Black Friday

It’s another Black Friday in the U.S.A.  I’ve seen several memes and hash tags on social media encouraging Black Americans to boycott Black Friday this year.  Some of the memes are ridiculous and historically inaccurate in their implications.  But overall I share their point of view.  Black people should not break their necks to throw money at White controlled retailers.

I am a college educated, underemployed Black woman that has worked in retail for many years.  Retail is an extremely racist business.  A lot of retailers only want to hire Blacks for menial, low paying jobs and they only want to hire Whites for jobs that have good career and earning potential.  I have seen this happen at various organizations that I’ve worked for.  I’ve even held retail management positions but I was treated so poorly in those positions that they did not last long and I was not able to build a long term career based on those opportunities.

I’ve also noticed that retail seems to be very sexist as well.  I’ve observed at many retailers that are supported by women through patronage and labor have a gay male manager.  Why on Earth would they hire a man to run a Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe when surely there is a young woman that is capable of the job?  All of the male, gay managers that I have seen in these positions are White.

We all have to shop at some point.  I am interested in learning to sew but I don’t think I’ll ever be a person that will make all of my own clothes.  Unfortunately for Black Americans that means that at some point we will end up supporting a White owned company that creates poverty and hardship for Blacks.  But I will be damned if I sleep outdoors to have the opportunity to throw my money at these people.

Here is a list of retailers that I have worked for in the past that gave me the shaft and I believe that it is because I am a Black woman.

1. DSW Shoes
2. Kay Jewelers
3. Zales
4. Helzberg Jewelers
5. Guess
6. Express
7. Eddie Bauer
8. Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth

Happy holidays everyone.  Choose wisely where you spend your hard earned dollars.  If they wouldn’t hire you don’t hire them!