Why Cultural Capital Without Financial Capital Fails Black Women in the UK

I was watching a piece of content recently, a podcast interview featuring a Black woman entrepreneur and content creator who had gone through many challenges including financial strains. She was on the platform to discuss her journey but also it was a win for that platform because the engagement around that particular episode was very high. It made me wonder though: Why are people so quick to celebrate the presence of Black women in spaces that make organisations look progressive and forward thinking, yet so slow to invest in those same women when it comes to financial stability and the ability to build lasting wealth and legacy. When Black History Month arrives across the UK, there is no shortage of invitations for Black women to speak on panels, to perform in cultural showcases, to write reflective pieces and to host events that allow companies and institutions to declare themselves inclusive and diverse. These same organisations will proudly showcase their commitment to representation. Yet, when the month ends and the bright lights fade, the barriers to financial equity remain firmly in place. The real beneficiaries are the institutions that extract cultural capital without redistributing any tangible financial capital that would allow Black women to thrive.

It is not enough to call upon Black women’s voices and brilliance to add flair to marketing campaigns or authenticity to diversity pledges if those voices are not being paid fairly. It is not enough if those women are not being given pathways to create scalable businesses or to build financial portfolios that secure generational change. Cultural recognition without financial recognition is simply another performance of power, I would go so far as to say that it is exploitation disguised as progress.

This moment forces us to ask whether institutions and brands truly value Black women’s contributions or whether they simply value the way Black women make them look innovative and socially conscious, without disrupting the economic structures that keep wealth and resources out of reach. The answer lies in the contracts that are not offered, the budgets that are not allocated, the investments that are not made and the opportunities that are quietly denied even as applause is loudly given.

If Black women are good enough to stand on stages amplifying messages, then they are more than good enough to gain access to networks and financial backing that can transform communities. If Black women are good enough to be named as cultural pioneers, then they are more than good enough to sit at the tables where economic decisions are made. If Black women in the UK are good enough to be celebrated as storytellers and educators, then they are more than good enough to be resourced as entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders. Their brilliance should not be confined to a single month or a tokenised role that flatters the establishment without shifting the balance of power.

Until we move from applause to actual allocation and from symbolic gestures to substantial investment, Black women will continue to be used as cultural currency without being allowed to build the kind of financial capital that creates real economic freedom and equity.