Cipher (circular) economics is a system that continuously cycles resources, knowledge, and capital within Black communities, generating wealth, resilience, and community impact. This circular economic cipher aims to close the generational wealth gap and reclaim lost time, money, and opportunities from past injustices. It relies on community-driven businesses, reinvestment in local resources, and sustainable wealth-building initiatives.

This model consists of eight interconnected pillars that represent key steps or “codes” in the circular cipher. Each step supports the next, creating a regenerative economic loop with compounding benefits.

1. Resource Mobilization: Reclaiming Ownership and Control

• Community-Owned Assets: Establish community land trusts, cooperatives, and real estate investment groups to secure and preserve Black-owned spaces. This allows Black communities to control essential resources like housing, commercial property, and shared spaces for business operations.

• Localized Production: Encourage Black-owned businesses to source and produce locally, fostering independence and reducing reliance on external sources. For example, Black-owned urban farms can supply produce to local stores, food cooperatives, and restaurants.

2. Financial Regeneration: Reinvesting Black Capital

• Community Crowdfunding and Cooperative Investment: Create community crowdfunding platforms and cooperative investment funds to pool resources from community members. This collective capital can fund new ventures, provide micro-loans, and reduce barriers to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs.

• Circular Funding for Social Impact: Redirect a percentage of business profits back into the community by supporting local schools, public health initiatives, and other social enterprises. This ensures each dollar spent circulates back into Black communities multiple times.

3. Skill-Building and Knowledge Sharing: Equipping the Next Generation

• Mentorship Networks and Apprenticeships: Develop mentorship networks that connect experienced Black entrepreneurs with young professionals, particularly in emerging industries like technology, renewable energy, and green manufacturing. This allows each generation to build on the last.

• Community Learning Hubs: Open community learning hubs or digital spaces where people can access free or low-cost education on social entrepreneurship, digital skills, financial literacy, and sustainable practices.

4. Sustainable Business Models: Creating Green, Impact-Driven Ventures

• Social Enterprises in Essential Services: Encourage social enterprises in sectors like food, housing, healthcare, and education, which offer sustainable solutions to pressing community needs. For example, Black-led housing cooperatives can address both affordable housing and homeownership disparities.

• Circular and Zero-Waste Practices: Support businesses that prioritize circular economy principles (reusing materials, reducing waste). Upcycling fashion brands, for instance, can transform textiles into new products, providing affordable options and minimizing environmental impact.

5. Collective Consumption: Leveraging Buying Power

• Group Purchasing Initiatives: Form buying clubs that allow Black households and businesses to buy goods in bulk at discounted rates. This increases savings for community members and builds collective economic power.

• Black-Owned Business Directories and Loyalty Programs: Establish digital directories and community loyalty programs to encourage support for Black-owned businesses. Incentivizing repeat purchases within the community amplifies the impact of each dollar spent.

6. Wealth Preservation: Building and Protecting Generational Assets

• Financial Literacy and Legacy Planning: Offer workshops and online courses on investment, savings, tax planning, and estate planning. Knowledge of these areas enables families to preserve wealth and pass it on to future generations.

• Community Insurance Pools: Create cooperative insurance pools that help mitigate financial risks for Black entrepreneurs and families. These pooled funds can support members in times of need, providing a safety net that fosters resilience.

7. Digital Inclusion and Tech-Driven Growth: Bridging the Access Gap

• Tech Skills Training and Digital Entrepreneurship: Provide low-cost training in digital skills, coding, e-commerce, and content creation. Equipping Black entrepreneurs with digital tools can expand their reach and open doors to online revenue.

• Platforms for Circular Commerce: Develop and support e-commerce platforms that showcase Black-owned products and services, using circular principles like resale and refurbishment. These platforms keep the exchange of goods and wealth within the community.

8. Policy and Advocacy for Equity: Expanding Impact

• Advocacy for Inclusive Policies and Reparative Initiatives: Mobilize community leaders to advocate for policies that promote Black entrepreneurship, affordable housing, and educational equity. Supporting policy change ensures the circular economy has structural support.

• Strategic Partnerships: Build partnerships with local governments, universities, and nonprofits that can provide grants, resources, and expertise to Black-led initiatives. Public-private partnerships can enhance funding and offer networking opportunities.

In this circular cipher, each dollar and resource circulates through the community, multiplying its impact at every stage:

1. Assets and capital start by being collectively generated and protected within the community.

2. These funds are reinvested to launch sustainable Black-owned social enterprises, creating jobs and community resources.

3. Skills and knowledge are then passed down to the next generation, building on each generation’s progress.

4. Social enterprises and cooperatives grow in essential areas (housing, food, tech), which improves community quality of life and reinvests profits.

5. Purchasing power amplifies within the community through organized buying and loyalty initiatives.

6. Wealth preservation practices ensure the benefits and assets continue building over generations.

7. Digital inclusion and policy advocacy ensure that future success is both technologically forward and structurally supported.

The ultimate goal of this cipher is not only economic empowerment but social justice. By closing the wealth gap and reclaiming economic agency, this model enables Black communities to rebuild and regenerate wealth lost to systemic inequities and establish a resilient, self-sustaining economy.

Through continuous reinvestment and collective growth, this circular cipher offers a practical roadmap for Black communities to build intergenerational wealth, reclaim agency, and ensure a prosperous future.