Mayor Woodfin, Mastercard and Urban Impact Announce #BuyBlackBham Campaign to Support Black-owned Businesses This Holiday Season
Birmingham, AL – Mayor Randall L. Woodfin joined representatives from Mastercard and Urban Impact Monday to announce #BuyBlackBham, a partnership to support local, Black-owned businesses during the holiday shopping season.
#BuyBlackBham is a holiday spending campaign and ongoing economic impact platform to encourage consumers to shop local, Black-owned businesses in Birmingham. Urban Impact will lead the program in partnership with the city and Mastercard.
While more than 70% of Birmingham’s population is Black, only 3% of businesses are Black-owned. This initiative is centered on supporting local, Black-owned businesses during the holiday shopping season as they continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
The spending campaign will begin this Cyber Monday and will continue through Kwanzaa, January 1, 2022. The #BuyBlackBham platform, developed by an African-American owned development studio, JWEB Development, allows you to scan, upload and text receipts and invoices from business purchases. Those creating a profile to log their receipts from Black-owned businesses located in the City of Birmingham will qualify for a raffle of prizes and rewards. Log receipts at BuyBlackBham.com or text receipts to 205-900-4750. The first drawing will be Friday, December 17 and the second will occur Tuesday, January 4.
“We are pleased to partner with Mastercard and Urban Impact to encourage spending with Black-owned businesses. We want this to transition from a campaign into a community of support,” Mayor Woodfin said. “I am committed to building a resilient and inclusive economy. This program is one of many to support and grow Black businesses which have been historically under-resourced.”
Black-owned businesses tend to be smaller, operate with less capital, and have less established banking relationships than counterparts. #BuyBlackBham will serve as a catalyst in how the community uplifts and supports Black-owned businesses.
“Birmingham is one of seven cities where Mastercard is working to close the racial wealth and opportunity gap, taking a concentrated approach alongside local governments, partners and community organizations,” said Miguel Gamiño, executive vice president of global cities for Mastercard. “For Black-owned businesses, the holiday shopping period is one of the most critical times of the year and we’re pleased to support the City of Birmingham and Urban Impact on this important initiative to encourage shopping locally and consciously. Despite the challenges of the past few years, there has been a resurgence of entrepreneurship and innovation and Mastercard is dedicated to helping small businesses adapt, digitize and thrive.”
Today’s announcement builds on Mastercard’s commitment to the City of Birmingham and its residents and businesses. Birmingham is one of seven cities in Mastercard’s “In Solidarity” initiative, a $500 million commitment to closing the racial wealth and opportunity gap for Black Americans. In August, the city and Mastercard launched the “Ascend Birmingham” program to grow Birmingham small businesses and get them connected to the digital economy.
