emPower Magazine Blog

The State of Black America: Are We Experiencing Déjà vu?

By Crecilla Scott

This month, the National Urban League released its annual report, The State of Black America. The publication examines the current condition, progress, and experiences of Black America as it relates to major indicators of wellbeing, including educational attainment, employment, access to healthcare, and homeownership.  The report does not reveal information that we do not already know: that “African Americans remain twice as likely as whites to be unemployed, three times more likely to live in poverty and more than six times as likely to be incarcerated.” (The State of Black America Executive Summary, 2009)  To be sure, the National Urban League’s findings are similar to the information discussed by panelists during Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Union. Behind in homeownership—check.  Behind in educational attainment—check. Behind in providing two-parent homes for our children—check. Ahead in unemployment—check. Ahead in incarceration rates—check. Ahead in HIV/AIDS infection rate—check. I get it. We are told day in and day out how awful we are doing. 

As a researcher, I see the statistics in far more detail than I care to recount.  Some days, the reality is just too much for me to bear.  What’s equally depressing is that, despite our tremendous progress, the problems that plague us are not new. The State of Black America and The State of the Black Union could easily be replaced by the 1965 Moynihan Report. Yes, I said 1965.  The report, which is named after Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the former U.S. Senator who authored the report, theorized that the continued destruction of the Black family unit would delay progress towards economic, social and political equality.

Were it not for the use of the word “negro,” I’d challenge others to differentiate between the general findings:

“The matriarchal pattern of so many Negro families reinforces itself over the generations. This process begins with education. Although the gap appears to be closing at the moment, for a long while, Negro females were better educated than Negro males, and this remains true today for the Negro population as a whole.”

Although women are outpacing men with regard to educational attainment, the differences in educational attainment between black men and black women are staggering.

“One of the most striking differences between the Negro and white groups is the consistently higher frequency of broken homes and resulting family disorganization…"

I could pull quotes all day that would be applicable in 2009 (were it not for the antiquated use of the term “negro”), but as I mentioned, that would be utterly depressing.  However as my colleague (who is a tremendously talented and engaging student of history) has taught me, it is very important to take information and examine it critically through the context of history.  Obviously, we have been the proverbial canary in the coal mine for hundreds of years. We know how we got here, but the question still remains: how do we get out?  How do we exit (en masse) this cycle of lack of education, poverty, single parenthood, violence and underemployment?  I know that there is a vibrant and thriving black middle class.  But far too many black Americans are undereducated, unemployed, impoverished, and disenfranchised from society.  How do we halt this downward spiral, given that (many) barriers have been lifted and opportunities are more plentiful than those who came before us?  In my dreams, our response to structural barriers such as high unemployment is an explosion of successful entrepreneurs.  But the reality is that there are more black-owned businesses with no paid employees (1.1 million) than there are black-owned businesses with paid employees (94,862).  So, we still have barriers to overcome, even when we own our own businesses.  Part of the answer lies in political will.  This country seems to lack the political will and sheer determination to invest in the appropriate resources to address our problems.  That said, what is the solution?  What programs do you know of that have truly made a difference in our community?

Crecilla Scott is the founder of Infinity Research, LLC, a social science research company in the Washington DC area. She is the host of a local TV show, "Conversations with Crecilla." She is also a passionate speaker, who has given professional presentations for various organizations and federal agencies. She can be reached at Crecilla@liukarama.com.  

Additional Resources
http://www.nul.org/thestateofblackamerica.html
http://sobu2009.tavistalks.com
http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/webid-meynihan.htm
http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/moynchapter3.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moynihan_Report
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/005477.html

Supreme Court Ruling Unlikely to End Affirmative Action

By Earl Ofari Hutchinson

The U.S. Supreme Court will vote in June whether New Haven, Connecticut discriminated against white firefighters on its promotional test. It’s hardly the first time the Supreme Court has ruled on race related employment and education cases. In each instance the rulings have done much to fuel the notion that a majority of Americans oppose affirmative action.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In countless polls and surveys, a solid majority of Americans do vehemently oppose the use of quotas, preferences, set asides and what’s deceptively labeled “reverse discrimination.” They have also backed anti-affirmative action initiatives that have cannily and deceptively played on words to stir outrage and indignation that affirmative action subverts the cherished American values of equality, fair play, and reward for merit.

