I’VE HAD THIS idea for about 12 years: to choose one day to spend with Black businesses and call it Black Pound Day. I decided to launch it this summer because of the Black Lives Matter protests in London.
I thought: How can I engage with this in a positive way? I wanted to redirect the energy in our city. Instead of being political activists, people could be economic activists. Emotions come and go but spending with Black businesses can help rebuild our community. The discrimination that we face is at all levels: education, health, employment, the justice system and as entrepreneurs.
It’s important, I want us to continue this initiative on the first Saturday of every month. I want us to have more spaces in shopping centres and supermarkets. I’d also like [the anniversary of the first] Black PoundDay to become a national day. It launched on June 27th and the date is important to me: 27 is the inverse of 72 and we were celebrating 72 years of the Windrush Generation this year in June. Read More!