During the unrest that followed the death of George Floyd, I received a significant number of calls from non-Black business executives and elected officials asking what they should do to be impactful considering the civil unrest of that time. Despite what seems to be the current theme of the day: that America and the entire White population is irredeemably evil, many (I didn’t say all) Whites of all political persuasions, professions, ages, and income brackets are noticing that something is wrong here. YES, it is. Why are Blacks persistently at the bottom of the economic ladder?
There seem to be three common myths:
- Blacks are in that situation because they lack initiative in education and business. The assumption is their own bad behavior has caused the problem.
- There must be a secret society of White people dedicated to ensuring black people never succeed.
- Education and sympathy is the only cure, let’s support inner-city programs that teach these poor Black people to be like us. (A quick and simplistic solution that avoids and masks the proven fundamentals of building economic prosperity).
I have a different theory and a solution.
Rather than talk about what others should do, take action yourself. Ask your company, local government and companies you buy from to give a Black-owned company a chance. This way they can hire, inspire and give actual opportunities to others.
The free enterprise system is the best way to create the hope, opportunity and social capital that lifts individuals, communities, and nations from poverty to prosperity.
We can create a more perfect union by committing ourselves to a great movement of opportunity for all. The road from poverty to prosperity begins with entrepreneurial-led economic activity, which leads to the appreciation of education and the creation of social capital. Ask your company to “Just Do Business” with Black entrepreneurs ready to deliver meaningful value. This will create the economic resources, social capital and an aspirational roadmap that will lift your fellow Nebraskans from poverty to prosperity.
– A big thank you to Nebraskasunrisenews.com for publishing our article.