The same polls, however, show that when the pollsters avoid an all-or-none choice between affirmative action as it currently exists and no affirmative action whatsoever a majority of Americans support affirmative action at some level. Title VII of the civil rights law explicitly gives employers the right to ban tests that have a “disparate impact” on racial groups.

Sample polls that ask respondents if they favor programs "requiring businesses to hire a specific number or quota of minorities and women," are near-textbook examples of how wording can color public attitudes toward affirmative action. The majority always says no. But when asked, “Do you favor or oppose affirmative action programs for minorities and women for job hiring in the workplace?” -- a decisive majority says yes.

In 1996 anti-affirmative action crusader Ward Connerly cloaked his anti-affirmative action ballot initiative as the "California Civil Rights Initiative." Connerly also managed to win a few victories for his anti-affirmative action measures in some states. However, less well known is that Connerly also scotched plans to dump his anti-affirmative action initiatives on dozens of state ballots nationally. The resources, political sentiment, and public support to mount a big freewheeling all out national assault on affirmative action were just not there.

Congress has also repeatedly backed away from totally dismantling affirmative action programs, beginning a decade ago when lawmakers shelved anti-affirmative action legislation. President Bill Clinton followed suit. He drew much heat for his plan to modify some aspects of affirmative action programs, but eventually dropped his administration’s talk about further watering down affirmative action programs.

The anti-affirmative action crusade hasn’t fared any better in state legislatures. No state legislature even in the Deep South has pushed for an outright ban on all affirmative action programs.

The other pillar of the Supreme Court’s anti-affirmative argument – and it cropped up again in the New Haven case – is that qualified white males are getting kicked to the curb and are losing ground to unqualified blacks, minorities and women. That myth has been repeatedly debunked. According to census figures, if every unemployed black worker in the country were to displace a white worker, only a tiny fraction of whites would be affected. Furthermore, affirmative action pertains only to job-qualified applicants, so the actual percentage of affected whites would be minuscule. In New Haven, the number of firefighters allegedly affected was 20. The main sources of job loss among white workers have to do with factory relocations and labor contracting outside the United States, computerization and automation, and corporate downsizing.

During the presidential campaign, affirmative action was not an issue. John McCain and Barack Obama made only the barest mention of it. And that came only in response to when Connerly plopped his anti-affirmative action measure on ballots in three states, one of which was McCain’s home state of Arizona. McCain backed the Connerly measure. He insisted that he backed equal opportunity and opposed discrimination. Obama opposed the initiatives. Connerly quickly pounced on Obama for it, noting that he cut radio ads in 2006 that hammered his Michigan anti-affirmative action initiative. Obama unabashedly said that if the measure passed it would hurt women and minorities in getting jobs and in education. Connerly tried to use Obama’s opposition to his initiative as a foil. But it did not diminish voter support for Obama.

The Supreme Court almost certainly will rule in favor of the white firefighters in New Haven. But it won’t end affirmative action. And that’s still fine with most Americans.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His weekly radio show, “The Hutchinson Report” can be heard on weekly in Los Angeles on KTYM Radio 1460 AM and nationally on blogtalkradio.com.

New America Media has given permission to reprint “Supreme Court Ruling Unlikely to End Affirmative Action.”

The Role Black Churches Must Play in Assisting At-Risk Children

By Dr. D. L. Waters

In President Barack Obama's book, "The Audacity of Hope," he writes that the government could kick-start change through a transformation of attitudes in the communities of the urban poor, which is largely made up of African Americans and Latinos. This transformation of attitudes is to begin in homes, communities and places of worship. The black church has been fulfilling this role throughout its history, yet it is one that takes on new vistas of responsibility and accountability in the 21st century.

One vital role the church can play in the black community's attempt to save its young men and women from a life of poverty, drugs, abuse and prison, is by becoming educators of the non-achievers of society. While the black church can celebrate the achievements of those who have found their Savior and solace within its walls, it must now go to the highways and the hedges to invite the "least of these" to come to the banquet that many have been shut out from for far too long. With the achievements and accomplishments of many in the community, the church can now admit that our circumstances have contributed to the shaping of our culture, and that we can now choose to change our culture by reshaping our circumstances. We are now able to give a new definition to what it means to be both "black and proud."

