On this journey, you're the journal, I'm the journalist. -Rakim
June 19, 2012 1 Comment
The Washington, D.C. Public Allies held its annual “Presentations of Learning” program at the Greater Washington Urban League on June 8th and June 15th. Public Allies is a 10-month community service and leadership development program under Americorps. The objectives are to provide leadership training for young adults, expand the depth and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations, improve economics, health and education and introduce its participants to long-term social change.
Over the 10 months, the Allies work fulltime at nonprofit organizations or government agencies, develop service projects and form leadership curricula. At the end-of-the-year “Presentations of Learning” program, the Allies shared their service projects, their experiences working with the community and their personal development.
Through PowerPoint presentations, the Allies individually expressed what they learned, the challenges they faced and what they took away from the program. Collectively, the groups presented their team service projects. The projects usually provide services that are beneficial to the community and have the potential for longevity.
One group made a social services resource guide more accessible for the community by creating a mobile app. D.C. residents now have a list of health clinics, food, financial and other social services in the area at their fingertips. Using Google Maps, residents may also easily locate the closest services.
Partner organizations included Bread for the City, the Office of LGBT Affairs, the Maryland Viatnemese Mutual Association and Live It Learn It. Many of the Allies worked for Metro TeenAIDS and developed curricula to teach D.C. youth about HIV/AIDS prevention.
A key component of the Public Allies is its dedication to diversity. With the District’s cultural variety, Nakeisha Neal, the D.C. Public Allies executive director, says they strive to have its members reflect the population.
“We believe leadership should look like the communities we’re serving,” Neal says.
The Allies’ backgrounds vary in regards to ethnicity, education, age and sexual orientation. Most are D.C. natives, but other Allies include students from outside states who relocated to the area for school.
Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens and have at least a high school diploma or GED. The majority of the 2011-2012 class are college graduates. Besides the minimal requirements, eligibility is based more on personal traits. Neal, an alumna of the program, says the Allies look for individuals who are selfless, open to being coached and those who are able to persevere through challenges.
Neal explains that the leadership training, a fundamental aspect of the program, benefits both the participants and the community.
“Ultimately, it’s not just about developing leaders. It’s about developing leaders that are going to help the community.”
The 2011-2012 class graduates on June 29th.
June 11, 2012 1 Comment
At a time when Black boys suffer from the conspiracy of their destruction, the guidance from the older generations of strong Black men is much needed. The disconnect between our young brothers (myself included) and the older brothers is most prevalent among African American males.
The generational disunion between Blacks was engrained in our psyches about 300 years ago by an ingenious slave trainer named Willie Lynch. Na’im Akbar writes about the systematical strategy to divide the slave community as a form of control in his highly important book Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery, and he mentions age as a primary detachment.
This isn’t the time to go in detail about our mental enslavement, but I do urge you to read Dr. Akbar’s book. Instead, this is a space to remind my brothers that we must challenge the “divide–and-conquer” strategy by closing the generational gaps. Accordingly, I commend the Rev. Tyrone P. Jones, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Guilford in Columbia, MD.
He attempted to bring this goal into fruition by organizing and uniting the male members and visitors of the church. The “100 Men in Black” Sunday brought Black men together in solidarity, and it was a call for the older brothers to close the generational gaps by teaching the younger brothers and preparing them for the future.
In his sermon Jones said, “Every man has the responsibility to pass on something worthwhile to that of a younger generation.” As men, we should heed this message to prepare the throne for our counterparts coming after us and to fulfill our purpose.
Every man has the responsibility to pass on something worthwhile to that of a younger generation.
No matter how effectively a man leads or performs his duties, he can’t and shouldn’t hold on to power forever. Eventually, he will have to give up the crown and the throne to someone else. In order for the next “king” to lead effectively, the incumbent man in power must prepare him effectively.
Additionally, knowledge and wisdom should be passed on to younger generations, because God commands it. As Jones proclaimed, “God is looking for your willingness to give to others.”
