Two years into the 90s, my nephew, the first born of the next generation graduated from high school and decided to celebrate with a friend at a skating rink near his home. A few tough guys from a rival school threatened him, accusing them of being there to “take our girls.” One claimed to have a gun. This sent my nephew and his pal into a corner convenience store near his home where he asked the Korean owner to phone police.
Instead of calling police, he pulled out a shotgun, pointed it at them and sent them back into danger. I set up a meeting with the parents and graduates at the convenience store to discuss why he pulled a gun on these kids who were seeking help. I anticipated him saying he was afraid and didn’t mean any harm. I had an officer present to ensure a safe environment. The Korean owner replied, “They Black. They teenage. I want out!” He threw his hand up in a dismissive manner going on with his duties as though we were not present.
I was stunned by his callousness. His business was in the core of a thriving Black community in SW Atlanta. I insisted the Black officer fill out a report. He was reluctant, telling us we should just feel lucky no one was harmed. I pushed to receive a report and began calling several Civil Rights groups and organizations pleading for help. All were neutral or told me to let them know how things work out. My training and background was not as an activist but in the field of journalism. I didn’t know what steps to take. My anger at a man from outside our community deciding that Black lives had no value propelled me to take action. If you don’t value Black people, you don’t respect the dollars they spend in your store and should not do business in our community.
As the child of a Civil Rights advocate, I decided to boycott his business located at a busy intersection. I used my media savvy to write a press release informing the media. My political experience had me create signage informing motorists about the danger of a trigger-happy merchant in our community. Within hours a news helicopter was above beaming us live into the 6 o’clock news. His business went from up to 20 cars an hour down to only one. Our relentless picketing caused the Indian store owner across the street to send us free beverages to make sure he was not the next target. Churches in the area decided not to fill up their buses at the gas pumps until the issue was resolved. Civil Rights activist Hosea Williams saw us on the news and gave us his support.
The Korean merchant was charged with two counts of criminal assault for pointing the gun at them. The judge summoned me to the stand after the defense claimed danger because the teens were wearing a ball cap backwards. She found there was probable cause and asked if bond should be revoked due to the seriousness of his actions. I hesitated briefly thinking he deserved to be locked up indefinitely. I replied, I suspect him being arrested and put in jail might be a strong enough lesson for him not to repeat his actions.
His business never recovered from the hit. There are some customers who will never return once they learn how you have treated people from their community. Today we are facing similar dangers in this anti-DEI environment. There are some who would prefer Black people return to the lands they trafficked us from, brought here for the benefit of free labor. It is unique when a people actually survive on the very land where they were brutalized and enslaved. Yet 160 years after enslavement ended, treatment of Black Americans has changed little despite laws and movements that opened up social freedoms. This hostile environment prompts me to remind people that we are who we have been looking for to save us. We possess the skill and determination to maneuver and thrive in these conditions. It’s the small acts of courage that we see in our community that aid our freedoms. I am a reluctant activist who had to do what I believed not only protected my family, but also my community. A boycott of Target stores proves what can happen to a business when Black dollars stop flowing. You have the power with your wallet. Black spending equals to around 1.8 trillion dollars in this economy. Choosing not to spend your dollars where you are not valued is a small act of courage that can go a long way to thriving in this new anti-DEI environment.
About Audraine Jackson
Audraine Jackson is owner of Jackson Communications, a public relations company in Atlanta, Georgia, founder of J&V Cares, Inc, a nonprofit honoring first responders and author of “Shut Up and Be Pretty:” Finding Strength in a World of Intolerance. She is a former journalist working at WRBL-TV in Columbus, Georgia, KSOL-FM, San Mateo, California, KPIX-TV, San Francisco, California and CNN, Atlanta. She is the recipient of numerous awards from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) including Golden Flame Awards for Media Relations, Government Relations, Media Campaign and Writing. In 2008, she served as an at-large editor to the web award winning ReddingNewsReview.com and in 2013 became a weekly contributor to the nationally syndicated Redding News Review radio show with a segment titled “Answers with Audraine Jackson” covering topical issues like “Extreme Entitlement Mentality” and “Can Men Stop Giving Women Advice.” Her compelling series resulted in an Atlanta Press Club nomination for an Award of Excellence in 2014. In 2025 she plans to launch the “Sane Black Woman” podcast providing meaningful social commentary on the challenges of misogyny and racial discrimination in the USA.