As a pastor, I know that America's churches are already doing a fine job feeding and clothing the poor. But we can and must do more when confronted with the fact that in some of our cities 65 percent of young black men do not graduate from high school and on a national average; only 2 percent achieve the goal of receiving a university degree.

In the Book of Matthew, Chapter 18, Jesus talks about his disciples' obligation to serve and protect "the little ones." In order to accomplish that goal, we must do all we can to serve the most vulnerable people in society - the children that so often fall through the cracks.

How can we do this?

The church must act as both school and disciplinarian in a similar fashion to what takes place in the Jewish community. After their public school day ends, Jewish children go to Hebrew school several days a week to supplement their education. Instead of blaming the inadequacies of the public school system, churches must help young black children develop the ability to read and process information beginning at the earliest ages possible. If we wait too long, the children are likely to find it difficult to resist the insidious pull of the street.

Parents must be brought on board so they understand the importance of sending their children to church school and support the church's efforts to educate and discipline their children so that kids know what it means to be black and educated. Many times parents think they can save their children on their own, particularly after they have lost several children to drugs, crime and early deaths. Many times they try to protect their children from doing the hard work necessary to rise above their life circumstances.

In its school, the church must provide the support individuals and families need to survive and thrive in spite of the trauma, drama, tragedies, and abuses found in our homes, communities and culture. We must teach all persons to refuse to be overcome by the injustices and inequities of life. We must instill in the young a pride in being human, in playing fair, and in overcoming all obstacles in order to make a contribution to the world. We must acknowledge that doing so is heroic and worthy of sacrifice and we must celebrate the heroism of those who model this behavior.

In the past, individuals who suffered from cultural and community pathologies such as dysfunctional homes, domestic violence, and physical and sexual abuse, were often treated as second class citizens of the church. Individuals who have suffered and continue to suffer from child abuse and other traumas, especially young men, were left to fend for themselves. This has led to the growth of gangs and other subcultures within our communities, which are now destroying not only the lives of the people involved, but also our communities as well.

Pastors must make it clear that the church is available to help and heal everyone and that no one will be rejected because of their past indiscretions. Pastors must make it clear that the days of masking these problems are gone forever; these problems must be brought to the light of day and healed.

It is also time that the black community stops reeling from the things other communities have already found the solutions for. It is time that the black community begins implementing new ideas instead of sweeping problems under the proverbial rug. It must start with all of us in all of our churches across Black America.

Dr. Dennis L. Waters is Pastor of Spirit of Victory and Praise Community Church in Gaithersburg, MD and Pastor/President of Spirit, Victory, Praise Ministries. SVP Ministries helps people move beyond the shame, blame, and pain of past tragedy, trauma, and loss by tapping into the tools and techniques for healing of major Christian religions, including meditation and self-talk affirmations. His latest book is "I Will Restore: A Ministry of Healing to African American Male Survivors of Prepubescent Physical and Sexual Abuse." Send an email to spiritvictory@spiritvictorypraise.org or phone 301.607.8277 to request your free copy of "I Will Restore." Go to http://www.spiritvictorypraise.org for more information.

The Reality of Reality Shows

By Crecilla Scott

O.K., I’ll admit that I like the Donald’s “Apprentice” and American Idol every now and then.  I’ll even admit that I’m guilty of watching a reality show (or two) that have set black folks back about 30 years, including “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is.” I could write for days about the train wreck that is Frankie, but I digress. 

Recently, I read that former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was in negotiations for a reality show.  Then I read that actress Keshia Knight Pulliam has inked a reality show deal with the Oxygen network to have cameras follow her around with her live-in boyfriend. The show is supposed to chronicle what it’s like to be young, rich, and co-habiting. What?  Is it me, or does that sound boring? I like Keshia Knight Pulliam, but I am not the least bit interested in who she’s sleeping with, how often she runs errands, or where she shops.  If she wants to join the reality TV circus, she should get married and join the cast of “Real Housewives of Atlanta.”  But this post isn’t about the Donald, Blagojevich, or Keshia Knight Pulliam.  It’s about what we consume and how often we consume it. 

