Dozens of Black Vendors to Partake in Black Friday Alternative

Rebrand Chicago is a lifestyle brand that promotes the beauty of buying black in Chicago. This Black Friday, shopping will be taken to a whole new level this year for Rebrand Chicago. Founder, Aquillia Mikel and her organization will host its “Cash In” event on Friday. Mikel is coining it as a “black shopping alternative” to the typical Black Friday shopping experience, which she says fails to adequately support black-owned businesses and the communities in which they serve.

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Rebrand’s event aims to encourage black consumers of the shopping holiday to spend dollars supporting black own businesses in Chicago. The event reportedly will consist of close to two dozen Chicago based vendors from various industries, selling their

products under major discounts. The event will also include local black art, food cooked and catered by two black own catering businesses, and music performances by local DJ legend Jamal Smalls and Black and Sexy TV musician Allegra Dolores, according to a press statement.

“Buying black” became popular in the African American community as an economic self-help goal just a few years ago in 2012.  Mikel and Rebrand Chicago are among other community organizers, like Purchase Black

, who are seeking to have an impact on black owned businesses. Also, Maggie Anderson’s book Our Black Year: One Family’s Quest to Buy Black in America’s Racially Divided Economy chronicles her family’s journey in supporting black-owned businesses

A high school teacher, Mikel says that she hopes her event illuminates the importance of supporting black ownership, while circulating such support within the community. “With everything going on in the world regarding race and the battles of inequality, it is importance that we look after our communities by supporting each other with time, service, mentorship, and economics. These basic support pillars will help our communities withstand any inequalities we’d endure.”

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