The Black community was saddened and ill-prepared for the travesty that occurred last week when Double 8 Groceries closed in communities where quality food options are scarce.
I understand the feelings of gloom and despair our brothers and sisters feel as a result of the closings – I feel the same way because people are now left with even fewer options. But I also can’t help but ask myself how and why we (Black people) continue to rely on others to provide options for us. Don’t get me wrong, I am not on an unrealistic soapbox that prohibits me from understanding the ugly realities that occur to and in our communities. I am not a privileged woman who is out of touch with reality either. I am merely a woman who not only recognizes the issues of our community, but also the underlying roots of those issues.
Yes, oppression is real.
Yes, discrimination is real.
Yes, there are some powers that don’t care or understand the plight of Blacks.
And yes, there are others who make it incredibly difficult for Blacks and other people of color to attain certain opportunities especially related to economic development.
I understand all of these disheartened truths, which has led to my frustrations of our people over the years.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for us to take control of our own destiny. It is time for us to provide for us.
The article on page A1 details some of the things community leaders – including select churches and politicians – are doing to address the grocery shortage such as various fundraising efforts and shuttle services to other grocery stores. I applaud those entities for swiftly taking action to help those in need. However while these actions are necessary and admirable, they are still reactive rather than proactive. It is time for us to be more proactive with issues that impact our community.
In Amos Brown’s column, he explains how Double 8 – formerly 7-11 supermarkets – came to exist. Almost 60 years ago, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor immigrated to the U.S. with his family. They settled in Indianapolis and opened grocery stores throughout the city. The owner, Zoltan Weisz understood exclusion and discrimination so he wanted to provide options for the underrepresented. His professional savvy coupled with his passion helped millions of local families in our community survive over the years because they had a nearby grocery store to not only shop at, but also gain employment.
I salute Weisz, but I also yearn for a Weisz from our community. As another story on the front page further details, there are several thriving grocery stores in primarily Hispanic neighborhoods. Like Weisz, many of the Hispanic owners migrated from other countries in search of better opportunities in America. They came here with little to nothing, but they worked hard, sacrificed and planned for a better tomorrow. And when society didn’t give them opportunities, they created opportunities for themselves through entrepreneurship.
Blacks have to follow suit. Though we were unwillingly forced in this country, we have been here for hundreds of years. We must do more to stake our claim for self-sufficiency. We have to create entities that are for us and by us. It may sound radical to some, but it is highly necessary because if we don’t make opportunities for ourselves we may soon lose the chance.
But even beyond creating opportunities and owning our own businesses, Blacks have to go a step further and support one another. We don’t do that well enough, yet we complain when a Black business is forced to close its doors because of revenue loss.
How many of you support the Recorder, Indiana’s premier Black newspaper, through advertising and subscriptions? How many of you support current Black-owned Midwest Dollar Store on the city’s Eastside or North Meridian Hardware located near downtown Indianapolis?
Go to any Hispanic grocery store and you will see the majority of its customer base is Hispanic. Such dedicated patronage helps maintain the stores as well as the communities they serve. Blacks must, and I repeat, must do better at supporting our own businesses. It is the only way to take control of our own destiny.
I will end with a quote a wise man shared with me once: “Never has one race saved another.”
We must save ourselves.
