests, they have formed groups within their collective states to bring together their resources in order to support one another in their buying exploits and business relations. One such group, Black Owned in New Jersey, which I have had the pleasure of joining recently went from just over 15K members to now having over 175K members all with a common interest of supporting other Black Owned businesses and entrepreneurs. Individuals and companies alike have expressed their gratitude for such a group, as they see a spike in sales, increase in following on various social media outlets, as well as encouraging and sharing information from one business spectrum to the other. The Administrator of the group, Kevin Stoute, has started a registry in which Black Owned Businesses throughout New Jersey can register their companies and the information is made available to those that are looking for the various services, clothing and accessories, literature, lawyers, nail salons, etc. There are so many movements around the world that are beginning to show the power we have in numbers and what we can do if we pull together and begin to work with one another for the greater good of our communities. It is okay to do for the time being, while the momentum is high surrounding the current racial climate in our country, but many individuals like myself and the other entrepreneurs in the Black Owned in New Jersey group hope to make this bigger than a moment in time. The goal is for our people to begin to see supporting one another not as a movement, but as a way of life. Families around the world have begun to educate their daughters and sons on the importance of what is taking place in this country. Writers are emerging with stories to encourage young black men and women to embrace the skin they are in. Big companies are showing up in droves either in opposition to or in support of the movement and are seeing how one false move can kill their sales.  The saying goes, “There is power in numbers!” When we begin to unite and show the world what can happen when we stop hating one another and killing each other’s dreams and goals, the world will see just have much Black Lives Matter. Its not about the extremist group. It’s not about saying our lives are more important than anyone else’s. Rather, it is about showing the world that we have always had to fight through roving odds and still have a long way to go. It’s about getting people to see how foreigners come into this country and are given more opportunities than we, the people who were born here and raised as American citizens. It’s about laws passed that don’t protect our rights. It’s about the gap in wages for men and women of color, or the underrepresentation of our kind in legislation and judicial powers. And the misrepresentation of us in the media, as well as the overpopulated jail cells with fathers, sons, uncles, brothers, nephews, and cousins. We cannot afford for this to be just another moment in time. We can’t afford for this to be a look back at a big moment, but rather this needs to be the catalyst to an end. And end to racial bias. An end to police brutality against blacks. An end to redlining in the mortgage markets and so many other areas where we have been systematically oppressed. But it starts within our own communities. If the world won’t rally with us, then it is high time that we rally with one another. We have power and fortitude in numbers, and it is now time that we exercise it. Our children and their children are depending on us to create and craft a world that they will find pleasure living in and we pave the way right now in this moment where we can stand to make a big bold statement. At a moment when we can rise through the ashes like a phoenix. At a moment when the rest of the world is showing its indifference in the way they see and treat us. Now, we can begin to see ourselves the way God always intended, “In His Image!” Rise Kings and Queen. Wear your royalty with honor, today, tomorrow, and forever more!