As many of you know, I am the Chief Marketing Officer for Around The Way app. This app allows you to find the closest Black-owned business to your current location thus I am passionate about supporting Black-owned businesses.
Unfortunately, too many African Americans love showing other folks (mainly non-African Americans) how much money they have and how much they have to spend. Black folks seem to love spending money with every other business on the face of this earth to show them that they can afford to eat, drink, wear and drive anything and everything that a non-Black vendor is selling.
It is my humble opinion that this attitude was a direct result of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. During the Civil Rights Movement, Black leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. worked tirelessly to break down the institutionalized barriers for self esteem reasons and other reasons. The fact that we can celebrate a President Barack Obama is a lasting result of the positive outcomes of the Civil Right Movement. Thus, every minority owes MLK a debt of gratitude.
However, with all of the benefits Civil Rights come some detriments. During the movement, access to White-only restaurants and other societal amenities was seen as a gift. Suddenly, if it was White, it was right in regards to where Black folks should spend their hard earned cash. This attitude persists today among African Americans. Black folks can't spend their money fast enough buying Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hennessy and every non-Black-owned luxury item.
General Motors, AT&T, NBC and every major corporation in this country has a diversity and inclusion department. Generally, this department is mandated to make sure that it's supplier makeup is reflective of society. In other words, they want to make sure minority suppliers are given contract opportunities.
If General Motors had the diversity spending habits of Black folks, they would have virtually zero African American suppliers.
This is why I propose that every African American adopt a person Rooney Rule. The Rooney Rule was a rule instituted by the NFL in 1993 to help the hiring of African American coaches. The rule simply says that when an NFL head coaching vacancy becomes available, the team is mandated to interview at least 1 minority coach. They do not have to hire that coach but they at least have to interview one.
The positive results of the Rooney Rule speak volumes. In a 4 year span from 2007 to 2011 we saw 5 Superbowl appearances and 2 Superbowl victories by Black NFL head coaches.
2 Things Black Folks Could Learn From The NFL
(1) Your Personal Rooney Rule: Before you spend your hard earned dollars have you considered an African American business? You don't have to spend at a Black-owned business but make a conscience effort to consider it.
(2) Download and use the Around The Way app to support Your Personal Rooney Rule.
Would you adopt a Personal Rooney Rule to support Black-owned businesses?
Unfortunately, too many African Americans love showing other folks (mainly non-African Americans) how much money they have and how much they have to spend. Black folks seem to love spending money with every other business on the face of this earth to show them that they can afford to eat, drink, wear and drive anything and everything that a non-Black vendor is selling.
It is my humble opinion that this attitude was a direct result of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. During the Civil Rights Movement, Black leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. worked tirelessly to break down the institutionalized barriers for self esteem reasons and other reasons. The fact that we can celebrate a President Barack Obama is a lasting result of the positive outcomes of the Civil Right Movement. Thus, every minority owes MLK a debt of gratitude.
However, with all of the benefits Civil Rights come some detriments. During the movement, access to White-only restaurants and other societal amenities was seen as a gift. Suddenly, if it was White, it was right in regards to where Black folks should spend their hard earned cash. This attitude persists today among African Americans. Black folks can't spend their money fast enough buying Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hennessy and every non-Black-owned luxury item.
General Motors, AT&T, NBC and every major corporation in this country has a diversity and inclusion department. Generally, this department is mandated to make sure that it's supplier makeup is reflective of society. In other words, they want to make sure minority suppliers are given contract opportunities.
If General Motors had the diversity spending habits of Black folks, they would have virtually zero African American suppliers.
This is why I propose that every African American adopt a person Rooney Rule. The Rooney Rule was a rule instituted by the NFL in 1993 to help the hiring of African American coaches. The rule simply says that when an NFL head coaching vacancy becomes available, the team is mandated to interview at least 1 minority coach. They do not have to hire that coach but they at least have to interview one.
The positive results of the Rooney Rule speak volumes. In a 4 year span from 2007 to 2011 we saw 5 Superbowl appearances and 2 Superbowl victories by Black NFL head coaches.
2 Things Black Folks Could Learn From The NFL
(1) Your Personal Rooney Rule: Before you spend your hard earned dollars have you considered an African American business? You don't have to spend at a Black-owned business but make a conscience effort to consider it.
(2) Download and use the Around The Way app to support Your Personal Rooney Rule.
Would you adopt a Personal Rooney Rule to support Black-owned businesses?
This post first appeared on Eric Hamilton's Business & Technology, please read the originial post: here
