This week, this quote popped up on my Instagram feed. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t poke something in me.

“White is the default & Blk as a duty”

If that doesn’t make you feel something I don’t know how to help you. I’d like to think I’m on the right side of things right now - but I know that even I have a lot of work to do in helping to dismantle these kinds of thought patterns and systems in myself and in my community. The words in the picture from Instagram pushed me to think differently. Am I a bit ashamed to admit that? Yep. FOR SURE. But admitting our unconscious biases and working to challenge and change them in ourselves and others is the only way to really make lasting change - and to encourage change in others. Maybe you’ll read this and judge the eff out of me. And that’s fine, I can handle that. But maybe you’ll read it and it will give you the ability to acknowledge some of the shit that you need to change too, and that is far more powerful.

So where to start in supporting businesses? There is an app for local Milwaukee area businesses called MKE Black. Read more about the app and founders here and here. And here’s a list of Black owned businesses outside of the Milwaukee area. You can sort by industry or view locations on a map. Fair warning: the food and restaurant listings on MKE Black will make you very, very hungry.

My encouragement to support BIPOC owned businesses is not to check a box and feel like you’ve done some good. It’s a challenge to look outside of your little bubble and support good people and businesses out there especially if they don’t look like you, and make it a regular part of your life - not a duty.

Further, look for people in your own industry that are doing good things and support them too. A couple weeks ago I wrote a post about my field that you can check out here. I’m proud to follow and support the links I posted. Now its your turn - find businesses owned by BIPOC in your industry. Support them, buy from them, share their content.

Keep learning and keep doing better.