SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES IN Sacramento, California

Supporting Black-owned businesses in Sacramento, California—and in nearby communities such as Elk Grove, Del Paso Heights, and South Sacramento—is essential for advancing economic equity, reducing unemployment, lowering crime, and improving quality of life. Sacramento, part of the larger Northern California metropolitan region, has a deep-rooted history of Black entrepreneurship, from pioneers like John W. Dowsing, a 19th-century Blacksmith and civic leader, to 20th-century icons like Nathaniel Colley, a civil rights attorney and businessman who fought tirelessly for economic inclusion. Despite historical redlining and underfunding, the Black business community continues to thrive, led by inspiring entrepreneurs such as Katrina Starks of BaKground Vintage and Marshall Marshall of Conscious Creamery. These businesses not only provide culturally relevant goods and services but also generate jobs, mentor youth, and reinvest into underserved neighborhoods. As former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson—himself a successful entrepreneur—once said, “We have to be the change-makers and build what our communities need.” Supporting Black-owned businesses helps to close wealth gaps, restore historically Black commercial districts, and uplift the region socially and economically for future generations.