{"id":1178,"date":"2025-02-27T16:57:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T00:57:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maginecreativeservices.com\/shadesmagazine2023\/?p=1178"},"modified":"2026-02-22T09:51:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T17:51:30","slug":"boycotting-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maginecreativeservices.com\/shadesmagazine2023\/boycotting-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Boycotting 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Big Mama Said: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Commentary by Terry Allen, Special to shades Magazine<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(EDITOR’S NOTE: <\/strong>On Friday, the grassroots organization The People\u2019s Union USA is encouraging U.S. residents not to spend any money \u2013 a form of \u201ceconomic resistance\u201d to protest the influence billionaires, big corporations and both major political parties have on working Americans. The activist movement said it is the first of many consumer boycotts that include Walmart, Target, Amazon and other major retailers it has planned in the upcoming months.)<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“If You Think You Are Too Small to Make a Difference,
You Haven\u2019t Spent the Night with a Mosquito.<\/em>
Boycott Now!”<\/em> ~ Big Mama<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Mama always knew how to put things in perspective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBaby,\u201d<\/em> she\u2019d say, \u201cif you think you\u2019re too small to make a difference, you ain\u2019t never spent the night with a mosquito.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s true … one tiny pest can ruin your sleep and just like that, a small, but determined, group can shake the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We, as Black consumers, hold an enormous amount of power. Our annual spending tops $1.6 trillion \u2014 yes, trillion with a \u201cT.\u201d Yet too often, we pour our money into businesses and institutions that don\u2019t respect us, protect us or invest in our communities. It\u2019s time we take a page from history and wield our economic power like a weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Montgomery Bus Boycott <\/a>wasn\u2019t just about bus seats \u2014 it was about dignity, justice and collective power. For more than a year, Black folks refused to ride the buses, forcing the system to bend to our demands. If they could do it then, we can certainly do it now.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Right now, there are at least three pressing reasons why we must boycott<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Attacks on our voting rights<\/strong> \u2013 State after state is making it harder for us to vote; closing polling places, purging voter rolls and pushing laws designed to silence us. If they won\u2019t respect our voices at the ballot box, we must make them feel our absence at the cash register.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Corporate support of injustice<\/strong> \u2013 Too many companies talk about diversity, but fund politicians who pass racist policies. If a business takes our dollars and doesn’t take a stand for our people, they don\u2019t deserve a dime from us.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Economic exploitation<\/strong> \u2013 We are trendsetters, culture creators and the backbone of many industries, yet Black businesses still struggle for equal access to capital and opportunities. Why keep making others rich while our own struggle?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Big Mama always said, \u201cA closed mouth don\u2019t get fed.\u201d If we want change, we have to demand it \u2014 and that starts with where we spend our money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Share your thoughts and experiences with me via 1016media.com<\/a>. Let\u2019s build this movement together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    More stories\/information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n