| Andrew, did you know that August is Black Business Month? John William Templeton, president and executive editor of a scholarly publishing company, and Frederick E. Jordan, engineering executive, created Black Business Month in August 2004 to recognize the importance of Black businesses to the economy. As Black business entrepreneurs and professionals, they experienced, firsthand, the hardships and the disparities that Black businesses are forced to grapple with. Access to adequate funding is an issue that too many Black business owners have faced. After all, about 2.4% of U.S. businesses are Black-owned, despite Black people making up 12.8% of the U.S. population. This has to do with the lack of access to loans and capital, as well as the government's lack of equitable policies and commitment to diverse businesses that would advance Black business growth. It's no secret that capitalism has exploited Blackness since this country's founding. But it's also no secret that we show up for our people. We have the power to uplift, advance, and protect Black businesses everywhere — and that's exactly what we're doing in August — and beyond. To wrap up Black Business Month 2024, we're asking folks what Black business they want us to uplift across our platforms. Can you take 2 minutes to fill out the form and tell us about your favorite Black business? You can fill it out more than once! HIGHLIGHT A BLACK BUSINESS Andrew, more work needs to be done to achieve full equity for Black businesses. We can do our part by dedicating ourselves to spending our dollars at Black businesses whenever and wherever possible. In love and solidarity, Black Lives Matter
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