The balancing act: Supporting black businesses while navigating corporate DEI pullbacks

I’m not an expert in DEI initiatives, but I do care deeply about where we choose to spend our money and how it impacts the businesses in our communities. Right now, many people are facing a tough decision: Should we continue supporting corporations that are pulling back on their DEI commitments, or should we take a stand and stop shopping there? It’s an important conversation, but it’s also a complicated one. Many of these companies sell products from small Black-owned businesses that have fought hard to earn a place on their shelves. If we stop shopping altogether, we may unintentionally hurt the very businesses we want to uplift. This matters because black business owners have worked tirelessly to get their products into major stores, and here’s the reality: once they’re there, they have to meet sales goals. If they don’t, they risk getting pulled from shelves. These decisions aren’t based on equity or fairness but on numbers. If sales drop because consumers are boycotting a corporation, it’s not the corporation that suffers — it’s the Black-owned brand that doesn’t meet its sales targets. That means fewer opportunities, lost income, and potentially starting over from scratch. This isn’t a simple topic....