Lifestyle
The Shocking Reasons Black Americans Are Fleeing the U.S. for a Better Life Abroad: Racism and the Cost of Living Are Just the Beginning
More and more Black Americans are leaving the United States for a higher quality of life abroad. Black people are usually not a monolith, so the reasons are different. But the overarching theme for many Black Americans selecting to live abroad is that they’re drained of racism and discrimination of their home country.
While Black people have been doing this over the previous couple of a long time – WEB DuBois, James Baldwin and Josephine Baker, for example – in 2016 the Blaxit movement was hard to miss. A play on words taken from the name Brexit that was given to the United Kingdom’s decision to depart the European Union, Blaxit refers to Black people leaving the United States to start out a life abroad. When leaders in Ghana announced the “Year of Return” campaign for 2019, inviting African descendants to “return” home and reconnect with their roots in the 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in the Americas, it inspired more Black Americans to return consider living in places like Ghana.
The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor further motivated Black Americans to depart in 2020. Tired of racism and trying to avoid wasting their lives and the lives of their children, more Black Americans moved to places like Mexico, Costa Rica, Portugal, Ghana, Senegal and Panama – simply to name a few.
Just a few months before the deaths of Floyd and Taylor, 2019 report of the National Academy of Sciences found that black men were 2.5 times more more likely to be killed by police than white men.
Beyond racism, affordability plays a major role in Black Americans’ decision to maneuver abroad.
The average cost in response to the latest Federal Reserve data from January 2024, the cost of a home in the United States is $417,700. That’s almost double the average cost when taking a look at first quarter data from just a decade ago, when in 2014 the average home cost Americans $275,200.
As prices proceed to rise in a volatile market, Black Americans proceed to face mortgage discrimination from banks. Condemning CNN evaluation found that Navy Federal, the largest lending institution in the US, rejected greater than half of its black applicants for conventional mortgages, despite the fact that that they had higher creditworthiness and higher incomes than their white counterparts.
As more Black Americans consider moving abroad, various social media groups are providing resources and advice for singles, couples and families. The Facebook group The Blaxit Tribe – Black Americans who want to depart the U.S. and move abroad has over 37,000 members. The group focuses on aspects people should consider before selecting a home, find housing, job opportunities and more.
Other resources could be found on YouTube where people document their moves abroad, especially on the subject of affordability.
Maame Amoaa Boateng-Kagyah is a Ghanaian real estate agent who posts videos on her YouTube channel showing the different homes people should purchase in Ghana inside their price range, and showing what others who’ve moved from countries like the US have bought.
IN last episode, took people on a tour of Karen King’s house. She moved from Raleigh, North Carolina, and built a four-story house in Asebu, Ghana, for about $70,000.
The mother of 4, grandmother and great-grandmother of almost twenty children explains that after her first visit to Ghana, she moved for spiritual reasons.
“Every day I started to feel more and more stressed about the West leaving me,” King tells Amoaa. “I felt more and more grounded.”
King says after two weeks in Ghana, she began talking about constructing a house. She built the four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom house after receiving land from Ghana as part of the “Year of Return” campaign. The campaign encouraged descendants of enslaved Africans to “come home” by reconnecting with the land of their ancestors. The Government of Ghana has also worked with local chiefs to gift over 500 acres of land to individuals who wish to return and put money into Ghana.
King did just that, constructing a home with space for her family and even offering a room on Airbnb.
Her decision resonated widely amongst viewers, who’re also considering moving because of the reasonably priced price.
“My husband is from Croatia and we’re seriously considering retiring there because living in the US has simply turn into too expensive. I’m glad that this concept works for other retirees,” commented one of the people.
“The indisputable fact that this incredibly beautiful house costs about $70,000. dollars, it’s amazing to me! I live in Washington and we won’t buy a solid box for lower than $400,000. dollars,” said one other.
“Great movie! Gorgeous and brave, Karen! A house like that in America would cost half a million dollars around Washington and Maryland, where I live,” said one other. You can pay for this together with your blood, sweat and tears for over 30 years!
