Hey everybody, I want to bounce a couple of ideas off of you. As you, my friends in the kitchen know, I recently hired a landscaper to rescue my yard from years of neglect, overgrowth, and rot. Its condition was so embarrassing to me but neither Ann nor I have been able to do yard work in quite a while. The back deck had actually become a significant hazard and effectively made our back door an unsafe egress for us. I worried about this. A lot.
As I’ve related to you all before,Norm of Norm’s Quality Landscaping left a flier in my mailbox listing services that included many of the things our yard needed. I saw it, looked wistfully at all the things he could do that our yard needed, and pinned the flier to my fridge, thinking if my disability were to come through…
And the very next day, my disability came through. You bet I called Norm.
This was the result.
I had a pot of money. I spent it well, with wonderful results for me. But you know what? I felt really good spending it with a small business owned by a black person — especially here in Portland, OR which has the reputation of being one of the whitest cities in America and which went through such trauma the summer of 2020 in the wake of protests of George Floyd’s murder. TFG made the City of Portland suffer terribly by sending in his goons, remember? The Black community here found many more White allies here after that. BLM signs are all around Portland now. That being said, like other parts of the Pacific Northwest there is underlying prejudice among some — it’s certainly not all peace, love, and guitars here…not yet.
Black Lives Matter signs are all well and good — they are the sincere reflection of the energy of thought and concern. But money…money is such a meaningful, practical energy. It puts food on people’s tables and gives a feeling of respect for a person’s labor. This matters, too. It’s huge.
I feel very blessed that fortune brought Norm to my door just as it became possible for me to hire him and his crew. And I’d really like to see him prosper. He’s so good at organizing his workers and I saw firsthand the measure of their respect for him and loyalty to him as a leader. I loved seeing their camaraderie. Two of my neighbors were impressed with the work in our yard, as well, and they hired Norm, too!
So here’s what I’m thinking. First, I’d like to help put together a GoFundMe for Norm. I know he needs a trailer, a truck, and to put paid to a debt that has been holding him back. He’s been renting equipment as he needs it and that is an expense that is hindering what he can do.
And as Norm is employing five to ten guys at any given time, this will bring more wherewithal to multiple households. It will be a radiating blessing.
So this I want to see happen and I can certainly publicize a GoFundMe with a story here on Daily Kos. But bigger picture, I am wondering if a Daily Kos group or groups should be put together to support small businesses owned by by people of color and/or women. Maybe this could be coordinated through the Kos Katalogue? I just want to throw out the idea here, among friends. Norm’s business is just one example, here in one place (Portland). But I think there is potential to do a lot of good. A side benefit would be to spotlight businesses — recognize them and let them know that they are seen and respected. Respect and appreciation for what one does in the world is a healing thing. And so is new business and cash flow! I know consistent new business would be a real blessing to Norm, personally — he’s got a family to feed, including infant twin sons!
Money is energy. Community is energy. Respect and recognition are energy. How can we best help?
Please discuss! And tell us about your day, your weekend plans, your menus. This is an open thread.
Norm’s Quality Landscaping: (971) 386-7596
photo gallery of his work is on Instagram