It’s now standard that any discussion about community development strongly emphasises the need for establishing a substantive economic base.  However, the challenge has been strategizing how best to go about it.  This often includes lamentations about our inability to effectively harness our estimated “£300 billion spending power” (1),

Of course, Ujmaaa (co-operatives economics), the fourth principle of the Nguzo Saba is part of the foundation of Kwanzaa, firmly infusing culture into our economic considerations. (2) Indeed, there are those that argue that “spending power” alone is not a sufficient marker of economic empowerment. (3)

It’s also worth noting that one of the reasons that an economic base is so necessary is that we can support community services and initiatives that the state and related agencies are unable and/or unwilling to support.  Enter the Black Card Lottery that “plays an important philanthropic role within the African/Caribbean community by underwriting our civic organisation as they grow.” (4)

The Black Card Lottery (BCL) is the brainchild of award-winning retail professional and entrepreneur Sophia Leach and is regarded by its founder as “a long term solution to financially support the Educational, Economical, Health and wellbeing of the UK’s African Diaspora.” It is also the UK’s first black owned lottery which is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission.  Similar to how the National Lottery purportedly supports ‘good causes’, the Black Card Lottery was created to raise money to support the educational advancements of black students and to provide financial aid to our black communities and charities.

Subscribers pay a monthly fee which enters them into a daily prize draw with jackpots currently starting at £500. 50% of all lottery funds are returned to the community as cash prizes and smaller prizes and 35% goes to community ‘good causes.’

BCL states as its mission “for the black community to have its own financial independence, by having half the British black population playing the black card lottery, creating a singular system to raise money that will support the black community. If only 1 million black Brits subscribed we will be able to generate £10 million per month which will fund educational, economic and community growth and development from the ground up.”

(1) Akinwunmi, Kay (17/09/15) Data Reveals 5 Key Areas Black Businesses in London Need to Improve Significantly.   http://limconcepts.com/blog/five-areas-black-businesses-london-need-to-improve/ However, it is important to note that there are

(2) Dr. Maulana Karenga (2008) The Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles). http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/7principles.shtml.

(3)  Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (03/02/20) Buying Black – Does it make a difference? https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/buying-black-does-it-make-a-difference-03022020/

(4)  Dean Okai Snr (12/10/21) Black Card Lottery & economically underwriting our civic institutions. https://www.adpac.net/post/black-card-lottery-economically-underwriting-our-civic-institutions

we ask the question:

Can the Black Card Lottery help us achieve Ujamaa?

1) Will you subscribe to the Black Card Lottery?

2) Why does economic empowerment seem so elusive?

3) Will a philanthropic approach be more effective than a entrepreneurial one?

4) Is the BCL a “long-term solution” to our economic wellbeing?

5) What role does culture play in developing an economic base?

Our Special Guests:

Sis. Sophia Leach: is the founder of the Black Card Lottery and a retail professional and entrepreneur with a passion for supporting her community and collaborating with black owned businesses. She has over 20 years retail management, where she rapidly broke corporate sales records and won multiple awards. (https://www.blackcardlottery.com/about-us)