MEMPHIS, Tenn —
Millions of Americans look forward to Thanksgiving and the day after, an unofficial shopping holiday called “Black Friday.”
This year, there is a push to support small businesses impacted by the pandemic, but particularly black-owned businesses.
Facebook is leading a national campaign called “Buy Black Challenge” and a local event strategist is gearing up for a virtual black Christmas expo.
Facebook Manager for State Public Policy and Memphis native Erica Woods says black-owned businesses are closing at an alarming rate during the pandemic so an initiative like this will really help dozens of minority owners stay afloat.
“Essentially, it’s a campaign that redirects your Black Friday spending, holiday spending towards small black owned businesses. At Facebook we understand that small businesses have been negatively impacted by Covid and the pandemic,” Woods explained.
The campaign has several elements. One includes Facebook teaming up with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce to feature more than 60 different small black-owned businesses and the products they sale.
“Some of your favorite shops in Memphis if you got to their Instagram pages and make sure to include the hashtag buy black or if you post them on your Instagram stories or on your own feed they will be featured under the hashtag as well,” Woods said.
Memphis is full of black-owned businesses. Next month, event strategist Cynthia Daniels is launching her 3rd annual Black Christmas Expo.
"Juneteenth was so successful. We had one million dollars spent in one day with one hundred Black businesses, so I felt like it was important to do the same thing for the Christmas holiday," founder of Black Christmas Expo.
The expo is free and people can register on Eventbrite.
“Now businesses are using social media just to let folks know they are open. They’ve got the protocols in place that people can safely shop and come in, so we understand the power of social media especially reaching a broad audience,” Woods said.
Click here for the Facebook gift guide for its #buyblack campaign and click here to register for Cynthia Daniels Black Christmas Expo.
Happy holidays and happy shopping!