Groups organize to showcase Kansas City’s Black-owned businesses

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    Kansas City, MO (KCTV) — The Buy Black Empowerment Initiative is encouraging people to think about where you spend your money on.

They say just like many of us are conscious about wearing our masks around others, we should be conscious about supporting Black-owned businesses.

“My concern is if we don’t support those businesses,” Buy Black President Kathryn Persley said. “It will start being very noticeable in the community.”

Over the summer we told you about a UMKC study, which found only 24 local black-owned businesses got Paycheck Protection Loans. Black Businesses account for less than one percent of those that got assistance.

“Most Black people did not get that money,” said Persley. “So, those small businesses that really, really, really needed it didn’t have the access.”

The Buy Black Empowerment Initiative is hosting a virtual event to help shoppers access a wide range of Black businesses they can support.

“Communities of color are going to be impacted the most,” Persley said. “We are just really concerned that we do something to try to reach a level of sustainability so that we can recover from it.”

“When you’re buying a $15 candle or a $30 pair of shoes or a hat or whatever that may look like, that’s how they are feeding their families in a lot of ways,” said Darrell Johnson.

Johnson owns a candle-making business with his partner. He said with the death of George Floyd sparking protests throughout the country and the continuing Coronavirus pandemic, Black business owners are supporting each other more than ever.

For shoppers willing to buy in-person Dream Makers Society is hosting a small pop-up on Prospect to lift up local black owned businesses.

The event runs until 8 p.m. Friday night, from 7-8 on Saturday and 8-8 on Sunday at 3135 Prospect Avenue. Masks are required to shop.

“I think this is a way for people to kind of see us in a different light, especially those folks who have this outlook on African American people,” said Johnson. “It’s also a way that we’re able to come together as one as well.”

“Those small businesses support other small businesses, which makes communities sustainable,” said Persley.

To help business battle less foot traffic this season, on the Initiative’s app, they are launching a marketplace where you can buy directly from Black Owned businesses. They hope to have that function up and running in early December.

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