Let’s be clear, networks are developing programming based on past success and measured demand for certain types of programming.  I understand that reality shows are relatively inexpensive to produce and at times, highly entertaining, but enough is enough. The reality is that this nonsense is draining our ability to get ahead in life.  I know, my statement seems like a broad, sweeping, over generalization. But think about it: knowing how ghetto Whitney Houston really is; knowing that Puffy is truly a diva; watching a 16-year-old throw a tantrum over a Benz when they wanted a helicopter; watching Frankie kirk out on Keyshia Cole’s adoptive parents and embarrass herself and the rest of the black race…what can we do with such information? Sure, it’s entertaining at times, but couldn’t our time be better spent?  Sure, watching a reality show lets us escape from our reality, but books serve the same purpose, and if it’s the right book, it will do more than let us escape – it will open our mind up to possibilities we never dreamed of. In fact, some books provide the blue print for us to move forward to fulfill our God-given purpose. Given the extraordinarily low literacy rates for so many of our children, the high drop out rates, and the questionable financial situation that many in our community face, our time would be better spent reading self-help books, taking classes, or researching basic information like financial literacy or home ownership. I don’t mean to go Bill Cosby on our community, but my point is simple—time spent on foolishness, can be used for self-improvement.  Instead of constantly coming in last in this game called life, let’s use our time wisely.  There is no reason to continue to consume every new reality show the network executives throw our way. Remember, if it does not draw an audience, it will not be renewed. (See, Rosie O’Donnell’s variety show.)  There is a strong relationship between the amount of TV watched and academic performance. The reality is that we should all learn to be entertained and enlightened more often by reading books. 

If you’ve recently read a good book, please share the information by leaving a comment or emailing me.  I’d love to post your responses. You never know, we may start an emPower book club!

Crecilla Scott is the founder of Infinity Research, LLC, a social science research company in the Washington DC area. She is the host of a local TV show, "Conversations with Crecilla." She is also a passionate speaker, who has given professional presentations for various organizations and federal agencies. She can be reached at Crecilla@liukarama.com. 

Reading Resources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/15/keshia-knight-pulliam-cos_n_187515.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/15/blagojevich-reality-show_n_187491.html
http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/sweet_16/series.jhtml

Bullying to Death

By DeShuna Spencer

Earlier this month, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, an 11-year-old boy from Springfield, Mass., who was bullied for "acting gay,” committed suicide. His mother, Sirdeaner Walker, found Carl hanging from an extension cord on the second floor of their home.

Recently Sirdeaner spoke out about her son’s ordeal saying that Carl, who played football, baseball, and was a Boy Scout, was also teased by a group of classmates because of the way that he dressed and because he attended church and volunteered regularly.

How sad.

About 30 percent of U.S. youth (more than 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. In a recent national survey of students in grades 6-10, 13 percent reported bullying others, 11 percent reported being the target of bullies, and another 6 percent said that they bullied others and were bullied themselves, according to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center.

When I was in elementary school, I contemplated taking my own life. I was constantly picked on in elementary school. Not for my sexual orientation, but because of my church’s religious traditions. My church did not allow women to wear pants, so I wore long dresses to school every day. Kids would spit on me, throw rocks at my face and call me all kinds of names just because I dressed differently and attended church regularly. I hated school. Every day, I dreaded the long bus ride from my inner city, mostly black neighborhood to the suburban, mostly white elementary school because I knew someone would make fun of me along the way. I didn’t have many friends, just one. Even she would pick on me from time to time whenever a group of kids would gang up on me at once. She always threatened not to be my friend anymore if I didn’t do things for her. As a child, I did it, even if it put me in an awkward situation. She was the only “friend” I had. I didn’t want to be totally alone.

I know how it feels when your peers do not accept you. When you’re a child, you just want to belong. You want to fit in. When your classmates constantly pick on you and bring you down, it causes pain, enough pain to consider taking your own life. One time, I wrote in my journal that everyone hated me and that I hated myself. Toward the end of the school year, I had to turn in my journal for a grade. When I got it back, I noticed a note from my teacher saying, “I don’t hate you.” It made me cry. I forgot that I wrote it.

