Like many of you, I've been following the conversations happening across our community over the past several weeks. The pain, the frustration, and the calls for economic action are real. As I reflected on it today, one thought kept coming to my heart. What if, in addition to choosing what we won't support, we became even more intentional about what we will support? What if we made this a season of intentionally choosing Black-owned businesses whenever we can? Order from the Black-owned restaurant. Hire the Black-owned photographer. Book the Black-owned accountant. Support the Black-owned bookstore. Choose the Black-owned contractor. Leave a review. Share their business. Make the introduction. Because every dollar we spend is more than a purchase. It's an investment in a dream. It's an investment in a family. It's an investment in our future. And perhaps most importantly... It's an investment in our children. Our children deserve to grow up seeing thriving Black-owned businesses in their neighborhoods. They deserve to see Black entrepreneurs owning buildings, creating jobs, writing books, opening restaurants, inventing products, building technology, and serving their communities with excellence. They deserve to believe that entrepreneurship isn't just something they admire from a distance. It's something they can become. This photo was taken during our recent Black-Owned Business Tour in Los Angeles. We spent the day intentionally supporting Black-owned businesses, learning their stories, and investing in our community. It reminded me of something I'll never forget. Community doesn't happen by accident. We build it. One relationship. One introduction. One purchase. One act of support at a time. At Black On The Platform, we've already seen what's possible when we intentionally support one another. Together, our members have generated more than $32,500 in referrals for businesses within our community. Imagine what's possible if more of us made this a habit.

Blood introduces you. Loyalty makes you family. In this week’s 8-minute read, Dr. Indigo Moore (they/she) reflects on 12 foster homes and 18 years of searching, arriving at one truth: Family is who shows up. As a Black non-binary organizer serving QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color), Indigo shows how chosen family is not just a concept; it is a lifeline built through care, consistency, and community. 👉🏾 Read here: https://dimensionsofblackness.lovable.app/blog 💬 Who have you chosen as family, or who has chosen you? What does true belonging look like for you? No right answers. Just real talk. 🗣️💜

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I've always said I'm "light bright and full of fight" like Dr. Angela Davis. Last month, I had the opportunity to hear her speak, and one idea has stayed with me ever since. She challenged us to think beyond civil rights and toward freedom rights. On Juneteenth, that distinction feels especially important. Access to a seat at the table matters. But freedom also means having the power to build tables of our own, shape the future, and create opportunities for others. As I reflect today, I'm reminded that freedom looks like education, economic empowerment, ownership, and community. It looks like creating opportunities not only for ourselves, but for the generations that follow. I'd love to hear from our community: What does freedom mean to you today? Drop a word, a sentence, or a reflection below. 👇🏾

Hello Culture Club fam, Is anyone here in the Hartford, CT area?