This week, I will begin this post with a true story.

In my community, there were two-black owned and operated florists who have gone out of business, who were forced to close their doors. Both of whom I know personally and patronized, and received exceptional service. How can it be that they were not able to sustain? That’s the question I pondered then and even now. 

We have all heard the catch phrase, "Each One Teach One."

This phrase originated in the United States during slavery, when Africans were denied education, including learning to read. Many, if not most slaves were kept in a state of ignorance about anything beyond their immediate circumstances which were under control of owners, the law makers and the authorities. When a slave learned or was taught to read, it became his duty to teach someone else, spawning the phrase "Each one teach one."