The Obama Kwanzaa Series Day 4 of 7 2008

In the Obama Kwanzaa Series we have been comparing Obama's principles and performance to each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. The question today is will Obama be good or bad for Black Economics.


Call Habari Gani
Response_________?

4. UJAMAA (Cooperative Economics) [oo-jah-MAH]
To Build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

I gave the call to my family yesterday and the results improved, 50% of them returned the response of the day. Calling my friends was a different story, most of them failed this cultural test. Some did not even know that a response was required. Some responses went like this "...Habari Gani, yea, and what does that mean..? or hmm, you got me.

This leads me to the lead picture of this article. These "Afro-centric" Cultural Citizens may as well have said "What the H$ll is Kwanzaa?" I say this to point out that their is a big gap between the noise about Kwanzaa in our community and the practice.

Nowhere in the seven principles is a gap more noticeable then in UJAMAA. African Americans before the Civil Rights Battle had to do business with each other. After the battle, with the advent of "integration", it has been said that we do business with everyone but us. The Black beauty supply business is a prime example. Sam Ennon CEO of BOBSA points out that the manufacturing and distribution segments of this African American customer focused industry is no longer controlled by Blacks.

Before we start looking excessively to Obama or anyone else for Black business support we better start looking at ourselves and how we fix these gaps between principles and Practice. Having said that, Black Business is in favor of Obama.

Black Business Builders Club - From Douglas to King to Obama


Speaking of how to run a Black Business, Obama is a good new wave example, he included everyone as customers, raised more then half a billion dollars in less then two years and beat all his competition,. YES WE CAN!

Obama is a politician, in America politics is the tool for managing money that is, who gets what economically. So it was good to see African Americans, 90-95% of us, unify behind one presidential candidate. Obama was hired by the American people to fix the economy, "health" care and other things. If he does just those two things he will have helped business in our community immeasurably. A rising tide lifts all boats.

Speaking of boats, Obama will launch what I have called The Green Moon Shot (take American business Green to the future) we better get on Obama's Green Boat as it comes through our community. As Obama will be pointing out, the business future is not black or white, it is green and we need to be seen as green$.

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