Job growth in our economy is slow. The unemployment rates is high for people of color in this country. In my part of the country, small businesses are picking up the slack. Small business account for nearly 1/3 of our country's new job growth. The problem is that newer, smaller businesses are either white, family-owned, or both. Where are the black entrepreneurs?
I don't see them. Gone are the day of "ma" and "pa" businesses. Some people think that they are now to good to sell soul food, purchase a franchise, or work at a corner store. Many of us feel if we can snag a good government or corporate job, it will solve our problems. As a result, more Hispanic and Asian businesses are in black communities and our dollar doesn't stay in our neighborhood once.
Black people are the BIGGEST consumers in this country. If it's not on our back or on our hand, then we don't want it. Cars, liquor, bling, clothes, you name it. Invest our money in 401K, establish a savings account, buy a house, saving for a rainy day...some of us just don't do that.
I'm noting this for a reason. If black people fail to become entrepreneurs, who is going to hire us? In a bad economy, diversity gets thrown out the window. Job competition becomes nasty. Today's jobs are looking for college graduates with computer experience. A high school degree just doesn't cut it anymore. There are already people who do nothing on their job and get paid for it.
Seriously, no one is monitoring hiring practices of small businesses. Frankly, these businesses are going to hire people they feel comfortable with. In a sense, they can discriminate. They are breaking the law.
As black people, we need to recapture that entrepreneurial spirit. Our survival depends on it.
Posted By: Marsha Jones
Wednesday, March 3rd 2010 at 9:32AM
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