Look at US

I’m watching Soledad O’Brien’s latest Black in America special and one thing is blaring at me.  A mentor for this group of young African Americans just said something that is so true – it’s the elephant in the room that none of us seem to want to acknowledge.  He said, “you [African Americans] as a community don’t help each other” – this man, an Asian Indian, hit the nail square on the head.

Why is that we don’t help and support one another as a community?  I’m beginning to believe that this why we are not successful.  Sure, many of us have made it individually, but collectively we have failed – we have failed ourselves, we’ve failed one another, and we’ve failed our children.

So where does this leave us in terms of education?  It leaves our students dropping out, or should I say being pushed out, at alarming rates.  Our students don’t value education or the opportunities that have an education can bring.  I’ve heard students say they don’t need an education because they can just have a baby and depend on a government check; or they’re going to be next big rapper, actor or athlete.  What does that say about what we value as a community?

It seems to me that we are so focused on becoming the next big star or getting by on doing nothing that we are setting ourselves up for failure.  While I believe that everyone has their own path and passion to follow, I am certain that an education is key to success.  I don’t mean education in the traditional sense – learning facts, figures and history that has nothing to do with us – I mean learning how to think for oneself, not how to wait for the answers or a handout from someone else.

Don’t get me wrong, the history of African Americans and other minorities in the country has been tumultuous and painful, but that can no longer be our excuse.  It is now our turn to take our fate and future into our own hands.  Why be dependent on a system that was never meant for our benefit?  I often hear people say that history is the past and we need to leave it there, but the truth is we need to look to our past for some sort of inspiration.

Fifty years ago we worked and fought together, and we effected change.  Perhaps it is time for us to start supporting one another and building each other up, rather than constantly tearing each other down.  300 years ago Willie Lynch made a speech to fellow slave owners about how to control their slaves – I challenge you to read that speech and tell me how what Willie set into motion is any different from how our community interacts with one another today.

Before we can create a system of education to support our students, we have to learn to work, live and operate as a community.  What will you do today to set change into motion?  We have to change ourselves before can change the system.

Let's Start at the Passion

For nearly 28 years (yea, I’m getting old) I’ve been trying to figure out what the heck to do with my life, and I believe I’ve FINALLY figured it out. I feel like it’s taken forever, but a state of pure calm and peace followed by utter fear has set in.

About five years ago I began a graduate program with absolutely no clue as to why or what I was really doing – I was going to get a master of arts in German literature and culture with no intent to ever teach German; but all things happen for a reason. Just before I began my program I “discovered” Black Germans – I’d studied German for nearly eight years and never knew anything about this part of German history or culture.

To make a long story less long, I decided to focus my studies on Afro-Germans and other minority groups within German culture; and as part of my research I read W.E.B. Dubois’ “The Soul of Black Folk” and became enraged at the lack of effort being put into educating African American children in early 20th century. The problem for me was that not much had changed in 100 years – there is still a clear lack of effort in educating African-, Latin- and Native-American students in the United States. I immediately decided that I would add an education program to my course of study and completely change education in America within five years – what can I say, I go big or go home. From there all sorts of amazing opportunities began to fall into the place – the universe and stars were aligning, just as God intended.

Fast forward five years and I have obviously not changed the face of education in this country, but not to worry it’s on the way! I work with an amazing group of people who are all, in one way or another, passionate about helping young people. I’ve been with this organization for 4 ½ years and after all this time I finally get the point – in order to change education in this country it has to be turned “On Its Head”! In the last four years I’ve determined that the system works just as it was intended to and for whom it was intended to work – it doesn’t work for students of color because it wasn’t intended to.

So what does this mean!?! It means that I can no longer stand by or try to change a system that was never intended to work for me or others like me. It means it’s time to create a new system. For as long as I can remember I’ve been enraged by social injustice – it pisses me off when people are discriminated against or discounted because of the color of their skin, their gender or what they believe. It pisses me off young people (and minorities in general) are constantly set up for failure, yet attacked for not living up to the standards of a system that was not intended for their success.

I’ve always been inspired by Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Dubois and the countless others who fought, suffered and died for me to have the right to live the life I live today; but the fight isn’t over. I keep getting the feeling that my generation doesn’t have anything to fight for and that’s why the Black community is such a mess, but the truth is that there’s plenty to fight for. While I may not be able to see the fruits of my labor come to pass in my lifetime, I am certain that this fight won’t be in vain.

What am I fighting for? I’m fighting for a system that will allow all students – black, white, green, purple, blue, orange and any other color – the opportunity to learn and be successful. If their system doesn’t work, there’s no need to try to change it – just build a new one. I will be completely honest, I have no clue what this new “system” is supposed to look like but I know there is a need. It’s going to be messy and it’s likely going to take longer than my lifetime to get to, but I have to believe if I, nee WE, light the fire the next generation will pick up the torch and carry it along.

So that’s the passion – to begin building a new system, turning the other on completely “On Its Head” and being the change I want to see in the world.

While your passion may be completely different, I hope this will inspire someone to find their own passion and work diligently towards something greater than themselves. Feel free to tag along on this journey with me #nowjustdoit!