This post was originally published on Defender Network
By Laura Onyeneho
Black love has always been more than romance. It has been a source of strength, resilience and survival.
Black love is also an economic force that can shift the trajectory of families and entire communities. Social media is full of podcast bros talking about relationships and gender wars, and the conversations are nothing but toxic.
The systemic barriers in society and the decline of the institution of marriage continue to stifle Black wealth-building, and the intentional partnerships rooted in financial strategy that can serve as a powerful means to economic freedom.
Historically, research shows that marriage has been a pathway to financial security. Those who marry tend to have better physical and mental health, social ties, higher household incomes, wealth accumulation, and better children than unmarried parents.
But when Black couples come together with a shared economic vision, they can break cycles of financial struggle, accumulate generational wealth and reinvest in their communities.
Pooling resources is one of the most effective ways couples can leverage their financial power. By combining incomes, reducing individual financial burdens and making strategic investments in assets like real estate, stock, and Black-owned businesses, couples can create a foundation for long-term wealth.
Entrepreneurship is another powerful avenue for wealth-building within Black relationships. Many successful Black couples have built business empires that benefit them and uplift others.
Take Beyoncé and Jay-Z, for example. They have expanded their influence beyond music to invest in businesses and Black-owned ventures. They are the prime example of what mixing business with pleasure should look like. From Beyoncé’s Bey Good Foundation supporting organizations serving marginalized and under-resourced communities to Jay-Z supporting at-risk youth with scholarships and raising awareness about the criminal justice system and legal challenges for Black people, they aren’t taking their feet off the brakes yet.
Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama worked as a team in the White House for 8 years. In 2018, they launched Higher Grounds Productions. They aim to tell powerful stories that entertain, inform and inspire while elevating diverse voices in the entertainment industry. They have produced television programs, films and podcasts for Netflix. They elevate Black stories while giving opportunities to Black talent in the industry.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta couple Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker understand what it means to secure the bag. They have many successful businesses, including restaurants, podcasts, selling sex toys, producing movies,and cosmetics.
Former NBA Wade and Wade have multiple businesses, including wine, snack foods, hair care and lifestyle brands. They recently launched their first joint venture, Proudly, which is a baby-care line for melanated skin. Growing a business with your spouse isn’t easy. Wade initially hesitated about being partners in this venture because of their different ways of processing information and managing tasks, but hey, it seems the dynamic is working out great.
Black love doesn’t have to equate to struggle and hardship.
Black love has the power to be revolutionary. Love alone won’t solve systemic financial inequities, but when paired with strategic investment in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and wealth-building, it can be a force for true economic liberation.
I prefer that we shift our perspective—Because I’ve had enough of the Kevin Samuels, red pill, blue pill, Black men ain’t s**t, What do you bring to the table, rhetoric all down my timeline. Social media is not a real place, and trust me, there are amazing Black powerhouse couples who debunk these sad conversations everywhere.