As a child, I never understood why my peers were so mean to me. I eventually began to fight back, even though I was (and still am) thin and petite. If kids wanted to hit me, I would say, “Go ahead.” Sometimes it worked. Other times, I got a little bruised.

People always say that kids will be kids. I think that is why some adults brush off bullying. Some adults don’t understand the severity of bullying and how it can damage a child’s self-esteem.

I never told my parents how severely I was bullied. I was too ashamed and, believe it or not, too scared about how they might react. Instead, I kept it all inside, only releasing my constant pain in my journal. That’s why I wanted to be a writer. I think writing down my feelings is the reason why I didn’t follow through with suicide in elementary school.

Unfortunately, little Carl, who would’ve turned 12 on April 17, the pain was too deep to live.

DeShuna Spencer is owner of Liu Karama Productions LLC and Editorial Director of emPower magazine.

Brazilian President Blames White People for Economic Crisis

Editor’s Disclaimer: The views expressed in this posting do not necessarily reflect the views of emPower magazine or its sponsors.

By Michelle Carter

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva only spoke what some Americans have screamed, protested, and been thrown in jail for in America for over 100 years. President Da Silva expressed his sentiments in a packed room of global leaders in an effort to usher in a new era of governing responsibility by the American government. Should he had uttered those same words maybe 12 years ago, would it have been as significant then as it has echoed with applauds across the globe?  Or would it have ignited a firestorm of accusations of treason by White America’s imperialistic leadership? Would America have called for Brazilian president’s head for speaking out truthfully about US leadership?   

Let’s face it, many Americans are beginning to realize that the U.S. government has been managed and corrupted by White American men with its hardball style tactics and financial greed. The new administration is slowly ushering in new strategies by extending a hand in friendship and mending old wounds and broken promises across the world.  It is no secret to those who are informed that the American government has been corrupted, deceitful, committed genocide with its unapologetic atomic annihilation of innocent people and treason against its known alliances.  Most importantly, the collapse of the financial markets, banks and stocks has created the unwillingness to trust its leadership to lead in the 21st century.  Leadership has failed through its regulatory policies, scare techniques, greed and egotistical philosophy’s that have caused the backlash of reluctance to move in cadence globally toward a new era of responsible governing. 

People across the world are connecting the dots politically and carefully listening, researching and challenging the policies in search of the truth.  They are aggressively questioning the validity and credibility of policies and laws of the superpower nation.

The stage is set for the American government to face its darker side of its own hatred and superior mentality. A foreign official, and quite surprisingly an ally of America, has officially called out racism publicly. It has come full circle where U.S. allies, who once remained silent in fear of being ostracized, now have the opportunity to pressure the stronger nation to conform to the voices of change. The time has come to except public scrutiny caused by America’s greed and arrogance. A new order of governing is taking shape to heal the wounds not only with black America but other innocent countries and nationalities who have suffered and been robbed by American leadership.

During the G20 summit, a clause to decrease the U.S. currency globally was suggested to even the playing field sent shock waves accross the world.  Talk about karma…

The Hypocrisy of the Tea Party Protesters

By Crecilla Scott

Today, all over the country, Republicans and conservatives are organizing “Tea Party” protests to express their disapproval of President Obama’s economic agenda, particularly his administration’s tax increase on the wealthy and the federal stimulus plan.  Some fringe elements are also questioning his birth certificate, the legitimacy of his presidency, and on and on and on.

If these people want to protest, I understand that this is a free country and obviously, an argument can be made that the stimulus plan is in direct opposition to fiscally conservative principles. However, I’d like to know where were all of these so-called fiscally conservative, “concerned” morons--I mean, citizens--when George W. Bush passed the $168 billion Economic Stimulus Act of 2008?  Let’s not forget that many of today’s protesters received between $300 and $1,200 per household as a result of President Bush’s economic stimulus plan. When these fiscally conservative, “tea party” protesters received their stimulus money, where were their cries that George W. Bush was a socialist?  I wonder if they returned their stimulus money to the IRS in protest of the government’s reckless spending? 

