Business
We Buy Black Convention

Black Consumers and Sellers Gear Up For Historic We Buy Black Convention
The second annual event plans to honor the enslaved Africans who arrived in 1619, and reclaim the power of Black commerce.

This August marks 400 years since the first Africans reached the shores of Jamestown, Virginia where they were auctioned for sale as slaves. In remembrance of this historic event, one millennial entrepreneur is planning a different kind of sale – one that he hopes will impact the next 400 years of African-American history.
On Aug. 23-25, 2019, over 120 Black-owned vendors and consumers will gather at the second-annual We Buy Black Convention in Atlanta at the Georgia International Convention Center. There will be Black-owned companies selling everything from soaps and shea butter to laundry detergent, bed linens, and toothbrushes. While the items themselves may represent the routines of everyday life, event organizer and founder of e-commerce site WeBuyBlack.com, Shareef Abdul-Malik says that the impact of this singular commercial event has significance beyond its surface.
“This year’s convention is deeper on a lot of levels because our people were brought to this country to be bought and sold,” said Abdul-Malik. “So, not only are we honoring our ancestors and how their struggle for freedom and justice got us where we are today, but we’re also reclaiming the effects of capitalism that enslaved us in the first place.”
At just 27, Abdul-Malik is already a veteran when it comes to connecting Black consumers with Black-owned businesses, but he hopes this convention will help get the Black community excited about the wide variety of high-quality products Black businesses have to offer and inspire others to become business owners themselves.
“Our mission is for the average Black family to be able to easily and efficiently buy everything they want and need from a Black vendor,” Abdul-Malik said. “We’ve been able to help business owners sell and market their goods, but now we need more Black manufacturers.”
With the theme “Setting the Precedent for the Next 400 Years”, the convention will begin with the Inaugural The Next 400 Gala, honoring Yusuf Salaam of the Central Park 5, Mo’Nique the comedian and entertainer, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf who preceded Kaepernick by 20 years and lost his NBA career due to his political stance, and lastly Dr. Key Hallmon of the Village Market ATL. This Gala will be hosted by Derrick Boazman of WAOK 1380 Radio, and Cleveland Councilman Bashir Jones will be the Keynote Speaker. There are only 400 tickets available to attend this Gala that Friday evening.
The weekend includes workshops on business ownership and manufacturing, alongside the vast array of Black-owned products that will be sold. There will also be B2B Speed Consulting Sessions and a “Shark Tank” style pitch competition called Pitch Black.
The event also boasts live performances from national and local recording artists, a Popcorn Competition, and a Children’s Village, where youth participants can engage with Black-owned brands and performers on their own level.
On Sunday, August 25th, The We Buy Black Convention will be the United States satellite location to observe the international moment of silence in commemoration for the 400 years. This weekend will be full of notable moments in our history and it’s definitely something that deserves our participation.
“Even if you just come to replenish your supply of toothbrushes or get your child a new backpack for school, you’ve contributed to something that will help generations of Black people,” he said. “I think our ancestors would be proud of what we’re trying to do.”
We Buy Black Convention
Aug. 23-25, 2019
Georgia International Convention Center
2000 Convention Center Concourse – Atlanta, GA 30337
Tickets and more information can be found at www.webuyblackconvention.com.
About WeBuyBlack.com
WeBuyBlack.com is the largest online marketplace for Black-owned businesses and individual sellers. By giving Black businesses and sellers access to a diverse, open, and international market, WeBuyBlack stimulates the circulation of wealth among the Black Diaspora and assists Black businesses in providing for families and communities at large.
Business
Treasury Department Releases Report on Benefits of Unions to the U.S. Economy

The Treasury Department recently released its most comprehensive-ever look at the role that labor unions play in the American economy with a new report by the Department’s Office of Economic Policy.
The report represents over 70 actions the White House Task Force implemented on Worker Organizing and Empowerment. It finds that unions play an important role in addressing the middle class’s longstanding challenges – including stagnant wages, high housing costs, and reduced intergenerational mobility.
The report’s key findings are:
- Middle-class workers reap substantial benefits from unionization. Unions raise the wages of their members by 10 to 15 percent. Unions also improve fringe benefits and workplace procedures such as retirement plans, workplace grievance policies, and predictable scheduling.
- Unionization also has spillover effects. Competition means workers at nonunionized firms see increased wages, too. Heightened workplace safety norms can pull up whole industries. Union members improve their communities through increased civic engagement; and they are more likely to vote and donate to charity.
- Modern unions have broad representation across race and gender. In 2021, Black men had a particularly high union representation rate at 13 percent, as compared to the population average of 10 percent.
- Unions can boost businesses’ productivity by improving working environments and giving experienced workers more of an input into decisions that design better and more cost-effective workplace procedures.
Promisingly, there have been recent signs of a reinvigorated labor movement, as union election petitions in 2022 bounced back from the pandemic to their highest level since 2015, and public opinion of labor unions is at its highest level in over 50 years. Other actions taken by the White House include:
- Prioritizing the passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and the Public Sector Freedom to Negotiate Act.
- Promoting “know your rights” initiatives to provide workers with better information about their organizing and bargaining rights.
- Announcing a new rule to raise wage standards of construction workers by updating wage regulations.
- Requiring employers to pay prevailing wages and abide by apprenticeship requirements to claim the full value of many clean energy tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act as part of the Treasury Department’s implementation of the law.
Business
First Black Franchise Symposium and Trade Show Coming to Plano

