How Consumers Can Support Social Justice

This blog was written by a colleague, Mr. Jim McKinley.  You can contact him via his website, moneywithjim.org.

One of the best ways to help uplift minorities is by putting your consumer dollars toward companies that promote diversity and inclusion. Every time you shop, you have an opportunity to support minority cultures and ethnicities, whether it’s doing your grocery shopping at African American-owned businesses or supporting restaurants owned by people of color. 

Shopping at Minority-Owned Businesses
The best way to directly support minority groups in your community is by injecting money into businesses owned by people of color. If you’re unaware of which businesses in your community are owned by minority groups, there are apps and websites to help you. One app that helps promote businesses owned by African Americans is Black Nation. It allows business owners to add their business to a nationwide directory and helps consumers find black-owned businesses.

There are a number of benefits to shopping at minority-owned businesses, including closing the racial wealth gap, fostering job creation for minorities, and uplifting your local economy. If your family is on a tight budget, consider supporting at least one minority-owned shop or restaurant per week to help support minority groups in your community.

Donating to Causes
Another way to uplift minorities is by donating to causes that promote diversity. Not all communities will have diversity initiatives, but there are plenty of national movements to promote diversity and social justice on a broad scale.

If you’re struggling to find local causes that promote social justice and equity, consider starting your own or joining prominent activists such as Hannah4Change. You can usually find out about events and protests on social media, so consider following activists to stay in the know.

Supporting Companies That Promote Equity
Along with supporting small minority-owned businesses in your area, be sure to investigate how larger corporations promote diversity, inclusion, and equity before giving them money. For families on a budget, it’s important to be even more mindful of where your money goes.

Corporate Social Justice is a growing movement right now, pivoting from routine Corporate Social Responsibility programs to an inclusion strategy that goes beyond the status quo and requires deeper, systemic changes within companies. As you consider where to spend your money, do your research to find corporations that promote equity.

One such company is Walgreens, which strives to promote diversity and inclusion practices. If you’re on a tight budget, there are online coupons to help you save money while still supporting Walgreens’ mission to promote social justice in their business.
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Another large business that supports diversity and equity is lululemon, which announced its commitment to delivering anti-racism and anti-discrimination training for all employees by September 2020. The athletic wear company has also vowed to spend $7 million on its social impact program Here to Be.

Macy’s is another corporation that strives to include diversity and equity into their operations. One initiative they’ve adopted is to achieve 30 percent ethnic diversity at their senior director level and above within the next five years. Their commitment extends beyond how they staff; Macy’s also plans to require more balanced representation in their advertising as it relates to gender identity, ethnicity, age, size, and those who are differently-abled. 

If you’re on a budget, it’s important to direct your spending habits towards businesses that promote equity and minority-owned businesses. If you can afford it, donate to causes that promote diversity; even a small amount each month can make a big difference in the long run. Do some research and support large corporations that strive to promote social justice, and remember you can always find coupons online to help you spend your money wisely.