We Got Work To Do!
By Ronda Watson Barber – Publisher
Black History Month is over. We have celebrated the rich legacy and contributions African Americans have made to our nation and worldwide. How are you creating Black History? So what are you doing to help the economic and political empowerment of Black people? We all play a part in creating a more perfect union. Our dollars and votes have power. Did you vote early? Our votes must be powerful because there are lots of efforts to prevent some citizens from casting a ballot. There is still time to cast your vote. There is early voting through March 14. Election Day is Tuesday, March 15.
Are you getting involved in the Black Buy Movement? A sista entrepreneur and advocate from Cincinnati is encouraging us to spend at least $20 a week at a Black-owned business. She believes the effect of Buying Black will create over two million jobs by 2017.
Are you advocating for Black owned and small businesses? Have you checked out the OhioMBE Wall of Shame? I encourage you to contact the Wall of Shame inductees and encourage them to share the wealth and Buy Black. Ask them about establishing purchasing goals and inclusion programs.
We got work to do! It can not be business as usual. Although we pay into a diverse tax pool, many public entities are not using Black-owned businesses. Some are hateful and brazen about the lack of diversity or inclusion in their purchasing practices. I firmly believe if you receive tax dollars, there is a moral obligation to have an inclusion purchasing pool. I found it quite telling that most of the suburban school districts in Central Ohio do not have purchasing goals when they have a student of color populations exceeding 25 to 40 percent. Additionally most don’t have any plans to establish inclusion programs or participate in diversity activities.
Why aren’t the suburban schools doing business with Black companies? Are they buying into negative stereotypes and biases? Why did The Pickerington School District recently say help us decide whether there’s value in the district investing employees time to come over when asked to participate in the no-cost OhioMBE Procurement Fair. The OhioMBE Procurement Fairs introduce small and minority-owned businesses to purchasing opportunities. In the last two years, we have helped secure over $200,000 in contracts. Since when is inclusion an added investment into the purchasing scheme. For the record, inclusion should be an everyday occurrence.
Just my thoughts…
RWB