In one other video Amoaa shows Three bedroom container house Calvin Daniels built it for $33,000 in Ghana on 38 acres of land.
There’s a superb line between finding a latest home and colonization
Moving abroad comes with its challenges. Costs could also be a barrier. Couple published in r/antiwork subreddit that they spent greater than $25,000 on legal fees, leasing agent fees, flights and accommodations. Many countries require this for individuals who first turn into digital nomads before applying for everlasting residence prove you’ll be able to support yourself for a distant work visa.
Brazil requires you to earn at the least $1,500 monthly or $17,000 in your checking account. In Belize, single people must earn at the least $75,000 per yr, and couples applying jointly must earn $100,000 per yr.
In addition to financial barriers, there may be the possibility of cultural conflict between locals and visitors and the fear that visitors raise the cost of living for locals.
NPR podcast episode touches on this topicexamining how black Americans moving abroad could harm residents by increasing costs.
It is vital for Black Americans to maneuver abroad rigorously. One of the best ways to maneuver abroad is to maneuver to less popular areas to avoid displacing people from their homes in larger cities, where rent prices are inclined to be higher.
It’s also best to support local businesses, employ local people and pay them a living wage as costs proceed to rise.
The Shocking Reasons Black Americans Are Fleeing the U.S. for a Better Life Abroad: Racism and the Cost of Living Are Just the Beginning
Lifestyle
What is GiveTuesday? The annual day of giving is approaching
Since it began as a hashtag in 2012, Giving on Tuesdaythe Tuesday after Thanksgiving, became one of the largest collection days yr for non-profit organizations within the USA
GivingTuesday estimates that the GivingTuesday initiative will raise $3.1 billion for charities in 2022 and 2023.
This yr, GivingTuesday falls on December 3.
How did GivingTuesday start?
The hashtag #GivingTuesday began as a project of the 92nd Street Y in New York City in 2012 and have become an independent organization in 2020. It has grown right into a worldwide network of local organizations that promote giving of their communities, often on various dates which have local significance. like a vacation.
Today, the nonprofit organization GivingTuesday also brings together researchers working on topics related to on a regular basis giving. This too collects data from a big selection of sources comparable to payment processors, crowdfunding sites, worker transfer software and offering institutions donor really helpful fundstype of charity account.
What is the aim of GivingTuesday?
The hashtag has been began promote generosity and this nonprofit organization continues to advertise giving within the fullest sense of the word.
For nonprofits, the goal of GivingTuesday is to boost money and have interaction supporters. Many individuals are aware of the flood of email and mail appeals that coincide on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Essentially all major U.S. nonprofits will host fundraising campaigns, and plenty of smaller, local groups will participate as well.
Nonprofit organizations don’t have to be affiliated with GivingTuesday in any method to run a fundraising campaign. They can just do it, although GivingTuesday provides graphics and advice. In this manner, it stays a grassroots endeavor during which groups and donors participate as they please.
Was GivingTuesday a hit?
It will depend on the way you measure success, but it surely has definitely gone far beyond initial efforts to advertise giving on social media. The day has change into an everlasting and well-known event that focuses on charitable giving, volunteerism and civic participation within the U.S. and all over the world.
For years, GivingTuesday has been a serious fundraising goal for nonprofits, with many looking for to arrange pooled donations from major donors and leverage their network of supporters to contribute. This is the start year-end fundraising peakas nonprofits strive to fulfill their budget goals for next yr.
GivingTuesday giving in 2022 and 2023 totaled $3.1 billion, up from $2.7 billion in 2021. While that is loads to boost in a single day, the trend last yr was flat and with fewer donorswhich, in accordance with the organization, is a disturbing signal.
Lifestyle
BlaQue Community Cares is organizing a cash crowd for serious food
QNS reports that Queens, New York-based nonprofit BlaQue Community Cares is making an effort to assist raise awareness of Earnest Foods, an organic food market with the Cash Mob initiative.
