Even before the pandemic, the holidays were a time of financial uncertainty for many people. This year, the added economic stress and enormous global loss of the pandemic has made it an even more somber time. For those that do have the means to buy gifts, we urge you to be a conscious consumer, thinking about both the businesses you support and their workers.
Right now, a new stimulus bill may or may not be forthcoming, with two main stimulus bills currently being considered by the Senate and neither including direct stimulus checks. One is a bipartisan bill proposing more than $900 billion in spending, including $288 billion to refresh the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses and $180 billion in unemployment aid. The other is a far less expansive “target relief package” proposed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. With much of the current funding set to run out at the end of the year, it is imperative that Congress pass a new Stimulus bill now.
However, even if a bipartisan bill gets passed, it will still leave many hurting. April’s stimulus bill didn’t help BIPOC communities and small businesses (many BIPOC-owned) in the same way it helped white people and larger businesses. Immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, were largely left out of the last bill — even if they pay taxes. Many Indigenous communities failed to receive payments in a timely manner (if at all), and BIPOC-owned businesses received less in PPP loans than those owned by white folks. At the same time, giant corporations like Amazon have profited immensely while sparing little regard for the health or safety of their workers and their families.
The way we spend while shopping can serve as a method of redistributing wealth if we focus on directing money toward small businesses — especially those owned by BIPOC. This holiday season and beyond, we urge you to spend their money locally and in support of BIPOC-owned businesses, rather than with large corporations like Amazon. If you plan to shop in-person, shop local markets like The Makers Show at City Point, through publications like Black-Owned Brooklyn, and at local businesses that put BIPOC makers and businesses at the forefront. If you prefer to shop online, many small businesses and makers either have websites or have found alternative ways to conduct sales, whether through their social media pages or aggregated sites like shopIN.nyc.
As always, see below other ways to move resources, plug in, and show up for racial justice in the coming weeks. Take good care.
In solidarity,
SURJ NYC