CHICAGO—August is National Black Business Month. In Chicago, The Black Mall is supporting Black-owned businesses with its “Black Business Crawls” initiative every Saturday in August.
The Black Mall is an online directory that spotlights and supports Black-owned businesses across the country. Its co-founder Cassiopeia Uhuru says, Black-owned businesses need Black supporters more than ever.
Ms. Uhuru added regarding the initiative, “[It] brings in financial support, that capital that they need to keep maintaining, keep their employees; hopefully, be able to bring in new employees. And long-term, it makes them stable in our community.”
The “Black Business Crawls” aims to highlight Black-owned enterprises in five Chicago business districts, and it will mark the 26th anniversary of National Black Business Month in Illinois, an official recognition by the state of Illinois in honor of the late Dr. Webb Evans, who was a proponent and advocate for Black businesses.
The Black Business Crawl will happen in Englewood, Hyde Park, Chatham, Austin, and Uptown, and other communities between noon and 4:00 p.m. every Saturday in August and include some of Chicago’s favorite Black owned businesses.
“The more thriving businesses that we have in our community, the better the economic health of that community meaning their ability to supply jobs, bring in new jobs and of course when we are supplying more jobs to our community, we’re also reducing crime and poverty. So, it just overall builds a better quality of life in each community,” said Ms. Uhuru.
For more information on the “Black Business Crawls” and to find a Black business near you, visit theblackmall.com
