BootStrapping C
I see plenty of annou
violence’ forums an
I have seen, ‘stop the
churches, home, park
street corners an
Central Florida
uncements for ‘stop the
nd town hall meeting.
violence’ gathering at
ks, city hall steps on the
nd in parking lots.
I have seen eloquently m
these meeting, gatheri
with special
These printed flyers c
imagine, prod
I have seen watched video
police officers, sheriff d
friends, witnesses, all t
of this violent
made flyers to announce
ings, forums and panels
learned quest.
cost a pretty penny to
duce then print
os of pastors, advocates,
deputies, crying mothers,
talking about the horrors
t environment.
There are scheduled ga
violence’ rallies, plann
I 'am the only one that th
scheduled rallies and c
bring attention to th
How do they know th
continue? We know th
with the continuance
question is
atherings of ‘stop the
ned months in advance.
hinks this is odd? These
concerts are designed to
he violence. WHAT!
hat the violence will
hat our community loses
of the violence, but the
s who wins?
Why, after all these meet
these panels, and all th
there been a solu
The violence is in our com
solve this issue ourselv
strategies available to
question is, are we rea
necessary to win?
ting, all these forums, all
hese studies, why hasn’t
ution to the issue?
mmunity and we have to
ves. There are plans and
solve the problem. The
ady to make the changes
Yes, there is a plan.
Small Black churches n
community to survive
needs the support of
su
Can we create a strategy
There
The Black church is the d
community. In order
results of anything ma
church will be affecte
part of and in agreem
needs the support of the
e. The Black community
f small Black churches to
urvive.
y to work together? Yes.
e is a plan
dominant industry in our
r to accomplish positive
ajor in our community, the
ed an therefore must be a
ment with the solution.
There are mechanisms b
that support the black
that the church memb
support the commu
Did you know there ar
churches in Metro Orl
Black owned busine
built into the strategies
k church in such a way
bership is motivated to
unity. There is a plan
re hundreds of ‘Black’
lando? There are 12,000
ess in Orange County,
Think abo
They say that the biggest
Business is the lack of
that’s not true. It’s the la
that is the bigg
The average Black Ow
proprietorship, or 2 perso
with les than 3 employee
Census, that’s over 90
out this.
t problem facing Black
access to funding. No
ack of access to customers
gest problem.
wn Business is a sole
on partnership, or owner
es.(According to 2010 US
0% of Black Business)
The funding they ask for
or a new building, the m
increase their custome
need a few more head
care guy only need a
The mobile mechanic an
want a few more famili
clothes every week a
owner said that a few
would mak
is not to buy inventory,
money would be used to
er base. The barber only
ds in his chair. The lawn
few more trees to trim.
nd the detail guy onlhy
ies to drop off their dirty
and the day care center
w more crying babies
ke her happy.
What if the congregatio
agreed to check out you
they spend their m
Walmart, would that he
The Black Chu
There is a group of Centra
that is increasing in nu
to improve the lives of
communi
ons of 75 local churches
ur Black Business before
money across track at
elp? Yes. There is a plan.
urch Cluster
al Florida Black churches
umber and is determine
f their members and the
ity at large
The Bishop and Pastors ha
minute every Sunday du
period, to talk about c
neighborhood projects or
addressed by th
These religious leaders are a
stream media do not
businesses and activitie
believe that Black people
media. We are too ofte
and violent without
ave all agreed to allow 5
uring the announcement
community issues or
r concerns that should be
he area leaders.
also aware that the main
portray our kids and
es as they should. They
have to control our own
en depicted as negative
positive ambitions.
These Black Pastors feel it
the community wher
possible
During the Sunday morn
local Black owned busi
Each church in the clu
approved information
neighborhood activities
in the co
t is their duty to support
rever and however it is
e to do so.
ning 5 minute briefing,
inesses, may be featured.
uster will dispense pre-
n about Black business,
s and positive influences
ommunity.
Do you think the black ch
support system for the co
Black Folk Need
The violence in the Black
committed by Black peo
We attend meeting af
solution
Usually about 80% of the c
town hall/emergency m
aspects of the problem a
about
hurch could organize into a
ommunity? Yes, there is a plan
Hope for the Future
community which is mostly
ople is a concern for all of us.
fter meeting to figure out a
n for the Issue.
conversation at these forums/
meetings, talk about different
and there is little conversation
t a solution.
When talking about
opportunity is mention
Why? May be becaus
sustainable, we ha
We know what is neede
livable
The Black community ne
When you have confi
provide for your famil
have confidence that th
support you and not
instead provide a safet
for the
t a solution, job and
ned but never acted upon.
se in order for it to be
ave to fix it ourselves.
ed, sustainable jobs with
incomes.
eeds hope for the future.
idence in your ability to
ly and yourself, and you
he community is going to
cast you aside, but will
ty net, then there is hope
e future.
