Much of the discussion around reparations centers on money “they owe us” for the damage done during more than two centuries of slavery and another century of federal- and state-sanctioned racial segregation. As we continue the reparations campaign, we need to focus on something else—how we spend what we already have.

And we have a lot.

According to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia, Black buying power—the personal income available after taxes for spending on goods and services—was $316.5 billion in 1990. This year, that figure stands at $645.9 billion and will increase to $852.8 billion in 2007. That’s an increase of 170 percent over 17 years and exceeds the growth rate of 112 percent for Whites over that period.

Instead of complaining about how we are treated by banks, we could own many more financial institutions. When a group led by former basketball star Magic Johnson, singer Janet Jackson and former Motown Records president Jheryl Busby bought the majority interest Los Angeles-based Founders National Bank in 1998, they paid $2.5 million. The Los Angeles group recently merged with Boston Bank of Commerce, making it the third-largest Black-run banking system in the nation, with about $264 million in combined assets.

If we want to encourage those banks to provide mortgages and business loans to inner city residents, one church—not even a mega church—could make a significant impact on that bank’s bottom line. Say a minister persuades 25 homeowners in his or her congregation to refinance their homes at the local Black bank. Let’s assume that each home has a remaining mortgage of approximately $200,000, not an abnormally high amount in today’s market. Even if the interest on that amount came to a conservative $100,000, that bank would have more than $2.5 million to work with over the length of those mortgages. Remember, that’s an extremely conservative number and we’re talking about only one church.

Suppose we got five churches in our city to make that kind of commitment. That’s more than $12 million that would be available for that bank to reinvest in the development of houses or businesses in the neighborhood. If you add automobile and personal loans as well investment portfolios to the mix, we could easily exceed $15 million in additional revenue for a Black bank. If one mega-church bought into this idea, it could instantly transform some of our communities.

As we get our businesses established, we must make it a point to not support businesses that don’t support us.

There are a number of categories in which African-Americans spend a larger share of their incomes than the general population. We spend disproportionately more on housing, clothing, shoes, groceries, personal care products and services, utilities, telephone services and insurance, according the University of Georgia study.

Yet, many major companies don’t advertise in our Black newspapers or with our Black radio stations, even if that station has the highest rating in its community. John “Jake” Oliver, the president of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a federation of more than 200 African-American newspapers, likes to say that when a company advertises with the Black press, it is clear that they are interested in seeking the business of Black consumers. If they advertise in a larger daily newspaper, by contrast, those companies could be speaking to anyone and everyone.

He points to study after study that show that Black readers and viewers have much more favorable impressions of ads and commercials specially directed at them than those that could be aimed at any consumer. Therefore, it’s in their best interest to advertise with Black-owned media.

And if they are not willing to even do what’s in their best business interest, we should decide they are not acting in our best interest. Are you listening Jesse? Mfume? Rev. Al? Hugh? Minister Farrakhan? I know of the efforts you’ve already made—I also know about the few crumbs some of you get that can be considered “hush money”—but it’s time to push even harder. Let’s not ask for respect, let’s demand it. And let’s demand it for our people and not just those closest to us.

In another 50 years or so, Whites will become a minority in the United States just as they already are in the world. Cloning Dolly or any other animal won’t alter that reality. If a business is to expand in this country, it must rely on people of color for that growth. But if they want to rely on us as consumers, we must be able to rely on them to return some of that investment to our communities. If they refuse, there should be economic consequences.