NAACP President And Chicago Beauty Salon Owner Urge Black Voters To Make Their Voices Heard

Source: John Wheatly / iOne Digital

F olks from all over the country converged on Chicago this week as the Democratic National Convention took center stage in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. As the excitement for Vice President Kamala Harris grows, it is easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm and forget about some of the more pressing issues that plague many of our communities as Black people. One of those issues is the lack of enthusiasm around voting in our communities.

On Tuesday, NewsOne stepped away from the convention floor to meet Chicago business owner Anthony Jones (aka AJ Stylez) and discussed the importance of voting and why owning businesses in your community is important.

Jones isn’t just an owner of a beauty salon, he also owns a restaurant called Doe Doe’s Eatery as well as a music studio, all of which sit right next to one another. Not to mention his party bus parked out front, ready for weddings, proms and any other celebrations on wheels. Business means everything to AJ and so does the youth in the city of Chicago. Jones stressed to NewsOne that he wants to make sure the young people he comes across through his businesses are informed about the issues.

“I think one of the most pressing issues, especially for young people that are getting ready to vote is to inform them about all the legalities and information they need to have to able to vote,” said Jones. “I think getting that information to a younger generation of people so that they can make the right decision is important.”

Accompanying NewsOne on this journey through the west side of Chicago was NAACP President Derrick Johnson, who took some time out of his business DNC schedule to speak candidly about engaging young folks to participate in the election process even if it doesn’t seem worth it because ultimately is it.

“Your vote actually does matter,” Johnson told NewsOne. “I know it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, but when you walk down the street or down the sidewalk, somebody voted to spend the money for that sidewalk. That’s about voting. You put in policy-makers who should be bringing in the values you want to see in your neighborhood.”

He continued, “If we make it so disconnected from everyday life, well then my vote doesn’t matter. But, if you bring it to everyday life, the most valuable thing you can do in a democracy is cast a ballot to ensure who you elect is carrying forward the things you think should take place, or even get rid of them if they’re not.”

Johnson also discussed what salons and barbershops have historically meant to Black people.

“People talk about the church, it’s the salons, it’s the barbershops,” said Johnson. “I tell you I get more juice about what’s going on for here. Sometimes it is wrong and off the wall, like naw that’s a conspiracy theory, leave that over there. But, you can really get a lot of information by being here. To have a place where young people, old people, all over our people can come and talk is key.”

Source: John Wheatly / iOne Digital

According to a 2018 report by Chicago Blend , 10.4% of venture-backed companies in Chicago have at least one Black or African American founder, which is the second highest percentage of any city after Atlanta.

Regardless, Black-owned businesses still lag behind their counterparts by leaps and bounds. The number of Black-owned businesses compared to the number of black people in America is still highly disproportionate.

According to USA Today , Black Americans make up about 12.4% of the country’s population, but Black business owners represented only 2.4% of all employer-firm owners. For white Americans, it is the complete opposite, who make up a majority (86%) of employee-firm owners while representing about 59% of the American population.

Even with numbers as bleak as those, Black Americans still see hope in Black-owned businesses and believe they are extremely important in gaining equality in the U.S. According to Pew Research, when it comes to moving Black people toward equality, about 4 in 10 Black adults (39%) say having all businesses in Black neighborhoods be owned by Black people would be an extremely or very effective strategy. Smaller shares say the same about establishing a national Black political party (31%) and having all the elected officials governing Black neighborhoods be Black (27%).

In Chicago, Black-owned businesses are at the heart of the community. Places like Salons and barbershops are where important messaging (like why voting is important) can impact impressionable folks from our communities. And if we want to reach our people, these businesses must be able to sustain and grow.

SEE ALSO:

DNC: Democratic Leaders Push For Deeper Connections With Black Male Voters

‘Do Something!’ Michelle Obama Delivers Iconic Call To Action At DNC

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