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Black-owned businesses in Waco feel community support

Even Magnolia is joining in on the movement. They announced that they are working on an online vendor fair for black businesses.

WACO, Texas — There is a nationwide push to spend money at black owned businesses. It's a simple way that some are trying to address years of inequality, and it's catching on in Central Texas.

Even Magnolia is joining in on the movement. They announced that they are working on an online vendor fair for black businesses.

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While local business owners like Omari and Abby Head at Franklin Avenue Mac House said they're grateful for the community's support.

"We were blown away by the support. It was crazy,” Omari Head said.

Both Omari and Abby Head said the community of Waco have been very supportive during the pandemic, and now even more with the push to support black-owned businesses.

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“We love the Lord and we just feel like He works things together for the good of those who love Him and I think that He’s taking this terrible situation, but just turning it for so many, and so it’s just awesome to be part of this racial awakening and this movement that’s happening across our city and across the world,” Omari Head said.

They said this movement isn't meant to exclude other businesses, instead it's meant to turn something negative into something positive for a community that unfortunately faces racial injustice.

"We are a biracial couple and so we really believe in building bridges across our community and I think that's just one way for every demographic of person to cross that bridge to get to another business they may not have known about or supported before,” Abby Head said.  

Other business owners like Kemar Ballentine-Harris, at Wings of Waco said he had experienced support from different people as well as other local businesses.

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"To be highlighted as a local black-owned business and you know have more people, just an influx of traffic, it feels pretty good,” Ballentine-Harris said.

He deems himself the wingman and said he has felt nothing but love from the community since he opened earlier this year.

"There's nothing but positivity in Waco and the surrounding areas, so I mean we get along fairly well and everybody kind of supports each other,” Ballentine-Harris said. “I mean it's all about respect."

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