Black Lives Matter is adding another extension to their organization as part of their ongoing efforts in the fight for Black lives.
The realization that the best way to truly empower African-American communities like never before is through focusing on economic growth has been at the forefront of conversations in 2016.
Taking that concept to the next level, BLM has launched the Backing Black Businesses website — an interactive database in the form of a map that shows users where Black-owned businesses are located within their area.
“Black-owned business have long been a staple in the Black community providing jobs, economic security and somewhere for us to go and feel seen and safe,” BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors said in a statement. “In these uncertain times, we need these places more than ever.”
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To locate a Black-owned business nearby, users can search the database by address, city, state or zip code, which will then cause the map to populate with the locations of the shops closest to the location provided.
Those looking to add a business not yet included in the database can fill out a short form to share basic details about the business and submit it to the organization via the website.
The range of products offered from the nearly 300 businesses included in the database so far include food, beauty supplies, lifestyle goods, health items, entertainment and more. As the site is brand new, the majority of the business included are located in New York and Los Angeles, however, the more people visit the site and submit their businesses for inclusion in the database, the faster it will grow.
If you’d like to add your business or find out more about the initiative, visit their official website HERE.