What happens when you only spend with Black-owned businesses for a day? I tried it—and what I discovered was deeper than just money.

Last Friday, I took on a challenge: Black Out Friday—unless it was at a Black-owned business.

At first, it seemed simple. I wanted to be intentional about where my money went, reinforcing the power of circulating the Black dollar. But as the day went on, something became clear—there were some serious gaps in the types of businesses we actually own.

This wasn’t just about supporting Black businesses. It was about seeing where we still need to build.

The Power of the Black Dollar

We talk a lot about the $1.8 trillion in Black spending power—how much we contribute to the economy and how quickly our money leaves our community. The goal of this challenge was to see what happens when we make a conscious effort to keep the dollar circulating among us.

But the deeper I got into the day, the more I ran into limitations:

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• I needed gas—but no Black-owned gas stations nearby.
• I needed groceries—but how many Black-owned supermarkets exist in my city?
• I needed public services—but most are controlled by non-Black entities.
• I needed healthcare access—but how many Black-owned pharmacies or urgent care centers are available?

The reality hit: We own businesses, but we don’t own enough infrastructure.

Supporting Black Businesses Is a Start—But Ownership Is the Goal

Let’s be clear—I will always advocate for supporting Black-owned businesses. But buying from Black brands alone won’t create the economic shift we need.

Here’s why:

✔ We own the storefronts but not the supply chains.
✔ We run the businesses but don’t always own the buildings.
✔ We have Black entrepreneurs, but we don’t control the distribution networks.

This means that even when we support Black businesses, much of the money still funnels out of our communities through rent, inventory costs, and services controlled by non-Black entities.

So, while this No-Spend Friday showed me that we can be intentional with our money, it also revealed where we must be intentional about ownership.

Find the Gap You Can Fill

This isn’t a call to complain. It’s a call to build.

The challenge isn’t just about where we spend—it’s about what we create, invest in, and sustain for the long haul.

Each of us has a role:

• If you’re a business owner, think beyond just selling a product—how can you control the supply chain?
• If you’re a real estate investor, can you help secure Black-owned spaces for businesses to operate?
• If you’re in finance, can you support Black-owned banks and lending institutions that fund our growth?
• If you’re a consumer, how can you shift your regular spending habits toward Black-owned establishments?

Find the gap you can fill or contribute to—and work in that area.

As for me? We’re working actively in the media space.

Black media is critical because whoever controls the narrative controls the power. We’re building and expanding Black-owned media platforms because our stories, perspectives, and economic movements deserve to be seen, heard, and amplified—by us, for us.

Circulating the Black Dollar Is a Movement—Not a Moment

This No-Spend Friday was an eye-opener. It showed the strength of the Black dollar—but also the work we still have to do to keep it circulating longer.

Imagine a future where:
✔ We own our grocery stores, gas stations, and supply chains.
✔ We have thriving Black-owned healthcare networks.
✔ We build our own infrastructure, from banking to media to housing.

That future is possible. But it starts with us being deliberate about where we put our money and where we invest our energy.

So, I challenge you:

What Black-owned business can you support today?
What gap in our infrastructure can you help fill?
What will you do to make sure the Black dollar doesn’t just move—but stays?