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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 314
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 02:19 am: | 
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Posted on Sun, Aug. 13, 2006
Business Matters
Urban Dictate: Advertise in the black community
BY BILL DIGGS
Special to The Miami Herald
This weekly column is supplied by the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce and is intended to provide information for small and minority businesses, especially African-American-owned businesses, and a forum for discussing related issues.
There has been an e-mail going around about a subject called ''Non Urban Dictate.'' This e-mail addresses a growing concern, listing companies that have decided not to advertise within the black community. I have always considered it to be a myth and not a true initiative that any company would dare discuss out loud. But then I have to reconsider my opinion based on some recent discussions that I have been having lately with many of our Chamber of Commerce members who work in the media.
Derrick Bell once said, ''It appears that my worst fears have been realized: We have made progress in everything yet nothing has changed.'' Here we are in 2006 and the black community in less than 50 years has made significant progress since we were given a bill to ensure our civil rights and we still have to go to the corporate community and ask them to spend advertising dollars with black-owned media outlets.
Let me explain.
When a major corporation, a Fortune 500 company, has dollars to advertise its products, it gives those dollars to an ad placement company. That company then goes out and researches where it wants to spend those ad dollars in order to get the most exposure for that company's product. The process is a cumbersome one but, for brevity, basically what happens is that these media specialists conduct research that will tell the company who are buying their products the most and, consequently, that is where it will spend the money. The media placement company also attempts to determine future trends so that it can pick up on the next hot area for the client.
What this whole discussion about Non Urban Dictate says is that many of the companies ignore the data that blacks spend money on things such as computers, automobiles, fine dining, credit cards and travel. While many of my friends are middle-class, what I have come to realize is that blacks, regardless of their economic status, simply will not do without many of the things that make life more comfortable. Our disposable income as a race is very high and continues to climb.
I am of the belief that black folks in South Florida must begin to operate on one premise and one premise alone. We must only do business with people who do business with us.
The chamber began this as a practice over a year ago and all of our members know that you have no shot at a contract with the chamber unless you are a member. We have had large organizations come and meet with my staff and say that if they are given a contract they will become a member.
I am quick to say that it is a business decision and not a partnership decision: If you truly want to help, then come to the meeting with a different attitude (and your membership check) and, perhaps, we can do business.
In today's environment, where black culture has become American culture, it is hard for me to imagine companies that simply do not want to spend advertising money within the urban core and the black middle-class communities.
If you look across the most recent trends of clothing, music and automobiles, you will see the influences of black culture.
As the chamber identifies the companies that have a practice of not supporting the growth of black business, we will make you as a consumer aware of who they are so that you can make the same educated decision that they have. After all, I do not want to feel like Derrick Bell. We want to ensure that the progress that we have made does change things.
Bill Diggs is the president/CEO of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce. Send feedback or news for this column to bdiggs@m-dcc.org.
© 2006 MiamiHerald.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.miami.com |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6002
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 06:45 am: |
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Tonya,
Maybe the Black foks in Miami-Dade (and throughout the rest of the World) should get really PISSED about this "Non Urban Dictate" business and start & support their OWN computer, automobile, travel & ADVERTISING companies. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 315
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:54 am: |
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Abm,
Until African-American-owned businesses and black-owned media outlets can assure me that they've put an end to the same classist, racist, color-coded procedures objected to here, I ain't pissed. Business as usual. Everyone’s a racist. THAT'S the reason we haven't gotten anywhere in 50 years. I wish he'd chosen to tell it like it is instead of making it seem like it's just "The Man." |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6004
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 12:33 pm: |
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Tonya,
I don't think any/all Black own businesses should be lumped into some evil, colorist, racist catagorty. So if that is your position, on THAT we will utterly DISAGREE.
And even it that were largely true, so then that means that you should patronize NON-BLACK owned business which are even MORE likely to be racist and color-coded than are the Black ones? |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 316
Registered: 07-2006
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 02:02 pm: |
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Abm,
That means I will patronize which ever one that will serve me best. Until we get our vices straight, however large or small they might be, I’m putting a moratorium on my marching shoes. Because it is my belief that white owned businesses are NO MORE racist and/or color-coded than black ones. The ONLY difference is there are more white businesses. And had we been doing the right thing, we could have been on our way to putting a meaningful dent in that. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6007
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 02:41 pm: |
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Tonya,
I disagree. I think Black people should - MUST - market with each other.
But hey. What do I know? After all, I've only OWNED a business - whose staff and clientele has been almost an entirely African American female.
You continue right on doing what you're doing.
"All in all, it's justa...nother brick in the WALL." ---Pink Floyd |
Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 503
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 02:49 pm: |
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Tonya, it doesn't take long to investigate a business. You can just walk up to the front desk usually and find out a lot with only a few well placed questions.
By doing that, I sort out the bougie type negroes from the kinfolk type negroes.
I support black business as much as possible, but I am like you, Tonya. There are certain blacks that I boycott.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6010
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 02:55 pm: |
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PBG,
I think it's rather odd that foks who are alleged to be so Black-oriented would be so hard on Black-owned businesses. Bougie or not, they offer the best chances for Black economic growth and development.
And you can bet your self-righteous a$$ the vast majority of NON-BLACK business owners can give a hotdayam about most Black foks...Even those who've helped make them RICH. |
Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 507
Registered: 04-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:05 pm: |
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Abm, let me blunt.
When I walk into a high yellow doctor's office and the nurses and receptionists are white with a token mulatto, I do not support him.
In the deep south, when you find these black-owned resort hotels left over from the Blue Vein days, I don't stay there.
"Black Issues Book Review" told a black woman writer that she could not review Kola's memoirs, because they don't support Kola's views and said she's divisive.
I cancelled my subscription.
