When was the last time you spent money at a black-owned business? Was it yesterday? Last week? Last month? Ever? Do you even know?

If I know one thing, it is that white Americans are not doing enough to support black-owned businesses and with our history (hello, slavery, Jim Crow, etc.), this is absolutely criminal. Let me be clear that I include myself and my family in this as well.

I’ve written about how shopping local is good for the environment and economy. It still is. I want to take this one step further (farther?) and say that we need to especially be active in seeking out black-owned local businesses. If you’re not doing this, I understand that there’s a good chance it’s not on purpose. We are creatures of habit and when we find things we like, we stick with them and struggle to see outside of them but in honor of Black History Month, I want to challenge you to pick one area in your life that you can make a change. Your dry cleaner? Your bank? Your favorite dessert place? Your barber/hairstylist? Your accountant or financial advisor? Your mechanic? Cleaning service? Babysitters? Florist? Caterer? Date night restaurant? Local beekeeper or soap maker? Any aspect in your life that you’re spending money, you can look to find a way to support a B.O.B.

For us right now, a simple but sustainable change Andrew and I can make is where we buy our coffee beans. I was excited to learn that here in St. Louis there is a black-owned roastery.

Northwest Coffee Roasting Co is black family owned and operated. I did a little more research on them and appreciated most of what I read about them. From their parenting to their vision and mission to how they are loving on their community to their quality product. I was particularly thankful to discover that they offer a selection of Fair Trade beans. At $15/12 oz, it’s not cheap though it is comparable to other locally roasted beans. Due to our budget constraints, we might not be able to buy from them every week but we will be trying to budget for every other bag of beans. We are most excited that the better this business does, the more time these owners, Jason and Shanti, can spend with their kids, provide opportunities for their family, and do good work in their community.

So my challenge to you is to do a search for Black Owned Businesses in your community. If there hasn’t been anything written on this topic in your area, contact your local newspaper, tv station, or magazine and have them do a piece on it. That way, they can do the research for you.

And if you live in St. Louis, be sure to stop by Northwest Coffee. Their Central West End location is really fun. I imagine when it’s not the dead of winter, you might find the fire pit lit or that garage door open. The outdoor seating area is great for kids to be able to run around as well.

http://www.northwestcoffee.com/