Where were these fiscal conservatives when our country continued to rack up staggering amounts of debts to foreign nations, including China and Japan?  According to Wikipedia and Treasury Direct, the total federal deficit has increased over $500 billion each year since FY 2003.  Under George W. Bush, the national deficit has nearly doubled. Where were these fiscally conservative protesters while The Pentagon spent (and continues to spend) in excess of $200 million a day or $6 billion a month on the war in Iraq?  I’ll tell you what they were doing--spending their stimulus money and living their life.  Anyone who believes that these protests are simply about economic policy disagreements is sadly and naively mistaken.  These people are protesting more than just President Obama’s economic policies.

According to CNN.com, Republican National Chairman Michael Steele has been encouraging Republicans to send virtual tea bags to one of the four democratic top brass: President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.  Michael Steele’s actions are fair enough, but anytime you have the likes of Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin, Glen Beck, and Rush Limbaugh jumping on the bandwagon, folks might as well grab their white sheets. I don’t know about you, but this tea party sounds more like the scary McCain–Palin mobs, Part II, than a normal protest.  Here’s a thought: if these “tea party” people want to protest something, they should start with their own hypocrisy and ignorance.

Additional Resources
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/14/gop-encourages-supporters-to-send-virtual-tea-bags-to-top-dems/
http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2009/04/the-rotting-racist-underbelly-of-the-tea-party-protests
http://taxdayteaparty.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt#Foreign_ownership
http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing_room/PresidentialActions
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15377059
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11880954
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23143814

Crecilla Scott is the founder of Infinity Research, LLC, a social science research company in the Washington DC area. She is the host of a local TV show, "Conversations with Crecilla." She is also a passionate speaker, who has given professional presentations for various organizations and federal agencies. She can be reached at Crecilla@liukarama.com.

Defense on The Chopping Block

By Timothy Nevels

At a time when America is fighting two wars in the Middle East, defense cuts are probably the last thing you would hear coming out of Secretary Robert Gates' mouth. Especially in the middle of two war. The Secretary asked lawmakers ''to rise above parochial interest and consider what is in the best interest of the nation as a whole.” The Secretary said his spending decisions were “a cumulative outcome of a lifetime spent in the national security arena.” He has long argued that the Pentagon needed to focus its resources more on the sort of fighting the United States faces in Iraq and Afghanistan and less on war preparations against Russia and China that are holdovers from the Cold War era. Many "red and blue" states that will lose funding have cried foul and have sent letters signed by many constituents to the Secretary's office. Congress is saying this fight is not over, pitting the White House and Defense Department against lawmakers and defense contractors.

For those of us who live in defense contractor states should be worried. Less tax revenues will come in from those who may be laid off from these entities. Although the move to make a leaner military is always a good thing—as long as military personal do not suffer from those cuts—we are going to see lots of speeches and prolonged voting to finally come up with cuts that make sense. There are cuts that need to be made and some states will suffer but America, as a whole, will come out on the better end. The Defense Department can waste a billion dollars an hour if we let them.

How do we strike the balance between military spending and what is best for the country? Who knows where our forces will be fighting in 20 years. The decisions we make today will affect that future. You don't design and produce new military equipment at a drop of a hat. It takes months, sometimes years for the project to be approved, made into a prototype, and finally a working model. Once all trials of the product have been done, only then can production begin. At a moments notice, all funding can be pulled and that project will never see the light of day. All the while the Defense Department has been spending taxpayer money. There’s no product, but the money has been spent. The state where the product was manufactured might have been doing well, then Congress comes in and pulls the rug out on production.

Ask any city official who has lost military installations—their revenues declined and families moved away, lowering the tax base even more.

This circle just eats itself up every four to eight years. It is time we have a comprehensive spending plan for our military—one that is built around those who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan not Washington DC.

Expecting New Exceptions

By Quentin G. Love

The culmination of March Madness closed another exciting chapter last week.

