Establish a “quality of life”survival level for our communities. Forty years of white flight and job relocations have created communities without sustainable economies. Minimum wage jobs cannot support the economy of any community. Identify companies that rely on the black dollar and demand work. Otherwise, don’t spend with those that don’t support us.

Practice sound economics to lift our communities. Economics is not arithmetic. “Buy black” days and five dollar a month checking accounts will not build wealth in our communities. Massive wealth building strategies, like the Rule of 72, or REIT investment circles that double your money in 4.2 years, are the only solutions that will allow us to keep up with rising costs in housing and business start-up markets. Blacks must learn to live on 50% to 70% of what they earn, and save the rest. Looking good and being broke went out with platform shoes and jeri curls. Econo-practicality that emphasizes saving will close the racial wealth gap. Consumer mentality on quickly depreciable assets (cars, clothes, some jewelry) keeps us poor. Give it up.

Pull your money out of banks that do not lend it back to you, pure and simple. Banks are strangulating our communities, taking money in but not letting it out, unless it’s in another community. Lending practices are highly questionable and we need to hold banks in our community accountable. We cannot allow economic redlining to persist, as leverage builds wealth.