As Black History Month comes to an end, we are reminded not only of the struggles our ancestors endured but of the blueprints they left behind for economic self sufficiency and prosperity. King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn believes it’s time for a New Deal – one designed specifically to address the economic challenges facing Black communities today.
For Quinn, the economic devastation of historic Black Wall Streets – from Tulsa to Rosewood – is not just a lesson in loss but a mandate for action. The message? It’s time to reclaim and rebuild our own pathways to prosperity.
“We’ve always valued collaboration,” Quinn says, “but imagine if we took it to the next level – what could we build together? Are we fully tapping into our collective power in ways that create lasting impact?” His New Deal vision calls for a strategic shift – one where Black entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals stop seeing each other as competitors and instead form alliances that strengthen the entire community.
Quinn points to other communities – Asian, Latinx – who have mastered group economics, where business partnerships, cooperative investments, and intergenerational wealth-building are common practices. “Individual success is powerful, but imagine what’s possible when we build something that lasts beyond us.”
The urgency of his vision is magnified by the current political climate, where federal support for diversity, equity, and inclusion is disappearing under the Trump administration. Without a commitment to collective growth, Quinn warns, Black businesses will be left even more vulnerable to systemic economic exclusion.
His solution? A recalibration of economic strategy. He advocates for more co-op businesses, investment groups, and procurement partnerships that prioritize Black-owned enterprises. In a time of economic uncertainty,
Quinn isn’t just pushing for policy changes – he’s challenging Black business leaders to rethink how they build and sustain wealth.
“In 2025, we don’t just survive – we thrive,” Quinn says. And that starts with a New Deal of our own.