The Franchise Game, the U.S.’s first and only African American Franchise Symposium and Trade Show, is coming to Plano, Texas, on Friday, September 15, 2023. The event, spearheaded by “The Franchise Player” Tarji Carter and Marketing Maven Dessie Brown, Jr., will take place at Yum! Restaurants International Corporate Campus from 8am-5pm CST. The symposium aims to bring together experts and industry leaders to discuss the secrets to success, challenges, and opportunities in franchising. The theme for this inaugural event is Doing The Work!
The day will kick off with a message from James Fripp (Chief Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer,
Yum! Brands) and a powerful keynote address from Nicholas Perkins (CEO of Fuddruckers and the first African American to own a National Hamburger Franchise System), followed by an explosive lineup of panel discussions led by franchise subject matter experts including Mike Quinn (Franchisee, Pizza Hut), Tim Williams (Director of Operations, Williams Chicken), Damon Dunn (Franchisee, Dunkin’ Brands and Retired NFL Player), Delmas Arthur (Operations Manager, Dunkin’ Brands, Starbucks, 5 Guys, McDonald’s, and Hardee’s), and “The Franchise Player” Tarji Carter.
“With this event, we are looking to attract multi-unit franchisees, owner/operators, potential investors, athletes, entertainers, and franchise brands seeking to attract franchisees that reflect the communities they serve,” says Carter, who has worked with some of the world’s most delicious restaurant brands, including Cinnabon, Carvel, Baskin Robbins, Dunkin, Wingstop, Edible Arrangements, Fuddruckers, and Bojangles’. “We want to increase franchise ownership and wealth across the African American community by providing education, resources, and opportunities to aspiring franchisees and small business owners – and we can reach this goal by partnering with franchise brands committed to inclusion, equity, and belonging.”
Fueled by iconic African American magazine/brand JET, the Franchise Game will consist of sessions from franchisees, lawyers, business development officers, and operation managers. Sessions include A Day in the Life of a Franchisee (where attendees will learn from some of the industry’s best multi-unit franchisees), Talk to My Attorney! (where attendees will learn about the legal rights and responsibilities from franchise attorneys), Bag Secured (which is designed to address accessing capital for business), Operational Excellence (which is designed to show attendees how to grow from an Owner-Operator to owning a large enterprise), and How to Get Started and Approved (which is the official guide to franchise ownership).
Before the symposium and trade show, The Franchise Game will also hold a VIP Reception on September 14, 2023, for executives, brands, and select attendees.
To register or for more information, please visit www.thefranchiseplayer.com/events. Early registration is recommended, as space is limited
Black Life Texas
Supporting Black Business 365

With the Black community making up 6-7% of the population in San Antonio, it’s critically important that local Black businesses are supported. As in June for Black History Month and August for Black Business Month, the focus needs to be more than twice per year.
There are more than 2 million Black-owned small businesses in the United States. Since the start of the pandemic, the number of new Black business owners has risen 38 percent, with Black female entrepreneurs leading the charge.
Despite this progress, Black entrepreneurs are struggling to stay afloat, with 8 out of 10 Black-owned businesses expected to fail within the first 18 months, according to a 2021 CNBC report. The struggle is real for African American companies. According to a 2022 report by Bank of America, 46% of Black business owners in the U.S. face problems accessing capital, and 44% don’t have a mentor.
While San Antonio is home to several Chambers of Commerce, two cater to the Black community. The Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce and the African American Chamber of Commerce of San Antonio provide ways for entrepreneurs to be mentored and learn from others. They offer lunch and learn series, ongoing mixers, resource fairs, and business institutes.
The Biden Administration has recently made it simpler for many small-business owners to get loans. As part of a series of changes effective Aug. 1, the Small Business Administration has simplified loan requirements to make it easier for financial-technology firms to participate. The SBA is also increasing the scope of licensed non-bank lenders to issue SBA loans. Also, the federal office is providing additional flexibility in credit criteria for loans under $500,000 to reach more credit-worthy small businesses.
SBA loans, typically made by banks and other financial institutions, help entrepreneurs start and grow small businesses. Entrepreneurs can borrow up to $5 million in SBA-backed loans, making the loans less risky and more appealing to lenders.
-
Black Life Texas3 weeks ago
I’m Not Back, I’m Better!
-
Business1 week ago
Treasury Department Releases Report on Benefits of Unions to the U.S. Economy
-
Black Life Texas3 weeks ago
The Future of Black Labor
-
Art1 week ago
Harlem Renaissance – First African American Movement of International Modern Art
-
Black Life Texas1 week ago
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
-
Black Life Texas2 weeks ago
We Have To Help Our Obese Children
-
Black Life Texas6 days ago
Hispanic Heritage Month
-
Black Life Texas3 days ago
Welcome to Earth: The Black Community’s Connection with Aliens