We must choose enrollment over enlistment

While I was out yesterday, I was text messaging a friend from home and she told me, "I'm goin away for a lil bit. I thought we were going to talk about this over dinner." Now, where I'm from the phrase 'going away for bit' means one thing: prison. So naturally, I sobered up upon reading this and continued on with the conversation; refusing to wait until dinner to know what was going on. Eventually, she gave in and told me that she was leaving for basic training in a month. While I was relieved to find out that she wasn't in any type of trouble, I was simultaneously saddened to hear that this bright young woman had chosen the military over college. This is not to say that the military is a dishonorable profession; I have the utmost respect for anyone willing to die for his/her country. However, since high school, I have seen too many friends choose enlistment over enrollment. I use the word 'choose' here loosely, as the decision was typically determined by circumstance. Now for some history…
When African Americans were first allowed to serve in the military in the 19th Century, it was considered a great honor and all individuals who were allowed to enlist took full advantage. These proud soldiers fought not only for 'their' country, but also for eventual freedom of their people. Their heroic acts, however, were not limited to battlefield. When these men returned to their communities, they brought with them their newfound literacy and spread the gift to all those who had a desire to learn. Not only did they teach others to read, but made efforts to financially support educational institutions. In Greensboro, Georgia soldiers of the 175th Battalion of New York Volunteers raised $65 to help purchase land for a school building; that once erected, hosted a solider from that unit as its first teacher. During the late 19th Century, the military offered black men resources that were difficult to obtain from other mediums; sadly, in the 21st Century, the military is still viewed in a similar light. Often times, without the same level of benefits as those experienced by soldiers of 175th Battalion of New York.
The racial progress that has been made since the first black soldiers put on a uniform would lead an outsider to believe that there are endless opportunities for the young black man or woman graduating from high school. A look at the overrepresentation of African Americans in the military versus the work place would change the outsider's mind. Another look at the overrepresentation of African Americans in the prison systems versus society would flat out baffle him. While the doors of higher learning institutions are open to all, lackluster funding and secondary education prevent far too many aspirational African Americans from walking through them. We undoubtedly live in a better racial environment than in the 19th Century, but, there is much to be said about the disproportionate numbers of African Americans in government institutions. We must choose enrollment over enlistment.

Cliche, but, "become the change you want to see"

Note to the people in the progam I'm in:

I thought a lot about our program following the meeting with Scott yesterday and came to the conclusion that we may be a little too focused on what others want a BA to be; and not enough on what we can make a BA be. Though some may have thought Scott’s comment on us one day sitting in his chair was facetious, a second listen can offer a totally different meaning. If Scott had told us all that the end goal of a BA was to become a manager, then an instant ceiling would’ve been placed over our heads and the track would’ve been too slow for some and too fast for others. Instead, he refrained from placing any boundaries over us and left our paths wide open. So, instead of continuing to brainstorm and theorize on what a BA “should be,” let’s blaze paths for what a BA is. We’ve been placed in a great position here at SHC and it is up to each of us to take full advantage of the situation.

New BA’s start soon and the last thing we should do is give off a negative vibe about the direction of program; as this may deter them from reaching the heights they are capable of and spoil all of our images. Let’s set the example for what a BA can be by making the right connections, working hard, and achieving results. Once we prove ourselves and earn the title of “winner,” it will be very hard to deny us of any opportunities that we are ready for. When our track records begin to speak for themselves, the burden of proof as to why we shouldn’t be given certain roles will be on the hiring manager; and I don’t think anyone here is stubborn or foolish enough to not want a winner on her/his team. At the end of the day, everyone is here to succeed and will utilize every resource possible to obtain this success.

All of this is not to say that we should stop thinking about ways to improve the program from the top down, but that we should be very focused on crafting the program we are in through the opportunities that we are presented with. As cliché as it is, “become the change you want to see.”

"If it ain't no hope for the youth..."

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend with my best friend, Simone, in Washington D.C.  I had only been to DC one time before, but I was attending on Fraternal business and didn’t have much time to explore the city (real truth, I was under 21 with no ID).  I vowed to make this time different.

            On my final night in our nation’s capital, I witnessed something that both shocked and saddened me.  As she and I walked down 5^th street on our way to the movies, a group of police cars sped past us as though there was a serious emergency going on.  Being that D.C. isn’t much different than any other major city I’ve been in, I disregarded the sirens and continued to walk through the late night rain. As we turned the corner onto 7^th Street, I noticed that all of the police cars had come to a halt a few blocks ahead of us.  I thought to myself, “This should be interesting.”  As we continued to walk, our eyes were met with sights of America’s beautiful black youth. Their bright smiles and loud laughs illuminated the rainy DC night in a manner that caused an invisible rainbow to be formed in one’s mind.  Nothing could’ve kept them away, and they had every intention of enjoying one the first warm Saturday nights this year in DC.  Unfortunately, DC’s finest had other plans.

            It was if though the officers were invisible. The kids stood around enjoying one another’s company amidst the verbal assault of the officers in the area. Though they seemed to be disregarding the officers, the one look deep into the eyes of the youth revealed the growing disdain for the boys in blue.  The frustration the officer’s were experiencing was ever present on their faces and it was beginning to affect their attitude towards the older individuals in the area.  As Simone and I attempted to turn left and walk towards the movies, the officer glared and us and said “Don’t even think about it.”  Not wanting to cause any drama, we simply crossed the street and continued towards our destination.  As we completed the last leg of our journey to see “The Soloist,” we saw even more young teens being hassled by police officers and other individuals in uniform.  Needless to say, this all weighed heavily on my mind throughout the night.

