Get it in your mind–YOU are a Black leader
A writer for the Los Angeles Wave is talking about the so-called conniption Black folks are having about the future of Black leadership. Some of this is media-generated, but also some of it is generated by everyday folks not associated with the media.
Look, in my home my wife and I are Black leaders. We take the lead on how finances should be spent/invested, foods we should eat or decline, raising our kids to Love God, themselves and others, etc. We train our kids to be responsible when we are away from them. I also teach my son to keep watch over his younger sister. So far, it has been working (thank God!). I taught my wife some basic self-defense moves in case I am not around. We don’t have to stage a protest to certain businesses like television networks or grocery stores. If something they do offends us, we just simply look for an alternative-PERIOD. At times our ‘leadership’ has helped others outside of our home– only if it was requested. Now I have taken lead on issues outside of our home (current example: I am about to contact the county to let them know that I am willing to take ‘lead’ in graffiti removal in a community nearby). Whether or not that qualifies me as a leader or ‘Black‘ leader, I’ll let folks decide that one.
Leader? You’re it!
In L.A. and across the U.S., black leadership in a state of evolution
February 28th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Ok, I disagree with a lot of your views; but this looks like proof we were separated at birth!
February 28th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I think most people who take the time to read your site know that they are the leaders of their families… There are two other groups of leaders as well though.
1) People who are placed in positions that effects a large or small groups of people either by election or appointment or whatever. Based on what you have said you probably qualify here.
2) People who inspire large groups of people to some kind of action. Either they have gone to school and acquired great knowledge or they are just wise.. Some people are able to show right away that when they speak you can tell they know what they are talking about. Maybe your preacher falls under this category. For some it may be a professor or whatever.
And no not all people need to be led but there are lot that want to be led or want some guidance on some issue in there life for whatever reason.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I wanted to add that if you continue with the good things that you do with your site then you probably would also qualify under #2 in my previous post.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I’m reminded of Charles Barkey’s admonition that every celebrity isn’t a role model. It’s great that you and your wife exercise a great deal of supervision over your kids’ lives.
But that doesn’t make you a ‘leader’, with all due respect, certainly not in the context in which the Wave article is discussing.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Being a leader at home is VERY different than leading a MOVEMENT of people at large. Raising your children is your responsibility. Don’t get that confused with inspiring, organizing, and activating a large mass of people. Think of how hard it is to get your kids to do their homework, eat their dinner, clean their room, and go to bed on time… Now multiply those kids by a few hundred thousand [local or state activism] and turn them into adults with jobs, kids of their own, and personal opinions\interests!
I am not advocating the ‘need for A Black leader’. I personally believe that Black people are so stuck on Dr. MLK that they can’t think outside of the Pulpit-Pimp paradigm: “If he ain’t got ‘Rev.’ in front of his name and he didn’t march with Martin, then I can’t hear anything he has to say!”
Young, vibrant Black leadership can’t get the support of the elders. The elders are so accustomed to power and set in their practice of marching, praying, singing, and preaching that they can’t recognize the script has been REVISED to reflect the NEW era of activism. The funny thing is that this new version is closer to the original\old version: GRASSROOTS, local, and college student driven. The only difference is that we have changed the music and added the internet.
The old-heads are focused on trying to select ONE person to wear the ‘crown’, while the young upstarts are more concerned with ACTION. If they keep ignoring the pulse of the people, the movement will eventual move BEYOND the so-called ‘leaders’…
February 29th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Being a leader at home is VERY different than leading a MOVEMENT of people at large.
How do you think movements are started in the first place? MLK just didn’t run out into the middle of the street and yelled for folks to follow him. He was inspired FIRST by his father. You probably won’t ever see my face standing in front of the Lincoln memorial in front of thousands of folks, but there are individuals that I have inspired to better themselves (with the Lord’s help).
If you have kids or work with them on a personal level, you could in fact be raising one that could inspire MANY. Again, that is where it begins. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone you have spent time with who is now inspiring more people you personally could not have done on your own.
Raising your children is your responsibility. Don’t get that confused with inspiring, organizing, and activating a large mass of people.
On the contrary, raising your children is responsibility AND inspiring if one if fully committed to doing the best that they can at it.
Again the focus of the article I mentioned above is on a quest to identify folks that will lead Blacks in general. I’m suggesting here that leadership must first begin on the home front. My brother-in-law was afraid to get married to his longtime girlfriend because he was too afraid that it would end up in divorce like so many of his other close friends. He cited my wife and I as examples and proof that marriage can work. There are other examples beyond marriage and raising kids I could point to as well.
If more folks would exercise the ‘responsibility’ you referred to, I assure you that more folks will see the emptiness of looking for the next HNIC.