The BlaQue Cash Mob program is a community-led event that goals to support local businesses, reminiscent of grocery stores in Jamaica, by encouraging shoppers to go to the shop and spend a certain quantity of cash, roughly $20. BlaQue founder Aleeia Abraham says cash drives are happening across New York City to extend support for local businesses. “I think it’s important to really encourage local shopping habits and strengthen the connections between residents and businesses and Black businesses, especially in Queens,” she said after hosting six events since 2021.
“We’ve been doing this for a while and we’ve found that it really helps the community discover new businesses that they may not have known existed.”
As a result, crowds increase sales and strengthen social bonds for independent businesses.
Earnest Foods opened in 2021 after recognizing the necessity for fresh produce in the world. As residents struggled to seek out fresh food, Abraham defines the shop as “an invaluable part of the southeast Queens community.” “There’s really nowhere to go in Queens, especially Black-owned businesses in Queens, to find something healthier to eat. We need to keep these businesses open,” she said.
“So someone just needs to make everyone aware that these companies exist and how to keep the dollars in our community. Organizing this cash crowd not only encourages people to buy, but also shows where our collective dollars stand, how it helps sustain businesses and directly serves and uplifts our community.”
The event will happen on November 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 123-01 Merrick Blvd in St. Albans. According to the shop’s co-owner, Earnest Flowers, he has partnered with several other Black-owned brands in the world to sell his products at the shop. Flowers is comfortable that his neighbors can come to his supermarket to purchase organic food and goods from local vendors like Celeste Sassine, owner of Sassy Sweet Vegan Treats.
At the grand opening three years ago which was visited by over 350 viewersSassine stated that the collaboration was “super, super, super exciting” to the purpose that the majority of the products were off the shelves inside hours.
Lifestyle
Keke Palmer Recalls the Key Advice Will Smith Gave Her as a Child: “It’s Hard to Be First”
Like many young people, actress Keke Palmer went through a phase wherein she clashed along with her parents. Recently in a performance at “Toast” podcast.Palmer revealed that fellow actor Will Smith helped her take care of the situation along with her family.
As a child star who has appeared on Nickelodeon and Disney productions, the “Akeelah and the Bee” actress explained how juggling fame has affected her and her family relationships — a lot in order that she admits she once considered emancipating herself from her parents.
Although her lawyer tried to get her into counseling, Palmer said it was Smith’s words that ultimately modified her mind.
“A couple of weeks go by, I’m on the set of ‘True Jackson, Vice President’ and I get a call from a very, very unknown number. And I said, “What? If it was strange, I would not answer,” she said, mentioning that she simply went back to work. Later, while retrieving her phone, Palmer received a voicemail from the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star.
“Hey Keke. This is Will. We’re here filming ‘The Karate Kid’ with (my son) Jaden and I just want to let you understand that I’ve talked (to your lawyer),’ Palmer continued, impersonating Smith. “He let me know every little thing you are going through and I need you to know that sometimes it’s hard to be the first, but you may do it. Just stay focused, love your loved ones and every little thing shall be high-quality.
Palmer remembers struggling as a child with the attention and fame that got here with climbing the ladder in the entertainment industry. While trying to adjust to the demands of her burgeoning profession, the actress recalls feeling that fame meant she would have to “throw (her) family away.”
“It’s something that happens when you leave and you can become a child artist, you can be the first person in your family to go to college, or you can be the first person in your family to get married,” Palmer said: explaining her feelings at that moment. “There are so many firsts that can happen as the generations of your family grow and evolve.”
Ultimately deciding not to undergo the emancipation process, Palmer emphasized the importance of getting a healthy community when navigating the entertainment industry.
“I think I’ve always felt like a lot of people, whether they’re big names or whether they’re my lawyers, have been a good community,” she added. “Also, my parents made sure I was around (people) who would encourage community rather than discord and separation.”
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