What would happen if one family committed to exclusively supporting black-owned businesses for an entire year? Meet Maggie Anderson, CEO and co-founder of The Empowerment Experiment Foundation, who turned that bold question into reality in 2009. An Emory and University of Chicago graduate who studied constitutional law under Barack Obama, Maggie documented her family's groundbreaking journey in her book Our Black Year: One Family's Quest to Buy Black in America's Racially Divided Economy. Through her activism, speaking, and leadership, she challenges communities to recognize economic empowerment as a pathway to equity—revealing the obstacles, opportunities, and transformative power of intentional spending within underserved communities.

Episode Highlights:

03:01 Maggie Anderson’s Roots: Liberty City, Immigrant Parents, and a Call to Activism

03:47 Mentors & Milestones: John Lewis, Barack Obama, and Corporate Leadership

06:18 The Anniversary Dinner That Sparked the Empowerment Experiment

10:07 From One Month to One Year: Making the Experiment Public & Credible

14:37 Finding Essentials, Building a Directory, and Getting Resourceful

17:01 Community Pushback, Missing Infrastructure, and Businesses Closing

19:25 A Mother’s Blessing, Finishing the Year, and Closing Reflections

Maggie Anderson’s Website and Contact Information