Racial inequality has many faces, and one of them is the restricted choice Black consumers face.
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Take the beauty industry as an example. Most beauty companies in the US make products for white people. As a result, Black consumers are thrice as likely to be dissatisfied with their options in makeup, skincare, and hair care than their non-Black counterparts.
And this face of racial injustice shows itself across industries. The rise of “Black-owned” businesses is no mistake. It’s a response to the need for Black people to find products made with Black consumers in mind.
Finding products tailor-made for Black consumers isn’t easy. This article will share tips that will make it easier.
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Tip 1: Buy From Black-Owned Businesses
Black entrepreneurs see the problems that fellow African Americans face, and their businesses try to solve such problems.
On the one hand, this comes at a cost. Most Black entrepreneurs struggle to raise capital because the decision-makers at most investment firms are white. They’re less likely to see the sense of entrepreneurial solutions for the Black community because they’ve never been black.
On the other hand, Black-owned businesses typically serve Black consumers better.
For example, Fenty Beauty is revolutionizing the consumer experience for Black women. It’s now possible for a Black girl to find the perfect shade for her deep-dark complexion. Also, black women who’ve been told in the past that their lips are too big to wear red lipstick can now rock it with confidence because the manufacturer made a product for them.
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Below is a YouTube video about the best makeup products for black women:
Another example is in the financial space, which is riddled with discrimination against Black borrowers. As an African American, whether you’re applying for a mortgage or a business loan, it’ll be more difficult to get one due to a system of biases against Black borrowers.
Black-owned banks and fintech companies go out of their way to use objective lending systems. And it works. According to Forbes, when bias is removed from the equation, Black borrowers are more successful.
As a Black consumer, an easy way to find the best products is to put Black-owned in front of search terms in Google.
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Tip 2: Use Resources Made to Help Black Consumers
Back when the Jim Crow laws supporting racial injustices against African Americans were in full force, the Green Book helped Black travelers avoid discrimination while traveling. It helped them find friendly hotels, stores, and lodgings in a land where businesses refused to serve Black people because of their color.
We’ve come a long way since the Jim Crow era. However, its damaging effects linger, which is one of the reasons we still have resources dedicated to helping Black Americans find suitable products and support Black business.
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An example is Green Book Global, a website that helps Black travelers conveniently tour the world and find Black-friendly destinations.
Here are some Black-owned consumer guides we’ve assembled for you:
- Top ten Black-owned bed and breakfasts in the US
- Black-owned restaurants in Chicago
- Black-owned grants
- Black-owned e-commerce stores
- Black-owned card games
- Black-owned media outlets
- Black-owned life insurance companies
- Black-owned clothing brands
- Resources for Black-owned businesses.
