While I travel about the city and nearby areas searching for community-based black owned businesses to frequent, I have observed that many, if not most of our local businesses are owned and operated by proprietors who are employed full-time. I understand that for many, the full time job is the consistent flow of resource fueling and funding the business venture. This is not an impossible feat, however, organization and discipline around schedules is very important.

By definition, survival is the state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances. The ways and means by which we live are relevant to every member of our society, community, or family to include adults and children alike.

I was born in the midst of the Great Depression of the 1930s and raised by God-fearing parents who upheld a standard of morality and passed down a good work ethic. During those years, times were very tough; and families came together in order to respond to the challenges of that era...