When people step into our home, they always admire the art. Recently, we purchased a new piece by Washington D.C. and based artist Reggie Gillumo, titled Delivering the Crown. It’s bold, powerful, and unapologetically Black ….just like the culture it represents.
But the real flex? Ninety percent of the art in our home is by Black artists. Every painting, sculpture, and photograph on our walls tells a story of resilience, creativity, and brilliance. Supporting Black art isn’t just about filling our home with beauty it’s about honoring the legacy of a people whose contributions have too often been ignored, undervalued, or stolen in America.
I make it a point to buy Black whenever I can …art, clothes, books, skincare, even everyday products. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s necessary.
Let’s be clear: buying Black doesn’t mean you’re going against capitalism. Capitalism is still capitalism, it’s built on profit and ownership. Black-owned businesses operate within that same system; they sell goods, compete in markets, and rely on profit to survive.
But here’s the difference: who benefits. When you choose Target or Walmart, your dollars feed corporations that historically exploit labor, undervalue Black employees, and pump money into communities that rarely look like ours. When you buy Black, your dollars circulate within Black hands. You are fueling Black dreams, Black families, and Black futures.
The Bigger Picture: Racism & Economics in America
Racism in America isn’t just about hateful words or discriminatory laws it’s also about economics. For centuries, Black people were intentionally locked out of wealth-building opportunities:
• Denied access to land ownership after slavery.
• Denied loans and fair credit to build businesses.
• Redlined into neighborhoods where property values were stripped on purpose.
• Exploited as cheap labor while being told we should “just work harder.”
That’s why the racial wealth gap is so wide today. And that’s why buying Black matters. It’s not charity …..it’s economic resistance. It’s a way of saying: if we can’t escape capitalism, we can at least decide who thrives inside of it.
Every time I walk past Gillumo’s Delivering the Crown, I’m reminded that our culture is royalty. Our art, our music, our style, our voices …..they shape the world. But too often, we don’t own the rights to the very things we create.
Buying Black is one way of reclaiming that crown. It’s about making sure the wealth of our creativity, labor, and brilliance doesn’t leave our community empty-handed.
As always until I decide to write again… Have the day you voted!
Yours truly,
Day
PS. The fan I’m holding in the main blog photo is from Neffi Walker’s The Black Home in Philadelphia—and yes, it’s by a Black designer. Neffi is an acclaimed interior designer who curates her store with pieces exclusively by Black creatives, turning every item into both a statement and a celebration of Black artistry. If you are ever in Philadelphia you should check out her store located at 2930 Jasper St Suite #403, Philadelphia, PA 19133
