For the first time, Beech Community Services, a North Philadelphia community organization, released a 28-page online directory of Black-owned businesses in the neighborhood. The directory catalogs information about local Black-owned businesses, including the type of service provided and contact information for each.
It was created as “a response to the growing interest in supporting Black-owned and operated businesses,” Beech Community Services CEO Kenneth Scott wrote in a statement. The organization plans to release a new directory annually.
The Temple News staff believes this is a worthwhile initiative. North Philadelphia has a rich cultural history, influenced almost entirely by African-Americans who have lived here for generations.
Unfortunately, this important history is often forgotten or overlooked by Temple students and faculty.
We appreciate that Beech Community Services has given the Temple community a concise, accessible way to support North Philadelphia’s African-American legacy. We hope Temple students and faculty will take this opportunity seriously and consider supporting local, Black-owned businesses.
Many of us Temple students are from faraway places — other states and even other countries. It’s important to remember that while we’re at Temple, North Philadelphia is our home. We should support the neighborhood and treat it with respect.
Supporting local businesses is just one of many ways we can respect the neighborhood in which we live — and Beech Community Services just made it easier.
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