Power is not something we wait to be given. It is something we already hold—individually and collectively. The real question is not whether we have power, but whether we are using it.
Historically, we have exercised our power. The Civil Rights Movement was organized, strategic, and rooted in collective sacrifice. It leveraged economic pressure, legal challenges, and mass mobilization to dismantle segregation.
The “Bank Black” Movement was a call to circulate dollars within Black communities and strengthen Black-owned financial institutions. At one point, the nation’s largest black bank attracted over 50,000 new customers and over $50 million in deposits. It was economic strategy, redirecting capital to build ownership and resilience.
Black Lives Matter was a modern movement that reshaped national and global conversations about justice, policing, and equity. It demonstrated the power of sustained visibility, protest, and policy advocacy. The latest of movements, the Target Fast and Target Boycott, reinstituted our push for corporate accountability.
Across decades, the pattern is consistent: organized people plus economic pressure plus political engagement equals change. Every day, we make choices. Where we spend. Who we support. What we tolerate. What we challenge. Power is not always loud. Sometimes it looks like a vote. Sometimes it looks like a boycott. Sometimes it looks like building our own.
Power shows up in two critical arenas: political and economic.
With politics, voting is just the starting point not the finish line. You must stay engaged with legislation, local leadership, and policy decisions. Holding elected officials accountable before and after elections is essential. For example, legislation like HB 1001 and SB 1134 in Tallahassee, soon to be signed by the Florida Governor. will dramatically change government actions concerning contracting, employment decisions, and even the cultural and racially significant events that local government’s support and promote. This should remind us that decisions impacting our communities are being made every day, whether we are engaged or not.
Economic power is all about how we spend money and determines what businesses grow, who we support determines who survives, and what we tolerate determines corporate behavior. We must be willing to permanently withdraw from businesses that do not respect our dollars, reinvest in businesses that value and reflect our communities, build and sustain economic ecosystems that support our businesses and families. Economic power is not just about protest. It is about creation and circulation.
This moment is not new but it is urgent. It calls for moving with Intention.
1. Organize Like Those Before Us – Gather friends and family and designate people to keep the group informed about policy/legislation, economics, and elections. Grassroots organizing is key. Dividing and conquering will enable the group to stay engaged long after elections are over.
2. Align Our Dollars with Our Values – Spending is a vote. If our money isn’t aligned with our priorities, our power is diluted. Support companies that give back to our communities as well, not just to others.
3. Build, Not Just Boycott – Withdrawing support is powerful but building alternatives is transformative. Connect with black farmers to buy goods directly. Support local black businesses consistently if you want to see collective economic growth.
The blueprint exists. The only question left is how you will use your power.