While partaking in March Madness, the substantial amount of men and women of color represented within the governing organization impressed me. While many companies struggle to 'find quality minority talent', the men's basketball staff has a phenomenal group in place that reminded me why I decided to pursue a career in sport management.  At the time, as a high school student, I desired to see a stronger presence of diverse individuals at the helm of these teams, leagues and organizations. Not just former athletes, but also men and women passionate about creating a new path of achievement that leaves a legacy for others to aspire to become.

As I reflect on the makeup of leaders the media—just a few short years ago—regulated to speak to and seek out for a quote or sound bite, I have a sense of pride knowing that I am now able to make a call or shoot an email to a black woman with a strong tenure and stronger reputation for being a leader among her peers, or know that there are potential mentors for students were I attended high school.

There is progress, perhaps. However, as I turn my attention to observe the media assigned to cover many of the events of the past weekend, the reflection of society showed me a new and somewhat ongoing opportunity. Don't get me wrong—the media has come a LONG way, yet we still have work to do. We must continue to push forward the notion that as the melting pot continues; it will not stop at the doors of hierarchy or decision-influencing roles in media, sports or any profession.  The sight of any person regardless of their culture, ethnicity or race shouldn't stop a person in their tracks because they are experiencing an exception, rather it should be a seamless thought process created by a change in the conditioning process whereby we arrive at a new definition of who and why someone can be the leaders I had the pleasure and privilege to interact with this weekend and hope to do so moving forward to sustain the legacy that was mentioned earlier in this piece. Expectation rather than an exception, let's all strive to be and live that.

Finding Money for College

By Crecilla Scott

By now, we all know that education is an essential part of economic self-sufficiency. We also know that black folks are still playing educational catch up. From academic achievement to educational attainment, there is still a lot of work to be done. (19 percent of African Americans aged 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to approximately 29 percent of the general population.) 

The good news is that education continues to pay dividends. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report, adults who hold advanced degrees make four times more than their peers who have not earned a high school diploma. In 2006, employees age 18 and older who held a master’s, professional or doctoral degree, earned an average of $82,320, while employees lacking a high school diploma earned only $20,873.  Of course, all workers are entitled to make a decent living to support their families. But our 21st century workforce values a highly-skilled, educated labor pool.  With the recent release of data that shows dreadful graduation rates among students at many HBCUs, I decided to do my part as a concerned citizen.  Below, you will find scholarship information that has been compiled by Mrs. A. Killebrew, a former science educator and the founder of Creative Enrichment Service, Inc., a company that offers high quality educational products and services.  Mrs. Killebrew’s commitment to ensuring access to quality education for all children, including her own, led her on a search for financial aid that concluded with her receiving thousands of dollars in financial aid for her son.  Her website, www.AcademicsAndArts.com is a wonderful resource for educators, parents, and students. Here is a sample of her research:

• Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
• Ford Corporate Scholars Program
• Gates Millennium Scholars Program
• Nat'l Society of Black Engineers Programs
• The Ron Brown Scholar Program
• Thurgood Marshall Scholarship

Other scholarships and financial aid information that I have researched include:
Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

• Meyerhoff Scholars Program – University of Maryland Baltimore County
• The Tom Joyner Foundation Full Ride Scholarship
• College Board's Scholarship Handbook

Keep in mind that most state education agencies provide a limited amount of financial aid for students who attend college in state. Also, most colleges offer department-specific scholarships and financial aid. The best thing that you can do is to apply for federal financial aid (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov), speak with your child’s high school counselor, speak with the financial aid counselor at the colleges that you are interested in, and research information online an at the public library.  With a lot of hard work, determination, and resourcefulness, we can get our children through college and graduate school.   

Resources
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
http://www.academicsandarts.com/FreeScholarshipInfo.html
https://studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/scholarship/
http://www.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/index.html
http://www.umbc.edu/meyerhoff/index.html
http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.html
http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p20-560.pdf
http://liukarama.typepad.com/empowermagazine/2009/04/black-men-and-college-friends-or-enemies.html

Crecilla Scott is the founder of Infinity Research, LLC, a social science research company in the Washington DC area. She is the host of a local TV show, "Conversations with Crecilla." She is also a passionate speaker, who has given professional presentations for various organizations and federal agencies. She can be reached at Crecilla@liukarama.com.