The Chicago Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. announced the resounding success of its award-winning “Buy Black CAC” campaign recently. In a powerful show of economic solidarity and community empowerment, the initiative—led by the chapter’s Economic Development Committee—generated a remarkable $1,138,949.80 in documented purchases supporting Black-owned businesses, services, and charitable organizations.
Launched in partnership with the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Chicago Metropolitan Chapter, the Chicago Urban League, and Top Ladies of Distinction, the campaign ran from November 1, 2024, to January 21, 2025. It inspired sorority members, partner organizations, and community members to intentionally support Black entrepreneurship.
Participants were encouraged to shop with Black-owned businesses or donate to Black-led charitable organizations and submit copies of their receipts to demonstrate the collective economic impact. Participants were entered into a prize drawing, with ten lucky winners receiving gifts generously donated by Black women-owned service-based businesses. The 1st and 2nd place drawing winners won custom outerwear by local designer Barbara Bates.
A key feature of the campaign was the weekly “Spotlight on Black Business Owners” series on the chapter’s social media platforms, highlighting inspiring stories of Black women entrepreneurs and encouraging continued investment in the Black business community.
“This campaign demonstrated the powerful impact we can make when we intentionally invest in our own communities. We are thrilled by the response and look forward to continuing this important work,” said co-chair Toi Salter.
But this effort was more than a campaign—it was a correction to a deeply misunderstood belief about the economic strength of Black America. While Black consumer spending is often touted as exceeding $2 trillion annually, economists, including Dr. Jared Ball of Morgan State University, remind us that spending does not equal wealth. In fact, without targeted and strategic support for Black-owned institutions, this level of spending results in continued economic leakage and dependency.
Currently, a dollar circulates in the Black community for just six hours—compared to 17 days in white communities, 20 days in Asian communities, and 21 days in Jewish communities. This means that nearly every dollar earned by Black households is immediately spent with businesses outside the community, leaving little opportunity for reinvestment or generational wealth-building.
Meanwhile, the Hispanic community provides an example of what greater economic cohesion can begin to look like. As of 2023, Latino buying power surpassed $2.9 trillion, making it the highest among all U.S. minority groups. According to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic-owned businesses now number over 5 million, contributing more than $800 billion annually to the economy.
Unlike the Black community, where systemic barriers have left many neighborhoods underserved by Black-owned banks, retailers, and institutions, Latino communities have leveraged cultural cohesion, ethnic chambers of commerce, and densely populated business corridors to retain more of their economic power. Informal community finance models such as tandas (rotating credit circles), neighborhood-based shopping, and support for family-owned enterprises have helped extend the lifespan of the Hispanic dollar within the community, even when wage gaps persist.
However, despite these advancements, Latino households still face wealth disparities. The median household wealth for Hispanic families is approximately $62,000, which is higher than Black households but significantly lower than the $285,000 median for white families, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances.
Still, the Hispanic community’s ability to grow businesses rapidly and support them through culturally intentional practices provides a valuable framework that Black communities can adapt and expand upon—particularly in cities like Chicago, where both populations often face similar economic challenges.
Increased support of Black-owned businesses by Black consumers in Chicago is not just symbolic—it is economically transformative. When Black dollars are spent with Black businesses, those dollars are more likely to fund jobs, education, and investment within Black neighborhoods. It helps create community-based ecosystems where wealth can circulate, grow, and multiply—rather than evaporate after one transaction.
That kind of support also allows Black businesses to invest in capital improvements—remodeling storefronts, updating equipment, expanding product lines, and offering higher salaries to their employees. When business owners can pay living wages, workers become invested in their neighborhoods, often transitioning from renters to homeowners. These residents become stakeholders with a vested interest in the stability and prosperity of their community, creating a ripple effect of local pride, economic strength, and civic participation.
Imagine the economic revolution if Black dollars circulated for just one full week before leaving the community. The result would be a measurable increase in employment, stronger local businesses, and expanded political and social influence. Black-owned banks could offer more loans. Black-led nonprofits could increase their services. Local schools and cultural institutions could benefit from community reinvestment.
Following the overwhelming success of the campaign, the “Buy Black CAC” initiative will relaunch in November 2025, with plans to expand its reach and deepen its impact. Co-chair Jantelle Horton said, “We encourage our community to Buy Black every day—not just during a campaign. Due to our current environment, we are creating an online directory of Black businesses and service providers in our community that people can patronize.”
Chicago Alumnae Chapter President Carla Pollard Stewart emphasized, “The Buy Black Campaign is a concrete example of the power of community mobilization that is the hallmark of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. We are proud to collaborate with our community partners in this effort and look forward to continued amplification of more Black-led businesses.”
By supporting Black businesses with intention, the community is not just circulating dollars—it is building wealth, empowering families, beautifying neighborhoods, and restoring economic agency that has long been undermined by systemic injustice. The success of the “Buy Black CAC” campaign is a reminder that real change happens not only in what we spend—but in how and where we spend it.