The Mood at the Capitol

As a trial lawyer, civil rights advocate, and someone with a background in economics and tax policy, I understand that recent economic policies—especially the tariffs imposed by President Trump—are affecting our everyday lives. These policies can lead to higher prices on goods we rely on, job uncertainty, and financial strain. Mean Missouri policies have already stripped nearly one billion dollars of state contracts away from Blacks and others that had fought for and won those contracts. Republican Governor Parson did that as he exited the Capitol to return to his farm. Is this? It is access to this sort of generational wealth that we could loose if we do not act. Missouri has a long track record of taking food out of our mouths. Now generations will know loss from these racist recent reckless Republican acts too. As a community we earn less for the same work, obtain less employment opportunities and suffer injustice in all of the ways identified in the Missouri NAACP Travel Advisory. https://www.monaacp.org/travel-advisory The Travel Advisory is still in effect. We should take steps to preserve ourselves while we can. In response to Republicans pushing racist Jim Crow policies like Project 2025, I offer five practical steps that every community member can take to lessen these effects, along with the support our NAACP units are providing to help make these initiatives a reality. 1. Support Local and Black-Owned Businesses Recommendation: Choose to spend your dollars locally by supporting Black-owned businesses. Community Support: The NAACP has created a comprehensive directory of Black-owned and supportive businesses, available for community members to shop with. For more information, please visit www.monaacp.org. If you are a business that should be listed - contact the NAACP at info@monaacp.org so people can more easily find you. Everyone can still win. Outcome: Keeping money in our community fosters local prosperity and reduces reliance on imported goods burdened by tariffs. 2. Boost Financial Literacy and Savings Recommendation: Enhance your financial skills by learning budgeting, saving, and investment strategies. Money is already too tight, the rent is high and Ameren is raising your bill by 15%. Community Support: The NAACP is set to announce partnerships with leading banks and financial institutions to provide financial literacy workshops and expert advice. Details and schedules for these workshops will soon be available on the NAACP website. Payday and title loans are sucking the life out of our communities, but we have alternatives. Outcome: Improved financial literacy empowers families and working people to protect their finances from rising costs, creating a more stable economic environment for families. That stability will be needed as a billion dollars taken away from us. 3. Join or Form Community Buying Groups Recommendation: Organize or participate in cooperative buying groups to negotiate better prices on everyday items, particularly through local channels. Community Support: Our collaboration with the Missouri NAACP Agriculture Committee is underway, aiming to connect community members with local Missouri farmers and meat producers. Our community gardens and educational programs can replace fast food with good food your grandmother would want you to eat and it can be good to you and for you. If a few families buy a cow and split it up, everyone can eat well. Outcome: Collective purchasing can help offset the cost increases from tariffs, and help families eat better. 4. Stay Informed and Actively Participate in Local Policy Discussions Recommendation: Attend community meetings and engage in local discussion to understand and influence decisions that affect us. For example, the NAACP is holding more than 2 dozen townhalls to hear from you about the needs in your community. Visit www.monaacp.org for a complete listing of the townhalls and lets use our voice collectively. Community Support: The NAACP actively participates in local coalitions and leads efforts opposing policies such as sales taxes that disproportionately impact working families, especially in Black and Brown communities across Missouri. While politicians seek to reduce income taxes for the rich, we cannot let them leave us holding the bag. Oppose new and renewing sales taxes. Stay informed with the NAACP Legislative Update - it is free on our website and full of all that is happening. Outcome: Active civic engagement helps shape policies that protect our interests and promotes community-driven solutions. 5. Invest in Skill Development and Education Recommendation: Enhance your job skills through local training programs and educational opportunities to secure better employment prospects. You may need those skills to improve your prospects or help you move to a state that is prosperous and supportive to you and yours. Community Support: We are collaborating with institutions like Lincoln University, Harris Stowe, and other universities with a long history of promoting educational equity. These partnerships aim to support ongoing learning, even as some state institutions like the University of Missouri and Missouri State University scale back their commitments to inclusion and equity. Outcome: Greater skills and education lead to improved job security and income for the next generations, buffering the community against economic disruptions and preparing families with skills that are transferable wherever they may go. By taking these steps, each of us can contribute to building a stronger, more resilient community. The initiatives outlined above are supported by our local and state NAACP units, which are committed to ensuring that Black Americans in our urban centers have the resources and opportunities needed to thrive in challenging economic times.