By Derek Peebles
During the pandemic we have seen an increased awareness and public anger directed against monopolies. We are now seeing legal, political and grassroots mobilization efforts to regulate anti-competitive market practices that have long plagued everyday Americans particularly communities of color. There is a disconnect in the language and narrative between the Anti- Monopoly policy advocates, local business owners, and community leaders on the topic of monopoly power and corporate concentration. Most of the current efforts in this space involve educating policymakers on why strengthening monopoly regulations are important to our economy and preserving small business. What is needed is a change in conversation, and expanded narrative, that answers the question from the perspective of a business owner, consumer, and/or entrepreneur, “Why should I care about the regulation of monopolies?”
AMIBA in partnership with the Common Good Collective will work to capitalize on the cultural
moment which will require the help of our networks to apply common good practices and
economic imagination in the dominant narrative around monopoly power and corporate
concentration. AMIBA will be organizing a cohort of committed IBA leaders on April 27th at 1pm
Eastern Time to discuss the opportunities and possibilities of this important work. We are
inviting our alliance leaders and AMIBA Board of Directors to participate and contribute. We
have a few spaces available. If you are interested in learning more about this initiative, please
email me at derek@amiba.net. To become an AMIBA member (join here), and check out
Catalyzing Local Business on our website.
As we move into the post-pandemic economy it is more important than ever to capitalize on
the opportunity to reimagine an economy that is local, green and fair. There are three primary
strategic focus areas AMIBA will be giving much attention to as we move forward to expand the
local economy movement.
1. Catalyzing Local Business, A Common Approach to Monopoly Power
2. Reimagining the Local Economy Movement with Racial Equity at the Center
3. Convening small business stakeholders to discover and create innovative actions that
will increase local purchasing and multiply dollars in communities.
For 20 years, AMIBA has demonstrated and publicized the importance of local businesses to our
national economy. These efforts include educating consumers and policymakers about how
small and independent businesses create sustainable jobs and how purchases from local
businesses circulate and multiply dollars in neighborhoods and communities. AMIBA’s strengths
stem from:
1. Encompassing more than 60 local IBA’s with distinct and innovative leadership,
2. Representing over 40,000 small business members that provide crucial grassroots
support; and
3. Maintaining the capacity to deploy resources on both nationwide and local bases as
needed.
The vast networks of local businesses that comprise AMIBA support each other and contribute
to the vitality of their communities. Time and again, these networks have demonstrated what is
possible when local businesses work together to share best practices, direct programs that
build strong local economies, and advocate for local entrepreneurs.