Breakdown:

1. “Friends”—We Have No True Friends
   • One harsh reality is that, on a global scale, Black people often feel like they have no true allies. Many non-Black groups—whether Asians, Arabs, Latinos, Jews, or Europeans—may not genuinely support us, despite smiling in our faces.
   • The unfortunate truth is that some only tolerate Black people because we contribute to their economic gain. Our consumer power enriches their communities while leaving our own behind. They prioritize their race, culture, and interests first, which is one of the reasons why they’re often at the top of the economic ladder while we struggle at the bottom.
2. The Exploitation of Black People
   • Black people are being exploited by those who profit from our labor, creativity, and culture, yet rarely give back to our communities. While other racial groups may focus on supporting their own businesses, we are often discouraged from doing the same.
   • These groups might tell us that buying Black or supporting Black businesses is “racist” in an attempt to shame us from prioritizing our economic self-sufficiency. The truth is, they exploit us while maintaining their own unity and success.
3. Division in the Black Community
   • One of the saddest truths is that while other groups unite and support each other to rise economically and socially, Black people often struggle with unity. We sometimes fail to support our own businesses and initiatives, which keeps us from building the kind of collective power that could uplift the entire community.
4. Racial Solidarity in Other Communities
   • Other racial groups understand the importance of putting their people first. They circulate their dollars within their communities and prioritize each other’s success. Meanwhile, Black people are often taught to spend their money outside the community, benefiting everyone but ourselves.
5. The Power of Black Economic Strength
   • The narrative that supporting Black businesses is wrong or divisive is a form of control meant to keep us dependent on others. Black economic power is immense, but it’s only truly effective if we begin to invest in and support each other’s businesses.
   • The only way to combat exploitation and rise to a higher economic status is by building our own systems of support and realizing that our strength lies in unity.

Conclusion:
These are difficult truths that many in the Black community may not fully realize. Other groups succeed by uniting, supporting their own, and keeping their resources within their communities. For Black people to rise, we must recognize the importance of doing the same. No one is going to lift us up but ourselves, and it starts by rejecting the shame associated with supporting Black businesses and embracing the power of collective strength.