The year 2025 has delivered a clear message to Black Americans: corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are not a sustainable solution for supporting Black-owned businesses. “The work of increasing economic justice and Black wealth is ours, and the time to increase our commitment to Black businesses is now,” says Chanté Griffin, award-winning journalist and author of Loving Your Black Neighbor as Yourself.
In response to this urgent need, Griffin has created the Buy Black Financial Toolkit—a comprehensive, step-by-step guide aimed at empowering consumers to consistently support Black-owned businesses throughout the year. Launched in April 2025 to coincide with Financial Literacy Month, the free guide offers a structured, month-by-month strategy complete with themed focuses and curated business directories. The guide will run through March 2026.
Griffin was inspired to develop the toolkit after two of her friends’ products were removed from Target’s shelves amid the retail giant’s rollback of its DEI programs earlier this year. “My friends’ experiences, coupled with sobering news stories, prompted me to become more intentional about putting dollars into Black communities and to provide a resource for others to do the same,” she explains.
The toolkit arrives against the backdrop of stark disparities in business ownership. As reported by USA Today, Black Americans represent approximately 12.4% of the U.S. population but own only 2.4% of employer firms. Griffin’s initiative aims to narrow that gap by offering consumers practical tools for economic empowerment.
Unlike previous “Buy Black” campaigns, Griffin’s toolkit incorporates themed monthly focuses, helping consumers align their purchases with relevant industries and needs throughout the year. “It’s easy to order items from Amazon and to pick up hair products at the closest beauty supply store, but we must be intentional—and sometimes inconvenienced—for Black businesses to thrive,” says Griffin.
The Buy Black Financial Toolkit assigns monthly themes to guide consumers in supporting Black-owned businesses year-round, including financial services (April), gifts (May), personal care (June), travel (July), outdoor recreation (August), education (September), food (October), household items (November), charitable giving (December), home improvement (January), health and legal services (February), and spring cleaning with a focus on woman-owned businesses (March).
“When we hear the news that the initiatives designed to grow Black businesses are being axed and labeled discriminatory, the writing on the wall is clear,” Griffin warns. “If we don’t support Black businesses today, then they may not exist tomorrow.”
Griffin is a respected voice at the intersection of race, culture, and faith. A former contributing writer for The Washington Post and The Root, her work has appeared in HuffPost, Los Angeles Times, EBONY, Good Housekeeping, and Parents. Regularly interviewed and cited in national media, Griffin is emerging as a thought leader committed to social equity and economic empowerment.
For more information or to access the Buy Black Financial Toolkit, readers are encouraged to consult her press kit.
Download the “Buy Black” Financial Toolkit here.