            Yes, the children were loitering and probably shouldn’t have been out that late without parental supervision.  However, they really weren’t causing any type of disturbance on the sidewalk and were simply out enjoying one another’s company in a seemingly safe environment.  Would we prefer they be in dark alleys doing drugs and gambling? Or perhaps sleeping with one another while their parents are out?  I think not. Should they not be allowed to enjoy the same luxuries as other residents and visitors of DC?  Others on the street certainly weren’t being harassed.   America, we just elected a black president.  We have to do better by our black youth, especially in our nation’s capital. 

            I’m not knocking the officers for “doing their jobs,” because I’ve never been one to shoot the messenger.  Instead, I’m saying that there’s a larger problem at hand.  This “battle” will not be won on the front lines.  The treatment the youth get from the officers only increases the resentment for “authority” they pick up in other arenas.  The resources put into policing this area need to be reallocated to fight the “war on parenting.”

 I’m assuming that the majority of these kids were not homeless, so some adult willingly allowed them out of the house for the night.  If DC will not allow the youth to hang out in the nation’s capital, then this message must be hammered home with the parents.  While the kids are not stupid and know right from wrong, the ultimate responsibility for young teenagers lies on the shoulders of the parents.

 Let these officers, government officials and other individuals in the area make it crystal clear to the parents that such behavior will not be tolerated.  From there, all parties can possibly work towards a viable alternative for the late night hang outs.  Until then, the resentment will continue to grow and the problem increase exponentially. In the words of Tupac “If it ain’t no hope for the youth then the truth is it ain’t no hope for the future.” We’ve made it this far, let’s ensure a bright future for our beautiful youth. 

Dream Big, But Dream Wisely

I've been meaning to share this for a while (two months); but, have been hesitant because it's a bit corny.  But, since it has been on my mind for this long I should probably just put it on (virtual) paper.

About two months ago, I was in the Bay Area, CA (one of my favorite places) for work.  I spent about four days there and got a chance to interact with ground level associates and develop a greater understanding and appreciation for what they do. While I was there for work, my mind couldn't help but to dwell on the societal issues I was seeing up close.  There I was, a 22 year-old kid who one week sat in a Boardroom with C-Level Execs and the next talked in a warehouse with part-time employees. Needless to say, I was struggling to figure out where I fit in.  The warehouse associates demeanor led me to believe they thought I was far more important that I actually was.  In reality, they were the wealth of knowledge that I needed to tap into in order to solve the problem I was given.  After my four days there, I had learned the information necessary to make a recommendation and headed home with the thoughts and faces of the hard working associates running through my mind.

After being put through hell at the security checkpoint at the airport (ridiculous), I finally made it to my gate.  It was your typical airport and gate, but what I failed to notice was that we were on ground level and there was no Jetway for us to walk on to our plane. Great.  When boarding time came, we strolled out into the steamy California heat and stood in an elementary school style single file line to board what seemed like a huge plane.  I couldn't understand why they would make us stand in this line and walk up stairs to a regular sized plane. Hmm.  I thought to myself, "at least they'll have plenty of space for my carry-on."  Boy, was  I wrong.  

When I finally made it on the plane, I was disappointed to find that it was not a large plane at all; it was smaller than a normal one.  There was definitely no room for my carry-on and I had to plead with the flight attendant to put it in a closet on the plane (didn't need a roscoe jenkins episode happening to me).  As I sat down and buckled up for take-off, I blocked out the annoying "if this plane is about to crash pitch" with thoughts of my misperception of the plane's size. 

Like I said, this corny; but I couldn't help but focus on how overwhelming the plane looked from standing beneath it on the outside and how small and underwhelming it was once I was inside.  If I can make this misjudgement with a plane size, what else am I doing it with? Are things that seem out of touch and grandiose really just steps away and mediocre at best? Since that day, I question everything. Not in a pessimistic or cynical way, but in a manner that will allow me to truly assess the way things really are.  Looks truly can be deceiving.  Something you desire may not be all it's hyped up to be once you finally reach it; but on the other hand, it could be. So Dream Big, but Dream Wisely. 

Don't Blow It

While sitting at home eating lunch (needed to get away from the office) I was watching ESPN and discovered that Percy Harvin and Brandon Tate tested positive for marijuana use at the NFL Combine.  The commentator continued on saying that either they were stupid, or had a habitual problem.....Unfortunately, I have to agree with him.  These players know they'll be tested months before and the exact date and damn near time that they'll have to pee in that cup.  Is it too much to ask to put down the blunt for thirty days and patiently wait for the millions of dollars that will be pouring into your hands in a matter of months? I think not.

Even sadder than this stupidity is the fact that they probably won't feel the consequences very heavily.  In this economy, teams are pressed to sell all the tickets they can and will use whatever big name they can acquire to do so.  Even if Percy does drop down to the bottom of the first round, I hope the Colts stand their moral ground and pass on him; in an attempt to show the children that such behavior will not be tolerated. 

Now some of you will say, "It's just weed. What's the big deal. Hell, even our President smoked it."  This is true.  And right or wrong, a young black man at Harvard Law is viewed a bit differently than a student-athlete at the University of Florida.  President Obama spoke of his substance abuse in his autobiography; it was not nationally aired a few days before his election.  It's like the Supreme Court telling President Obama, "we're going to drug test you at the conclusion of Primaries," and him proceeding to use a drug. It makes NO sense. 

People, when using a mind altering substance, consider the life altering aspects. It might blow your high...