August is Black Business Month, and as a proud Black business owner, this time of year holds special significance for me. I take my role in this community seriously, and I’m intentional about where and how I spend my Black dollars. Supporting Black businesses isn’t just a one-time act or something I do for show—it’s woven into my everyday life. My dollars circulate within my community, and that’s something I’m deeply committed to. It’s an act of love, of solidarity, and of empowerment.

Too often, we hear narratives that unfairly disparage Black businesses as a whole, and it’s disheartening. But for every person who speaks negatively, there are countless stories of resilience, creativity, and excellence that make up the Black entrepreneurial spirit. I am so incredibly proud to be a part of this legacy—to stand as a Black business owner who is contributing to something bigger than myself. And beyond that, I’m just as proud to be a deliberate and consistent patron of other Black-owned businesses. We’re creating something powerful, something sustainable, and something that uplifts our communities. Every dollar I spend within the Black business ecosystem is a vote for the future we want to see.

For me, being Black isn’t just a facet of my identity that’s skin deep. It’s not just about where I grew up, my vernacular, or my ethnicity. Being Black is something I engage in actively, daily. It’s how I move through the world, how I interact with my community, and how I express my purpose. I breathe it, I defend it, and I pay homage to it. Blackness is not just something that happens to me—it’s something I embrace with pride and intention. I honor the sacrifices and victories of those who came before me, and I do my part to ensure that we continue to thrive.

To every single person who has had the courage, the vision, and the determination to run a Black business: I salute you. We know it’s not always easy, and the challenges are often greater than those faced by our counterparts. But we do it anyway, because we believe in the power of our people, our products, and our services. We believe in the spirit of UMOJA, unity, because we know that when we come together, we are unstoppable. We practice UJIMA, collective work and responsibility, because we understand that our success is tied to the success of our community. We embody UJAMAA, cooperative economics, because we know that wealth within our community builds freedom. And we live by UBUNTU, because we are connected by a shared humanity. “I am because we are.”

So, as we continue to celebrate Black Business Month, let’s remember that every Black dollar is a seed being planted for future generations. Whether you’re a Black business owner, a supporter, or an advocate, your role is vital in this ecosystem. Together, we are building legacies, one purchase at a time.

#BlackBusinessMonth #Soulpreneur #Entreprenegro #SupportBlackBusiness