Retail Racism : Shopping While Black and Brown in America

For minorities in today’s society, there may be a greater complexity and risk to moving about in the retail, restaurant, and other consumer marketplaces than some might expect. Based on 20 in-depth interviews with people from various backgrounds across the country, the purposes of this book is threefold. Firstly, to bring greater awareness to minority marketplace experiences both for consumers and marketplaces by offering a tapestry of what shopping and otherwise moving about and engaging in the consumer marketplaces may look like for minorities, even today. Secondly, to increase sensitivity to this issue for all involved. And third, to provide some of the steps and resources that others have taken in an attempt to interrupt, disrupt, or ameliorate the inappropriate handling of minority consumers. To an extent, this book is about not only shopping, but also humane living in America, surviving and making sense of experiences, what to do about it, and the larger issues and contexts that surround the marketplace for minorities.