We are certainly living through an unusual time. First, our lives have been suddenly halted by a pandemic, exposing our extreme vulnerabilities as humans and as a society. Second, our country has been confronted with irrefutable episodes of racial injustice that connect to a much deeper reality of systemic racism in our country. Many of us feel helpless and want to know, what can I do? I’ve begun to think about how we can use our individual buying power as a form of social justice activism. How we spend our money on everyday items has power and can make an impact.
I recently finished a course for my masters on Social Enterprise in Community and Economic Development. A social enterprise is a company or organization that offers market-based solutions to social problems. In other words, a business that makes a profit, but has a social mission. I started to realize that these social enterprises are everywhere. Ever heard of Toms Shoes or Bombas socks? These are companies that give away a product to someone in need for every product sold. Another example is Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, NY. Their mission is to break down barriers in the hiring process by practicing “open hiring” and running workforce development programs for the most marginalized in our society. Their motto is, “We don’t hire people to sell brownies, we sell brownies to hire people.” Another example is Luv Michael, a NYC based company that sells granola in order to train and employ adults with autism.
Looking at social change through the lens of business has helped me realize that as a consumer, I make an impact with my individual economic choices. In order to uplift communities and ideas that I believe in, I can support them economically. Even if I don’t have a large budget, where I put my money makes a difference. Buying power goes beyond just social enterprises, so here are some different ways to think about social impact through your own spending habits. The list below is just a starting point; there are many more opportunities out there beyond this list.
Local and Small-Business Spending
I work in Paterson, NJ and truly believe in the community. However, for the first year that I worked there, I never set foot in any of the local businesses. I wasn’t familiar with the shops and I was more accustomed to buying everything I needed (from my lunch to business needs) where I lived at the time in Montclair or Bloomfield. However, I realized that if I really believed in the community, I would get to know the businesses and spend my money there. I now make it a priority to shop at local Paterson businesses for my nonprofit needs and for any food I purchase while at work. This includes food for events, merchandise, event entertainment, and more.
This idea of purchasing at local businesses works in any community. If you’re doing a yard or house project, maybe look first at a local vendor instead of one of the big chain stores. Especially in the times of COVID-19, small businesses need the support.
Environmentally Sustainable Spending
I’ve started to think about the impact of all of the “stuff” that I have. Our modern lives require us to have a lot and throw out a lot. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by this, I try to make smart purchases wherever I can. I try to buy things without plastic packaging or that make use of recycled materials. There is a whole world of sustainable products out there that we can take advantage of that will help us all make our own small advances in combating pollution and climate change. These are some of my favorites:
- The Earthling Co: Bar Shampoo and other package-free products.
- Who Gives a Crap?: Recycled Paper Products (Toilet Paper, Tissue, and Paper Towel) company that uses profits to build toilets in developing countries and ships products completely plastic free.
- Thrive Market: Online grocery market that provides memberships and discounts to families in need and ships all groceries plastic free.
Buy Black
Finally, there is a growing movement to “buy Black.” If we believe in righting the wrongs of years of the economic oppression of Black people, then we need to begin to move the dollar around in communities of color. The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) report, The Tapestry of Black Business Owners in America, states that there are three things impeding Black owned businesses from thriving; a wealth gap, credit gap, and trust gap. On average, Black business owners have less income and wealth than their white counterparts. This is due to historic policies that have excluded Black people from economic programs open to white counterparts over the last fifty years. Although the need for credit is high, Black business owners have less access to credit. Approval rates for credit for Black owned businesses is half of that of white-owned businesses. As a result, many Black businesses do not even apply for credit. This lowers starting capital, which is pivotal in entrepreneurial success. More than half of Black business owner respondents to an AEO survey indicated that they felt unfairly treated by financial institutions. Perhaps we as consumers can begin to close some of these self-reinforcing negative loops by supporting Black businesses. One way to do that is to shop in black neighborhoods. Similar to my example of shopping in Paterson, patronize the businesses in communities of color, even if you aren’t from there — especially if you aren’t from there! There are also many resources online for shopping Black. One example is Etsy, which has a whole section for Black-owned shops where you can find hand-made and unique items from small business owners.
This list is not exhaustive, so feel free to share more ideas if you have them. Our calling is to be the hands and feet of Jesus. There are many ways to live this calling. We live in a world of great economic and social inequality. In addition to praying, feeding the poor, and clothing the naked, we can help sustain systems and businesses every day that support our values and improve the quality of life for all communities.
Elder Elizabeth Moulthrop, September 2020