Black man and white wife's restaurant, I don't eat there.
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Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 508
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:07 pm: |
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If I get the feeling that a black business is "black", then I not only spend my money there, but I tell others to go there.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6014
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:17 pm: |
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PBG,
So then you don't patronize ANY all-White businesses?
Not EVER?
And what you don't know is whether those 'blue vein', 'high yella' foks are serving 100's or even 1,000's of your kinds of "black" foks, those who might be denied quality goods/services elsewhere.
What you don't know is whether they supply or are supplied by YOUR kind of "black" clients and vendors.
I mean. Black Americans own LESS than TWO PERCENT of all of the nation's wealth. So while I understand your perspective to a certain degree, in a macroscopic sense your philosophy probably does more harm for Blacks as whole than it does us good. |
Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 510
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:22 pm: |
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Abm, I would rather support straight white folks than my own kind who use my money to get white.
In the past two years, I've changed to where I loathe self-haters more than any type of person.
I will pay to see Brad Pitt, but you will never see me attend a Wesley Snipes movie.
Me and all my girlfriends boycott Wesley Snipes.
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Moonsigns
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Moonsigns
Post Number: 1343
Registered: 07-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:35 pm: |
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Abm:
"I think it's rather odd that foks who are alleged to be so Black-oriented would be so hard on Black-owned businesses."
Moonsigns:
I agree.
Abm:
"Bougie or not, they offer the best chances for Black economic growth and development."
Moonsigns:
One would think so.
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Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 512
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:40 pm: |
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Abm,
By supporting the "bougie Blue veins", you really are not supporting blacks at all.
That is what I realize. They're selling us out.
The average black business person's wealth will eventually end up in "white hands".
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6016
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:49 pm: |
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PBG: "The average black business person's wealth will eventually end up in "white hands"."
And your viewpoint won't do a dayam thing to stop that. |
Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 513
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:54 pm: |
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Yes it will, Abm. If we create "blacker" black people then it will begin to pay off for us. It's already happening. Particularly with the businesses that "black females" are starting.
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Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 514
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 03:55 pm: |
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I'm saying black-identified such as Magic Johnson. He is for the people.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6018
Registered: 04-2004
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 04:03 pm: |
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PBG,
I'm all for creating "blacker" people. I'm not, though, for villifying any/every business owned and operated by lightskinned Black foks ESPECIALLY if/where such requires my instead giving deference to NON-BLACK owned/operated businesses.
I'll bet you can walk into some of Magic Johnson's Starbucks and movie theatres and see a disproportion number/percentage of lightskinnned employees. And that may be due to nothing BUT who did/didn't apply for the gigs. |
Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 516
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 04:16 pm: |
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Abm,
You got it twisted.
I'm not against lightskinned black folks. I AM lightskinned.
I'm talking about the types who have a "paper bag" policy and marry white. They glare at a black person when they walk through the door. Where do you live? You never been to a black doctor's office who only employs only white staff and married white?
Think of Tiger Woods with a doctor's office.
I support "Sister 2 Sister" magazine owned by Jaime Foster Brown who is very light but she's for the people.
I don't support BET or anything of Bob Johnson.
I support any black, light or dark, whose money goes back into our community.
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Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 517
Registered: 04-2005
Rating:
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 04:22 pm: |
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Take you, Abm.
You have a black business that employs black women.
The money from that business goes to feed your black household, your relatives. It will educate your daughters who are black.
Your employees more than likely are taking their pay back into the black community as well to benefit black children.
Your business is primarily for our people.
You are not financing a white debutante ball and the Bush campaign so that you can be on the society page.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6020
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 04:45 pm: |
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PBG,
I agree that in certain parts of the country color-castes exist amongst how communities and businesses are managed and maintained. But depending upon where you're from, this paper bag issue is more legend than it is fact.
I seldom witness overt evidence of what you describe here in Chicago. Not saying biases of some sort don't exist. But you're almost NOT going to walk into many Black-owned businesses of any size here that have an all blue-veined staff UNLESS it's wholly owned/operated by relatives.
Still. I'll concede that in, say, New Orleans, you can see sort of a Creo-only kinda thing happening.
But even then, I think you've gottah pick your devils.
Because, as I said before, if the local NON-BLACK businesses are even LESS likely to hire/service YOUR kinda Black foks than are your local blue-veins, who the hell are you helping by shopping with THEM?
Again. You don't KNOW whether those lightskinned foks are - in fact - feeding, hiring and supplying OTHER Black foks. I promise you, all other things being equally, THEY'RE more likely to do so that YT. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 319
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 04:47 pm: |
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Pretty:
“I would rather support straight white folks than my own kind who use my money to get white. In the past two years, I've changed to where I loathe self-haters more than any type of person. I will pay to see Brad Pitt, but you will never see me attend a Wesley Snipes movie. Me and all my girlfriends boycott Wesley Snipes.”
“If I get the feeling that a black business is "black", then I not only spend my money there, but I tell others to go there.”
Tonya:
Exactly Pretty. I hate to say it but that's precisely the route I'm forced to take.
Pretty:
“By supporting the "bougie Blue veins", you really are not supporting blacks at all. . . .The average black business person's wealth will eventually end up in ‘white hands‘.”
Tonya:
COULDN’T AGREE MORE! |
Prettybabygirl
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Prettybabygirl
Post Number: 519
Registered: 04-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 05:27 pm: |
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Chicago!
Abm, get the fuck outta here.
No wonder you don't know what we're talking about.
LOL!!! 
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Renata
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Renata
Post Number: 1159
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:10 pm: |
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You'd be wrong about Magic Johnson.....at least in Atlanta. He owns THREE businesses in my part of town....and ALL of the employees look like they live in this part of town. And even though they're all pretty young (18 to 25), they're all very respectful and seem well-educated. |
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