Why Can’t We Build Together? A Call for Unity in the Black Community

Let’s not sugarcoat it — we’ve got a problem. And it’s not one that started yesterday, but it’s one we’re still dragging into every meeting, every group chat, every “Black Excellence” brunch. Why is it that we, as Black people, struggle to build together the way other communities seem to do with ease?

It’s not about lack of talent. Not about resources. Not even about opportunity — not entirely. The real issue is us. And it’s time we looked in the mirror and stopped pretending we don’t see it.

Let’s break it down:

1. Defeatist Attitude: “It’ll Never Work”

We’ve gotten so used to hearing no that we start telling ourselves no before we even try. We hit the brakes before we hit the gas. “They won’t let us.” “The system is rigged.” “It’s not worth the effort.” Yes, the system is rigged — but tell that to Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery and went back for others. We have ancestors who BUILT through worse — no smartphones, no grants, no TikTok promo codes. Just raw grit, God, and each other. You think Black Wall Street popped up by accident?

2. Competition Over Collaboration

Some of us treat each other like there’s only one seat at the table, like it’s Top Chef and only one Black business, one Black voice, one Black creative can win. Meanwhile, the other communities? They’re out here setting the whole damn table, pulling up more chairs, passing the bread and the blueprints. We could be building our own tables — but instead we’re too busy competing to impress people who still don’t want us at theirs.

3. Backbiting and Betrayal

Let’s call it what it is: crabs in a barrel mentality. Gossiping, side-eyeing, undermining, and smiling in folks’ faces while plotting behind their backs. We get a little shine and suddenly we think the only way to stay on top is to tear someone else down. But if we can’t trust each other, how can we build anythingsustainable? If we’re too busy stabbing each other in the back, who’s got our backs?

4. Selfishness Disguised as Success

This one cuts deep. “I worked hard to get here.” Okay, so did everyone else — that’s not a license to gatekeep. Some of us get through the door and slam it behind us like we’re trying to keep the house clean. When other communities succeed, they bring each other with them. They build businesses with cousins, fund schools for their kids, circulate the dollar ten times before it leaves the block. And us? Sometimes it feels like we’d rather floss alone than flourish together.

So What’s the Solution?

We need to REBUILD the spirit of Tulsa. Reignite the fire of Africville. Go back to when we were willing to fight for one another, not against each other. And no, I’m not romanticizing the past — I’m reminding us that we’ve done this before. We thrived on our own, we supported each other, we created schools, hospitals, banks — all while dodging bullets, bombs, and burning crosses. What’s stopping us now?

Seriously, folks. Malcolm X would be flippin’ over in his grave. MLK would be asking what the hell happened to the dream. And Harriet? She’d be walking straight back down that Underground Railroad like, “Y’all ain’t ready.”

Final Thought:

If we want to create generational wealth, leave a legacy, and show these babies coming up behind us what’s possible — we have to stop tearing down and start building together. No more excuses. No more egos. No more solo wins.

It’s time to unify. Time to rebuild. Time to remember who we are.

Let’s get to work.