Black Lives Matter and the Demand for Change

After 131 years, PepsiCo announced the retirement of Aunt Jemima. The company acknowledged the brand name and mascot was based on a racial stereotype and committed to change. Of course, we still like syrup on our pancakes- we’re not monsters- but PepsiCo’s reformative measures are long overdue.

With the nation’s call for racial equality in response to the death of George Floyd, companies in every market are taking a long, hard look in the mirror. The need for racial reconciliation is no longer considered special to the individual. Global corporations and industry leaders reveal themselves subjects of predatory dispositions. In fact, these deeply ingrained prejudices hold such a wide and powerful reach, they even extend into the advertising industry’s jargon. The struggle of being ‘whitelisted’ vs. ‘blacklisted‘ or the use of master hard drives vs. slave drives. The white vs. black narrative finds it’s roots in good v. evil rhetoric. How we speak and how we do business is in desperate need of change.

So, what can we do? Well, a heck of a lot. But don’t stress! Our team spent the last week gathering resources for you. We focused on change and/or actions people can take that affect the Black community’s opportunities, education and businesses. Everyone has the responsibility to take part in social restoration. How are you & your business pitching in?

Give

The Strategist’s extensive list of ways to support the Black community might be the only list you need to see. From victim memorial funds to community reform groups, there’s an incredible amount of opportunities to put forth your dollars for change.

Shop

Black Wall Street boasts the largest platform for engaging with Black owned businesses. Other comprehensive directories include  The Nile List & Dobobo. Forbes also put out an exhaustive list last week. Still not sure where to start?

Eat

The EatOkra App is your new best friend that knows all the Black-owned restaurants to try. And all of a sudden, I want a second lunch.

Read

Autobiographies, essays, poetry or fiction- no matter your preferred genre, you’ll find something on this list that’s well worth your time. And honestly, what else are you reading? Instagram captions don’t count.

You get our newsletter & you’ve been loyal to SKIMM for far too long, it’s time to refresh your morning news. The opening line? ‘Your daily reminder to dismantle white supremacy.’ Yep. Keep reading.

Watch

Netflix released it’s BLM genre last week in hopes of educating their audience on ‘the Black experience in America.’ Fantastic collection. We recommend starting with #blackAF.

Listen

There’s countless Black artists to celebrate, but Leon Bridges is one we can’t get enough of. And did we go all out fangirl when we heard he grew up down the road in Ft. Worth? Yeah. We freaked. God Bless Texas.