Over 1.2B people have been underserved worldwide as a result of disinvestment and disinterest of investing in alternative business models and investing in product, services and/or technology that is relative and important to the communities worldwide of African Diaspora descendants.
Unlocking the voices of emerging Black talent by actively listening to those deemed "lower" socially and working towards eliminating prejudices within Black professional networks on the basis of social class is critical to creating new sectors based on the demands, desires and wants of Diaspora descendants throughout the world.
Many of these communities are persecuted financially for wanting to be included fairly and respected economically as equal partners & innovators during monumental development initiatives.
Such legitimate responses have typically resulted in areas being economically decimated and receiving little to no funding.
There appears to be a consistent pattern of financial counterattacks against nonconformity in Diaspora communities all across the world.
The persistent refusal to invest in the infrastructure and technology that would better support the culture appears to be a result of the fundamentally held conviction that European contributions, advancements, and related systems are superior to those made by people from Diaspora communities.
This leads to bias investment criteria's and in response, the unwillingness of Black/POC to participate and/or adapt to systems irrelevant to their interests, needs, spaces and lifestyle.
Although, many times, viewed as unrelated to business and the economy; protests, civil wars and flat out communal rejection of products/services (boycotts) can be possible indicators of communities revolting and/or speaking out against the beginning processes of companies, systems, financiers and programs being introduced with the intention to establish disproportionate control and appropriate elements of their culture such as land, talent, labor, innovation, creativity, intellectual property and etc.
When honing in on or engaging with people from politically and economically challenged areas; solutions should be derived from the voices of the community. Leaders (culture pushers, influencers and etc.) at the forefront of trends, movements and shifts should be guiding and assisting organizations collaboratively in formulating long-range goals and in planning and initiating short term projects that leverage any elements of culture. They should also fairly receive compensation and credit for their contributions.
It is projected that the Diaspora economy is an untapped gold mine worth well over $1T dollars.
To date, many companies and investors have had trouble connecting with this marketplace and have quickly written it off as taboo. Seeing it as high risk, unstable and unreliable.
However, this space is actually low risk and very much stable.
We can begin to re-shape this outlook, by tapping into the value of culture in its rawest forms by changing our perspectives and beliefs towards Black culturally influenced markets-economies, users and consumers.
It is imperative to start seeing culture as an asset.
Undiscovered Diaspora markets can only be developed by acquiring new principles and theories of delivering products, services, technology and substructures that fundamentally integrate and acknowledge characteristics of places (literal & digitally) shaped by cultural activity.
Forms of government, religious traditions, linguistic groups, norms relating to gender roles, colorism, architecture, artistic expression, ways of interacting with other people, levels of wealth and inequalities of wealth, the types of work that people engage in voluntarily and involuntarily, the infrastructures that exist and the type of things that they like to sell & purchase – these are all important human activities that give rise to unique characteristics of a developing economy. If strategies and business framework continue to omit this, then these economies will stay dormant.
Time, money and energy will be wasted and a disillusioned cycle of taboo will be further perpetuated.
Traditions of art, different styles of architecture, and styles of social interaction might emerge as distinctive and quirky features of a particular place.
Such influential elements become highly valuable when embraced in user design, service deliverable and expansion plans.
To monopolize, grow and thrive within a sustainable Diaspora marketplace, free of cultural appropriation and exploitation; the idea of providing “help" or developing systems, solutions, programming and/or technology to rescue people of color from their own situation (negative & inferior in context- even if beliefs are shared among people of the same ethnic or racial group of a higher class).... or maintaining the idea that systems in such communities are inefficient, has to be removed from the initial business model building process and the organizational layouts of social justice initiatives that implement increments of traditional business practices, proven to not be beneficial to Black/POC groups.
The definition of inefficiency means to not achieve maximum productivity; wasting or failing to make the best use of time or resources. In fact, Black/POC/Diaspora communities, have proven the opposite. There are significant high functioning routines, rituals and elaborate processes already in place in Black/POC geographic locations. These are all in result of communities impressively making the best of limited or no resources, mutually assisting each other and balancing their time productively working toward a common goal. These systems will develop and evolve if funding and attention are applied to existing approaches.
According to gathered government intelligence sources in West Africa and in Central America, they are looking to promote and support Diaspora trade projects with Black/POC American business people; such areas are waiting for the right type of leadership to offer resources that align with the supply & demand requirements shaped by cultural activities.
Instead of disrupting Black/POC communities by pressuring them to conform their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to institutional norms and practices, the goal is to introduce new and exciting dynamic enterprises, investment systems, concepts, and technological advancements aimed at enhancing cultural norms specific to the Black experience.
Contact me to gain more insight and to learn new approaches to unlock the voices of the African Diaspora.
