WHEREAS,
Black culture runs deep among Philadelphia’s historic sites, artistic havens, cultural
offerings a
nd in Philadelphia’s many Black-owned shops, restaurants, and other businesses;
and
WHEREAS, These businesses provide local jobs, goods, services and amenities in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia, including historically disadvantaged communities; and
WHEREAS, Historical structural inequities and systemic racism have presented barriers for Black and Brown entrepreneurs and small business owners to open, operate, and grow; and
WHEREAS,
the Pew Research Center reports that while the number of Black owned businesses is growing in the US, Black and Brown owned businesses accounted for only 3% of all businesses with race and ethnicity data in the Census Bureau’s latest Annual Business Survey; and
WHEREAS, not only ar
e Black and Brown owned businesses vital to the communities they serve, but those businesses bring in an estimated $141.1 billion in gross revenue nationally; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative to safeguard and grow Philadelphia’s existing Black-owned businesses through investing and supporting them individually as consumers and collectively as a city; and
WHEREAS, VISIT PHILADELPHIA, the tourism marketing organization, is kicking off the holiday season with dedicated marketing efforts to support the economic growth of local Black and Brown-owned businesses; and
WHEREAS, T
he 202
3
holiday season is a critical period for the economic health of small
businesses
, and an opportunity for residents and visitors to strengthen Philadelphia communities
by shopping with Black and Brown-owned businesses; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia recognizes that the promotion of Philadelphia small businesses is necessary to increase consumer sales, and, critically, support the jobs, revenue, and economic impact generated by these important community anchors; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby declare each Friday in December 202
3
as “Shop Black Business Friday” in the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to VISIT PHILADELPHIA, further evidencing the sincere respect of this legislative body.
End