Maaskelah Kimit Thomas Ph.d.

Umoja Money and Gawakazi Beyond Buy Black:: a System for Building Community and Social Capital Maaskelah Kimit Thomas Ph.d.

While it is certainly true that the Black community in the U. S. is in need of economic development and uplift, money (hard cash) is not the only vehicle toward that end. Human capital is one of the most valuable resources on earth. No matter the challenges that continue to press against us due to institutional racism, white supremacy ideology and behavior, cultural imperialism, and more, we are a people who have survived because of our sense of community. Our readiness to help our sister or brother in need, to lend a hand while allowing another to regain or maintain a sense of dignity and self-worth has been the glue that has held us together. Community currency is a means of designing an internal, community controlled system of exchange. Community currencies, or local currencies, are not a new concept, but the utilization of them is experiencing a major resurgence throughout the world. Such internal currency systems provide a tool for addressing issues such as unemployment, community breakdown and economic disenfranchisement.