Dear Corporate Sponsors, Do Better By Black Businesses & Events,
Thank you for supporting the Black community, but it’s time to do better. We wish you would rethink sponsorships and partnerships.
We hope you consider sponsoring more black festivals, events, and businesses. We are not a charity case, and our sponsorships should not be diluted or dismissed because we are black-owned or black-focused.
Here is my personal story of trying to get corporate sponsorships. Whenever I inquire about sponsorships with a corporation, three things occur, #1 I am ignored, #2 sent to their non-profit foundation and then rejected, or #3 rejected outright because they are already working on closing the racial wealth gap.
Just because I am a black business working on closing the racial wealth gap does not mean I am a non-profit. For the past few months, the frustration and rejection I have encountered have been “ROUGH.”
Corporations spend hundreds of millions of dollars for sponsorship for conferences, seminars, and workshops. But, only a select few benefit from their sponsorships, and black businesses or conferences usually receive lower amounts than our white counterparts.
It is disheartening with companies saying they are dedicated to a more equitable and just world, and their work is limited and not reaching the people it should. Please know some of the initiatives have done a fantastic job, and many more are still creating walls and barriers to wealth for black businesses.
With that said, Trust & Will saw our vision and the benefit of partnering up and becoming a Financial Joy School sponsor. We are so thankful for the leadership and amazing work they do. So, not all corporations are dragging their foot, but more often than not, I get the door slammed in my face, and I still won’t be defeated.
Empowering my community is too important for me to allow rejection and ego to stop me from winning.
Whether I get corporate support or not, I will continue to push forward and close the racial wealth gap with a smile. Financial Joy School will transform the financial lives of black youth and families through long-term investing.
Not because it is easy, because it is worth it.
Ruby “SunShine” Taylor
Founder & CEO of Financial Joy School