If we were to focus on creat
best solutions? If we we
for us, what is the b
There are 12,000 Black own
County. There are hun
Black churches in
Creating a strategy that mo
of these churches to sp
owned business seems l
Black business owners c
Would that give hope
there is
ting jobs for us, what is the
ere to focus on a safety net
best way to do that?
ned businesses in Orange
ndreds and hundreds of
n Orange County.
otivates the congregations
pend money with Black
like a good idea. If 12,000
can hire one person each.
to the community? Yes,
s a plaln
How Important is a Bla
Several years ago after t
was built, the pres
American Chamber of
what had happene
opportunities that w
people via ‘TH
(The Blueprint was a city-
Blacks and local resid
have access to jobs and
opport
ack Specific Agenda?
the new Amway Arena
sident of the African
f Commerce was asked
ed to all the jobs and
were promised to Black
HE BLUEPRINT’.
-led effort to ensure that
dents would benefit and
d economic development
tunities)
The president of the Africa
Commerce answered by s
agreement, (The BLUEPR
’minority’ instead of
opportunities were sprea
much less tha
Hmmm…. So, that comment
no funding for ‘Black’ init
who support Black progr
The negative attitude non-
Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, B
example of Black being
supporting a Blac
an American Chamber of
saying, (paraphrase)”In the
RINT), we used the word
f ‘Black’ and therefore
ad out and Black received
an anticipated.
would suggest that there is
tiatives, right? Black people
ress are often called racist.
-Blacks show towards Al
Black Lives Matter are good
called ‘racist’ for merely
ck positive agenda.
I notice that some agenci
support Black issues, w
agenda but will en
minority
The Black community in C
specific issues that so
address as a Black issu
the problem is not a Bla
Black specific plan
ies that were created to
will not support a Black
ndorse and support a
y agenda.
Central Florida is facing
ome of our leaders will
ue but their plan to solve
ack specific plan because
n do not get funded.
Black people have to fix t
own confines using
Getting organize is t
organizing, fixing the
Yes there
The Black Church, Blac
Comm
In our communi
re is a Black church on e
church has always been
to grow, a sanctuary
whatever tha
this problem within their
g their own resources.
the tough part. After
problem is easy, right?
e is a plan.
ck Business and Black
munity
ity, they say the
every corner. The Black
n a place to learn, a place
y to soothe your pain,
at pain may be.
Respect for the church h
decline, the number o
have taken a nosedive o
There are 12,000 Black
County, Fl. Some of t
and mortal stand alon
more of them share sp
or is located in the own
of a permanent of
has decline and with that
of active church members
over the last 20 to 30 years.
k businesses in Orange
these businesses are brick
ne companies, but many
pace with another business
ner’s home without benefit
ffice or retail address.
There is a universal lack
business person from t
Even so, most of these smal
generate enough revenu
term and the owners giv
as much a
The Black community ge
amount of revenue coll
dollars a year. Reports clai
income leaves our comm
hours and is spent in o
therefor, suppo
of respect for the Black
the community at large.
ll Black owned businesses
ue to survive for the long
ve back to the community
as they can.
enerates a tremendous
lectively, over 1.2 trillion
im that over 97% of Black
munity within a matter of
other neighborhoods and
ort them, not us
It seems that Black bus
themselves in such a
continuous showing of
church groups wo
This church business and
will generate economic
membership in the chu
resurgence of the Blac
and the Black commun
There
sinesses could organize
a way that a regular and
f products and services to
ould be a good idea.
community collaboration
c benefits while increasing
urch as well. Watch for the
ck church. Black business
nity. Can we do this? Yes.
is a plan
The name of the plan is ‘Bo
Florida Black Commun
James DeShay BlogTakl
January 5 to explain det
plan. There wil be oppo
question. The program
Black folks don’t need to or
We meet in church ever
need to strategize
ootStrapping The Central
unity’ I will be a guest on
Radio Show on Thursday,
tails of the BootStrapping
ortunity to call in and ask
airs from 6pm to 7:30 pm
rganize. We are organized.
ry Sunday. Black folk just
e and then mobilize.
They say that we need to
solve the problems in
much more organizing
Central Florida, tens
people meet in chu
mor
They are organized,
community and th
community survive, th
the do. I have neve
member anywher
commun
o organize before we can
n our community. How
g do we need? All across
of thousands of Black
urches every Sunday
rning.
they are part of the
hey want to see their
hrive and proper. Really,
er talked to a church
re who wanted the
nity to fail.
They are organized for the
meet. However, that pur
have never talked to a
want to see his church e
seems to me, with a lit
could be an arrangem
community a
Also there are neighborhoo
waiting for someone with
growing. There are hu
organizations each with
like a strategy that prom
people. Neighborhood
http://www.orangecoun
%20Publ
e purposes for which they
rpose could be expanded. I
church pastor who didn’t
expand a little, have you? It
ttle critical thinking, there
ment made between the
and the church.
od organizations ready and
h a strategy that will get the
undreds of neighborhood
existing leaders who would
mote the community and the
d Organizations Directory
ntyfl.net/…/neigh…/NOD
lication.pdf
There are fraternities and
organizations that are wil
So, you see, Black
What is needed is a strateg
with hundred of church
readily available, ca
agreement? Ye
If Black men doing busin
hustling, should we le
hu
sororities and other social
lling to support a good plan.
k folks are organized.
gy, so that we can mobilize
hes and other organizations
an we come together in
es. There is a plan.
ness in the hood is called
egitimize the Black man’s
ustle?