Finding the words to say something that is going to contribute to the current conversation around black empowerment hasn’t been easy. I wasn’t sure what else I wanted to say. Over the years I shared my thoughts and experiences with supporting the black community through the support of black owned businesses, as well as sharing my thoughts on race, injustice, representation, privilege and using that privilege, cultural appropriation versus assimilation and mental health within the black community.
As I wasn’t sure what else to say, I decided that it would be a good time to open this discussion up and to use this time and space to really get people to be more conscious of who we support and who we spend our money with. As we have seen over the last few weeks we really are the change makers, the original influencers of culture and change.
To shine a light on the black British experience this series will allow guests to share their thoughts and experiences on being a conscious consumer because it is important for black British people to have a voice and to acknowledge the power of the Black British pound.
Due to my upbringing from a young age, I was able to witness what the black British pound can do, through the support of black owned businesses. It allowed for education for black children that wasn’t centred around the white British experience, it created opportunities for employment and many more resources. I am conscious of the fact that I was young at the time so I want to be careful not to romanticise this experience of supporting the black community.
When discussing being and becoming a conscious consumer it is imperative we predict and establish areas that could causes problems. it would be naive to think that by just suggesting black owned businesses and having discussions on and off of social media that everyone is now informed enough to make that switch to being aware of where they spend their money and the impact that has on our black lives.
Our morals, beliefs, ethics, behaviours, attitudes and habits have to be challenged and that in its self takes time. We have to be honest and realistic about what the present and the future will look like with more black people investing in themselves because everyone has a part to play.
Buying from a black owned business now and again is great, but we have to think about what else we can do to ensure that black people have the infrastructure, that black people are not working in poor conditions and have all of their rights respected. That we have black professionals who can provide well rounded education for all and not just the ones who can afford it. We also need more affordable and representative counselling/therapy to be available to all that need it, and access to safe healthcare is mandatory. We need all of the above and more to ensure that black people are building a community that is fruitful, instead of creating a new idea of capitalism.
The first guest post for this series goes live next week. let me know your thoughts being a conscious consumer. what do you think needs to be done in order to see a change in the way we spend within our community?
SAABIRAH LAWRENCE 
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