Success never smelled so sweet
I stink of success
The new Black elite…
Jay-Z
I didn’t grow up in a predominantly Black community. Most of the neighborhoods that I lived in and the schools that I went to were “diverse”, which means that Blacks were present but we weren’t the “deepest”. I was never the only black kid on the block or in the classroom, there were plenty of us, but there were just as many Hispanics and more Whites (Asians and other groups rounded out the rest of the population). My connection to the black community from a cultural sense, was through my relationships; with my relatives, my tight-knit group of friends and members of my church.
My father was absent from my life when I was growing up, but I had examples of positive and productive men- my uncles (my mother’s brothers), my grandfather, brothers in my church, and, once my mother remarried, my stepfather. This is not a diss to my father. It’s just the truth. It’s the way it was back then. We actually have a decent relationship these days. The point I’m making is that even though my own father was MIA from my entire childhood and adolescence, I could hear, see and reach out and touch black men who were productive in life as husb... ands, fathers, sons, uncles, professionals, etc.
Even I was going through personal turmoil (due to the reality of being abandoned by my father), I saw black achievement around me in various ways. I’ve always respected black achievement and I never limited it to who or what I saw on television, heard in music or even read in books.
Speaking of books: There two books that helped to shape my thinking about black excellence. Success runs in our race. I love sports and entertainment, but don’t get it twisted-we have an even greater History of black business in America.
Only spots a few blacks the higher I go
What’s up to Will?
Shout out to O (Oprah)
That ain’t enough…we gonna need a million more
Jay-Z
Black excellence is real. It’s seen and heard in the lives of real people. There’s a tendency in the media to equate black celebrity to black excellence thereby confining “important” black achievement to Super Bowl rings, NBA championships, blockbuster summer movies and platinum albums. Our society is obsessed with celebrity and it has had an impact on black youth. Obsession of anything is not good, but I would rather be obsessed with excellence than celebrity. Black success is diverse, coming from different talents and skill sets and from all walks of life just as with any community. We have models, examples and blueprints of black excellence not just in sports and entertainment, but also in medicine, law, science, engineering, in education and in industries such as finance and technology.
And here is a “little secret”, young brothers:
You have much a better chance of becoming a doctor than a platinum-selling rap superstar.
Black excellence
Opulence
Decadence
Tuxes next to the president
I’m present
Jay-Z
Even when Barack Obama became the first Black President of the United States, I told others that as proud as I was of this great achievement, it really amounted to nothing more but great symbolism for black people and America. Realistically, we’re not in a post-racial era, and there’s not a young brother from Compton to Camden who can become President of the United States. Obama’s presidency is incredibly inspiring but it’s far from a realistic aspiration for black youth…
Being President of the United States: Powerful symbolism.
Being a Lawyer (which is what Obama was before he became president): Life-changing realism that can have a great impact on your household and community.
I believe that the local media can do more to tell the story of Black excellence in its communities. Black excellence is not about who is or what is great from a distance- it’s about who or what we can reach out and touch in our own communities. I don’t know how many times I’ve turned on the local news in my area to hear about a murder in Southeast, D.C. and then a “fun and family-friendly” event in Bethesda. I think the local media in areas throughout the country need to show real black excellence that black youth can reach out and touch.
I think local media has a lot of power to influence and inspire because it’s the medium in which we receive information about where we live, work and go to school. We know about the bad news, but where’s the good news?
Who got shot?
How about telling us: Who graduated…with a 4.0?
Who’s been fired or laid off? (Unemployment rates)
How about telling us: Who got promoted? Which black entrepreneur launched a new business or opened a branch office and now hiring?
Where did the latest Flash Mob take place?
How about telling us: Where are the real Flash Mobs-social and professional gatherings of young brothers with exciting jobs and who own businesses?
The escape of the struggle continues in Black America but so does the pursuit and attainment of success. There’s a lack of balance in regards to how the media (at the local and national levels) report the black experience in this country and around the world. The same can be said about the brown experience of our Hispanic brothers and sisters as well.
The images and quotes of black excellence should not be limited to your favorite rapper or my favorite NBA point guard. Even if a kid lives on the most dangerous block in this country, not too far from him (no more than a short bus ride) are regular, everyday black people doing big things. The local media can help bring them together or tell the story of their relationship once it’s been established to inspire others.
The local media can be a difference maker or it can be a difference highlighter or even agitator.
By the way: The words and actions of the most successful black people of all time are documented just a hop, jump and a skip from any ‘hood in America-at the local library.
I’ll be a real man and take care of your son
Every problem you had before this day is now done
New crib, watch a movie
‘Cause ain’t nothing on the news but the blues
Kanye West
I do have to say that I have found that the truly best and brightest in the Black community are often sitting down and the quietest. Stand up!!! Speak up!!! Too many of our most successful and most stable, shun the spotlight and choose to remain in the shadows out of shyness or selfishness. I think Black America has a unique condition; therefore, the best in our community have a unique responsibility. It’s time to stop blaming rappers or athletes for being “bad influences” on “our” kids and it’s time to start letting “our” kids know that you even exist! What better way to do that than to use the power of the local media?
Some would say that my expectations for the media are not realistic because of the way the media works. That’s probably true. My challenges to the local media would require completely revolutionizing the way the local media operates.
It just seems as if too many black youth think black excellence is only seen on television, movies and heard via iTunes downloads. And too many white youth (and frankly, their parents) think black violence and homicide is just what you watch on television or hear in music instead of real tragic events that are actually happening in the lives of real people.
We all need a greater perspective on the tragedies and greatness that is happening every day within Black America and the African Diaspora around the world for that matter. Watching CNN is fine (Fox News- not so much), but local outlets and affiliates are the best media sources to humanize both tragedy and excellence within the black experience.
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