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How to find and support Black-owned businesses

A Minnesota woman is using her data tracking skills to map Black-owned businesses across the United States.

MINNEAPOLIS — Lashowna Dukes is literally putting Black-owned businesses on the map.

Raised in Minnesota, Dukes works as a data analyst for Good360, a non-profit in Alexandria, Virginia. The organization connects other non-profits with businesses seeking to provide donations.

In her spare time, Dukes uses Google Maps to show which Black-owned businesses are open despite the hardships of COVID-19.

"I went out to try to support a Black business a couple weeks ago and it was very tedious," Dukes said. "I had to click on each one and search it and then had to look at the reviews and then see if it was open for COVID. So I just wanted to make it easier." 

Dukes shared her map for the first time Thursday. So far, 300 Black-owned stores and services are listed and sorted into categories.

"I wanted to release it in time for Juneteenth because that is a time that people are able to support the community. When I released it, we had over 600 views," Dukes said.

Dukes thanks her friends Dajah Massey, Erica Hardin, Patrice Farquharson, Stephane Moulec, Kimberley Driggins, Chris Claudius, and Davon Singletary for help with gathering information and testing the map before its release. She also thanks them for sharing it, considering there is room for more businesses to be added.

Dukes plans to update the map weekly. She also plans to find a way to include businesses without physical storefronts. To suggest a business, e-mail buyus2020@gmail.com. The map can be viewed here.

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