OPINION | What If? And Why Can’t We?

In a community rich with talent, tradition and economic power, one question continues to rise above the rest: What if? And perhaps more importantly, why can’t we?

Over the past several months in Columbus and the surrounding region, we have witnessed a powerful display of excellence, unity and celebration within Black organizations. From the Delta Ball and Omega Ball to the Women’s Empowerment Luncheon, NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, Black History Month Breakfast, Alpha Phi Alpha Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, Jack & Jill Beautillion Ball, The Links’ Evening of Emerald Elegance, Sisters, Inc. Rosa Parks Breakfast, and the UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball—these events represent the very best of who we are.

They also represent something else: collective economic power.

Each of these organizations, rooted in service and legacy—from the Divine Nine to The Links and Jack & Jill—spends thousands of dollars annually on venues, catering, décor and logistics. Individually, these investments are significant. Collectively, they are transformative.

So the question must be asked: What if we stopped renting our success and started owning it?

What if, instead of writing checks year after year to external venues, we pooled our financial resources, leveraged our professional networks, and invested in a shared, Black-owned event space—designed, built and operated to meet our community’s needs?

Why can’t we?

Ownership changes everything. It shifts the narrative from participation to control. It allows us to circulate dollars within our own community, create jobs, support Black-owned vendors, and build long-term wealth. A centrally located, multi-purpose venue could host galas, conferences, weddings, community forums and cultural events—generating revenue not just for maintenance, but for reinvestment.

This is not a far-fetched idea. The infrastructure already exists—not in brick and mortar, but in people. Attorneys, bankers, developers, contractors, marketers, elected officials and entrepreneurs sit within these very organizations. The expertise is here. The capital is here. The need is clear.

What’s missing is a unified commitment to think beyond individual events and toward collective legacy.

Economic independence is not just about income—it is about ownership, access and control. It is about building institutions that outlive us. It is about ensuring that the next generation doesn’t just attend the banquet—but owns the ballroom.

Yes, there will be challenges. Governance, equity, management and vision must all be addressed. But none of those obstacles outweigh the opportunity before us.

Because if we can organize elegant events year after year…

If we can mobilize hundreds—sometimes thousands—of people for a single evening…

If we can raise scholarships, fund programs and celebrate excellence…

Then surely, we can come together to build something permanent.

So again, the question remains:

What if?

And until we answer it with action, the more pressing question will always be:

Why can’t we?