So, this is how the story goes. “Other” comes to Black man community and sets up shop. Black man looks at “Other” with a raised eyebrow. “Other” has a plan that is long-term and secretive but to throw off Black man from his plan, because “Other” comes bearing gifts “paychecks, sponsorships, etc.” Black man then befriends “Other” and closes his eyes for the next twenty years. Before Black man has a chance to realize that he has been bamboozled, “Other” has full community control.
Like the saying goes, the Black man went to the protest with demands and left with an application.
Take a look at this picture:
One building. Beauty Supply on the right, new Hair Salon on the left, owned by the same “Other”. This is the beginning of stylists getting a dose of what the Black beauty supply store owner feels. For the beauty supply market, it started similar to this. Twenty years ago these were the same small steps taken that led to the dominance of “Other” in the beauty supply industry. Many stylists feel like they have friends in “Other’s” and a home in their stores.
Salons are the next target to be forced out of their rightful place.
Keep your eyes closed if you want to. Let’s face it, “Other” would work longer hours for less if it means taking you out of the market. You know why? They don’t work for themselves, they work for their grandchildren. Who we see in business now, grandparents are the ones who took our parents and grandparents out of business. Now we are scared to compete with the grandkids. We’ve let our legacy die.
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2 Comments
Kamm Howard
Prof., what you have just described is the methodology of 20th, 21st Century economic colonialism. But even more important in your “other” analysi is that this methodology is the same methodology and response that took place in the late 1400’s on the west coast of Africa. Afrikans allowed the Portugese to begin trading with them on the west coast. Then they allowed a few of them to set up trading post on the West Coast, eventually they began to build “castles” that later became the military forts from which they waged enslaving raids and economic and political colonialism on the continent. We allowed them in because of our “zenophilia and ethical” cultural characteristics and then they sought to dominate. Because that is their nature. The “other” is not in white face today. They are Arab, Indian, Hispanic and Asian. However the methodology is the same and, as you have also shown, our response is still the same – let them on in. The lesson is we must reclaim our economic space forthrightly.
THEGREATFAITH
I used to work at one of these salons… These people are unbelievably disrespectful… They have filled their businesses with “black faces” so the consumer will buy from someone they are familiar with. I was fired from the HAIR SALON for retailing my own products and accessories to MY LONGTIME CLIENTS, just like I did when I worked at black salons with no problem. They stated that my clients had to buy from them, the beauty supply, and not me… They totally disregarded the fact that I am an independent contractor, and demanded me to leave their salon right in the middle of me doing 2 clients…