SIBA's Anti-Racist Work Lauded by AMIBA

In a recent article focused on the importance of amplifying Black-owned businesses to a local economy, the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) included SIBA among examples of groups and organizations working for change.

As small business owners SIBA members already know how challenging it is to be an entrepreneur. AMIBA points out those challenges are exacerbated for Black business owners:

"Black entrepreneurs often begin with lower personal wealth. They also face extreme difficulty obtaining bank loans and other forms of critical capital (even when they have excellent personal credit)."

Shopping local and Black-owned has a "profoundly positive impact on local communities." AMIBA cites SIBA's 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge as an example of working to change people's assumptions about the impact of their assumptions and shopping habits:

"Doing this work equitably requires people to step out of their comfort zones to evaluate which businesses and products they choose and why."

In the case of SIBA, the Challenge prompts booksellers to re-evaluate their own store policies and practices, and their role within their own communities. SIBA hosts the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge every spring in February, making it available to anyone in the book industry. But booksellers don't need to wait until February to participate. Bookstores can schedule the challenge for their own store staff and/or local community partners as an independent project. Contact SIBA to arrange details. The current challenge, along with its companion weekly column "The Anti-Racist Bookseller" is also available on the SIBA website.