God is looking for your willingness to give to others.
With negative images in entertainment and news, Black boys need positive Black men doing positive things to be their role models and to be the images to emulate. Although the younger generations should be watching the throne, these exemplar men have to reach out to boys and young men and show their genuine compassion and care. All young Black males, whether privileged or underserved, need positive, strong Black men to express their love and concern for their futures and wellbeing.
Just as men should reach out to the younger generations, boys should “watch the throne” by being willing to learn and to grow from the older men’s lessons. One day, they will be the men in charge. Without Black men at the heads of their communities with strong Black women beside them, (I didn’t forget about the sisters) we can’t advance, break the chains of psychological slavery deeply imbedded in our minds and fulfill the Creator’s will.
We have our age differences, but we can’t forget about the divisions among our peers. We must put aside our differences in how much money we make, where we live and what organizations we are members of. United, we make each other better men. I think of that classic collaboration of Ginuwine, R.L., Tyrese and Case where they sing: “What can a brother do for me? He can help me be the best man I can be.”
The Manuscript 
Who Will Continue the Race for Social and Civil Rights?
June 18, 2012 Leave a comment
Last week, I read a USA Today column by DeWayne Wickham discussing the legendary Jesse Jackson’s plan to rally against black-on-black violence. A major crusade, Wickham writes that Jackson plans to galvanize followers and march in 20 cities “hard hit by the gun violence that has made the streets of America a bigger killing field for young black men in the United States than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been for U.S. troops.”
I don’t know if the marches will be an effective solution or not, but Jackson is definitely tackling one of the more important issues devastating the Black community along with mass incarceration and unemployment. In another space, we can discuss tactics and strategies, but here it’s necessary to address leadership and participation.
As Wickham mentioned, Jackson turned 70 in October. While many individuals have been questioning the civil rights leader’s relevance, the writer of the column suggests that this may be Jackson’s “last big campaign.” For many, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Simply but respectfully affirmed, the man is old. He doesn’t have the energy and influence that he had in his heyday of his career.
From a historical perspective, it was the young people transitioning into adulthood who were leading the Civil Rights Movement. They were Black men and women in college executing marches, freedom rides, rallies, sit-ins and voter registration drives.
With voter suppression laws, black-on-black carnage and mass incarceration, there is no time better than now to stir up and usher in a fresh group of young and energetic leaders. As a young man in college, I’m more than willing and able to take on the role, but I don’t have the training or the blueprint for action.
Although times have changed, the same social ills plaguing the Black community remain. Jackson’s relevance lies in taking under his wing, the 18-year-olds through the 30-somethings and teaching them the strategies that earned victories in the Black community. Combining those age-old tactics, education, new media and the youthful energy of the present, we may successfully exterminate black-on-black bloodshed.
It will take the cooperation of both the older and younger generations. The older generations must be willing to reach out to the younger generations and teach them how to organize. The younger generations must be willing to reject apathy and the diversions that distract us from the real issues. The youth must also be willing to sacrifice, which is the foundation of service and leadership. We must be willing to sacrifice status and prestige. We shouldn’t concern ourselves with appealing to a liberal, conservative or mainstream media’s agenda.
Jesse Jackson is one of last veterans still running the race for social and civil rights. Many of the men and women that were running with him have dropped out and have earned the right to do so. They either no longer have the energy and ability, or they are no longer with us.
For the leaders like Jackson and his contemporaries who are still with us, we should be waiting in the hand-off zone to receive the baton as they run their last 200 meters of this relay for human rights. The livelihood and preservation of our Black communities and people depend on a new movement supported by the leaders of yesterday and spearheaded by the young leaders of today.
Filed under Commentary Tagged with baton, black community, black mass incarceration, black unemployment, civil rights, civil rights movement, DeWayne Wickham, human-rights, jesse jackson, leadership, nick westbrooks, rallies, relay race, shooting black on black killing, social rights, USA Today, youth