We at Bask are always looking to share local stories and organizations, like Mission 22, PAACA, and Operation Clean Sweep. One of our favorite organizations is Buy Black NB. Based in New Bedford, our neighbor, on the SouthCoast of MA, Buy Black NB is a community platform dedicated to discovering, highlighting, and promoting Black-owned businesses.
In doing this, Buy Black NB follows its mission statement to empower the local Black Business Community to thrive by securing economic opportunities through community collaboration, educational opportunities, and the development of networking initiatives and programs.
Some networking programs have been big successes in New Bedford, including their Vendor Markets, where Black-owned businesses showcase their storefront in a collaborative setting. Held mostly at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum, this event gets these Black-owned businesses in the faces and the hands of the New Bedford community, allowing for exposure and increased revenue.
We at Bask had the pleasure of sitting down with Justina Perry, Founder and Director of Buy Black NB to talk about the organization as a whole, different events, and how we can find and use their resources:
We’ve had the chance to read both the mission statement and vision statement for Buy Black NB. What does that look like in New Bedford and what do you see for the organization going forward?
Buy Black NB offers free promotions with an economic impact that has benefited hundreds of local families. It has become the definitive list of Black Southcoast.
Another big event held every year is the Black Excellence Gala. Can you talk more about the meaning of the awards given and what this means for the Black community in New Bedford?
The 2023 Black Excellence Gala Recognition Awards were given to acknowledge members of the Buy Black NB who have made extraordinary contributions through volunteerism to the organization. The recipients were all instrumental in bringing our signature events to fruition.
How many Black-owned businesses do you currently have in your directory, and what is the best way to find these businesses?
There are 250 Black-owned businesses and Black-led organizations listed on BuyBlackNB.com. The best way to find these businesses is on our free, public directory which is organized by categories and includes the cities and towns throughout the South Coast region.
Where can we find Buy Black NB online?
We would love to thank Justina Perry for sitting down with us and talking about Buy Black NB. You can learn more about Buy Black NB by clicking the links in the above interview. We’re also proud to announce that for the rest of February 2024, Buy Black NB is the recipient of our Do Good, Feel Good, pre-roll initiative. For the entire month of February 2024, a portion of our Permanent Marker pre-rolls will be donated to this wonderful organization. Grab a pre-roll today by clicking here to show your support.