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Happy Kwanzaa - Ujamaa - Cooperative Economics



Cooperative Economics – Ujamaa – To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Statistics are showing that the black owned business is far, few and in between.  Many businesses have closed their doors due to the lack of support from their communities. Dreams deferred but surely not denied.

You can walk around the neighborhood and see the success of the corner stores owned by families that have put their minds, money and physical abilities together. I have heard the conversations such as, why are those people coming over here and opening businesses? Those people? Before I educated myself on the dynamics, I too use to say those very same words. Those people are our Asian, Indian, Ethiopian and Sudanese brothers and sisters. Those people, are families who have banded together to create. They have stepped out of the box of just dreaming and talking, they are doing. Even if they did it and it failed, they did it and most likely will do it again. You see, when you have a desire to create a legacy, you will do whatever it takes to see that legacy come to fruition.

We need our black business back. We need to come together for a greater good so that we can bring others with us. We need to stop sitting on the sidelines pointing fingers and casting shade at the next man or woman who has taken the risk to create no matter who they may be or where they are from.

Today’s Kwanzaa reflection is about creating businesses and opening up the pathway for those behind us. This reflection hits home for me as I too prepare to step into the world of entrepreneurship. Am I alone? You have a service that is required.

Be Blessed


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