A lot of the problems with the youth in the black communities revolve around this obsession with image. Young people think that respect comes from wearing name-brand merchandise and riding in fancy cars. What makes a successful person is what he or she has to offer in terms of their minds. The black race will not be a successful group in the future if we continue making the pockets of other people bigger. We need to concentrate on owning more businesses, banks, and anything else that will help us build up our communities.
Black households spend more than average on jewelry, cars and home electronics.
However, their spending is significantly lower than average for housing, including owned and rented dwellings, furnishings, and insurance. African Americans must move from being passive or reactive spenders to being proactive consumers focused on building the wealth that keeps black communities vibrant, healthy and thriving. This way we can make corporate America compete for black consumer dollars, instead of taking them for granted or ignoring them altogether. They started it. Well, it's true.