Whenever we think of prolific leaders and voices for different ethnic groups we see the image of men like Caesar Chavez, Dr. King, and Mahatma Gandhi as well as women like Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton who fought for the equality of women in 20th century America. Leaders such as the aforementioned were in some sense dynamic and irreplaceable but more so were people from modest backgrounds who answered their call to duty as any other civilian would. As powerful as these individuals were though their deaths left voids that have yet to be filled, voids that have lingered on today.
In the black community there are a plethora of problems, all of which have complexities, but all of which could be significantly addressed with proper attention. What is obvious is the lack of a formalized system for empowering social leaders for the world today. The issues that affect black America such as poverty, violence and lack of education contain major complexities, but what makes these situations more frustrating and frightening are the lack of organized attention they receive. The failure to properly equip the youth for the road ahead is the glaring problem we face as a race, a problem we appear oblivious to. The events of the 60’s have long gone and in a sense the momentum it brought with and what has took its place is a major state of stagnation. Whats even more unsettling are the class issues of the 21st century which have put black America in the same spot we once held. Only this time we find ourselves without the major organizations of the past. Groups such as SCLC and the NAACP have found themselves merely shells of their former selves while other groups like the New Black Panther Party embrace an extremism that ultimately can not sustain the overall cause. What is needed is intentional and direct guidance towards the youth who will ultimately have to steer black America through the seas of turmoil ahead.
Of course there are groups such as the Dream Defenders and many more who are organized and effectively working to bring awareness and attention to social injustices, but they are few and far in between. There needs to be a more deliberate effort on every level to address the problems we face and from there strategy on how to tackle a part of the problem. As an educator I see the trends in education and see the need for a stronger emphasis on reading for the youth as well as programs that expose the youth to a trade. On a local level mentor groups and summer camps run by the community can be effective. Regardless of how it is done we as citizens must begin to brainstorm on how we will address these issues that plague us and decide whether we will address them together or perish separately.
Wright World 