Addressing the Root Causes of Violence David Muhammad
It is easy to fund or to showcase a program that provides mentoring to at-risk youth, or a program that enters prisons and teaches life skills to inmates, or an organization that provides drug treatment to addicts. These are relevant and essential to combating violent crime. But these are also reactionary.
For the recent college graduate and the graduating class of 2010, its apparent that life may not be as our parents told us. The United States faces an economic crisis and an unemployment fiasco the likes of which have not been seen in America since the great depression of the 1930s. The question I and many other college age people are asking at this point in time is "How am I going to be able to sustain myself and make my degree work for me?"
According to U.S. Census Bureau (2007), approximately 13.6 million single parents in the United States today, and those parents are responsible for raising 21.2 million children.
A new trend among many middle-class Black women is to choose to have a baby out of wedlock (sperm donation, adoption, etc.) & raise child alone. We know waiting for a compatible, eligible Black man is a "statistical nightmare" but how much progress have we made when we still raise children in households that don't have models of a whole, loving relationship/partnership/marriage? What's the answer?
In 2004 the RZA (say "rizza"), founder of the Wu Tang Clan, dropped the "Wu Tang Manual," a deft blend of autobiography, lyrical analysis, street culture studies, pop culture data-mining, chess, drugs, and actual philosophy. Like your favorite Public Enemy album or verse by Rakim, "The Tao of Wu" is an instant classic of Hip Hop-centric knowledge.
What a mighty bit of vision, prayers, and fortitude, not to mention gut-wrenching writing, it must of taken for my good brother Kenny Braswell to push out his inspiring new book, "When the Tear Won't Fall." It is a true testimony of love, faith and grace – one man's account of what the journey to manhood has meant to him, his family and the friends who love him dearly.
The Life You Save: Black Men and Prostate Cancer Cheo Tyehimba
In 2004, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His doctor recommended surgery and suggested that if didn't have the operation the outlook could be very bleak. As he weighed his options and my family mentally prepared for the worse, I learned a lot about prostate cancer and its peculiar pursuit of Black men.
Someone is shot on the street. The police, fire department EMTs and ambulance service all respond. There is a hospital stay, a police investigation, a trial, a jail and then a prison stay and possibly a funeral. If the victim and/or the perpetrator had jobs, there is loss of productivity at work and the search for a new employee. If the victim or the shooter provided for a family, there is the government stepping in to help. All of these factors add up to huge costs. Some studies have estimated that one shooting costs society $1.7 million.
Three-hundred and twenty-two young men walked out of the building. They stood in a single file spiraling line. The line was centered around a makeshift wooden doorway. The doorway was engulfed in flames. The flames gave rise to a thick cloud of lighter fluid laced smoke. This made a number of young men uneasy. They began to move amongst themselves; many began disengaging from the shoulder grip of the individual in front of them and others merely turned their heads. They were starting to tune out of the program.
By now, all of you have heard about the tragic beating death of 16 year-old Chicago honor student Derrion Albert. Three Black teenage boys have been charged with first-degree murder in his death.
You watched it on CNN or YouTube and maybe even read or posted comments about it on Facebook or Twitter. For those of us who've committed ourselves to social justice, particularly on behalf of Black males, this incident is especially troubling.
Regardless of your race, the neighborhood you live in, your income or your political persuasion, all of us can contribute to the effort to reduce crime and make a difference. And our collective individual contribution is what is most powerful and impactful.
7 Things You Can Do to Support Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence Kevin Powell
Create a domestic violence awareness forum in your community, at your spiritual/religious institution, at your workplace, or at your school, so that you and others, females and males alike, can talk freely about domestic violence, and ways to end it.
With the brightest smiles, widest eyes, and seemingly without a care in the world, the boys from just young enough to dare to about 13 years old, run, jump, swim, and play in the pool. Their perch on the side of the mountain in Jamaica's Montego Bay, overlooking the lush valley and adjacent mountainsides, offers a life changing view. Now, the journey up the narrow, winding, road in need of repair is life threatening. But as all journeys to the top, it is worth the wear.
It's back to school time again, and as my son prepares to head off to "big boy school," I cannot help but reflect on the millions of black boys who are also starting school this month. My son's exuberance was endless as he prepared for school. He tried on his new school uniforms, and I had to pry the school sweater off of him.
Obama and Gates: A Missed Opportunity Rev. John H. Vaughn
Let me begin by giving President Obama and Dr. Gates credit for their response to the recent encounter between Dr. Gates and the Cambridge Police Department. It was good to see them refrain from demonizing Sergeant James Crowley. They affirmed his humanity. By sitting down for a beer at the White House, that started a process whereby Dr. Gates and Sgt. Crowley could begin to connect on a human level with the goal of building mutual understanding and respect.
In May 1962, then-Attorney General Robert Kennedy was asked: "What do you see as the big problem ahead for you? Is it crime or internal security?" "Civil rights," he replied.
WithThe Open Society Institute's Campaign for Black Male Achievement and Fenton Communications hosted this event featuring philanthropic leaders, media professionals, and community-based youth media advocates. Participants discuss how to foster partnerships to counter negative stereotypes about black males in the media.
Hip hop, baggy and sagging pants, loud, disrespectful, and violent. This is how Black youth are viewed by many, sometimes even by their own parents. This is how they are portrayed on television on music videos and in movies.
Our featured video for the month of August 2009 is "Game Changer," an informational video that provides a brief history of the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys.
Self Identity Necessary Tool to Combat Violence David Muhammad
Even with all the many violence prevention programs, initiatives, models, etc. that have proven effective, what remains the most important tool to reduce crime is self-awareness or self-identity.
To Kill a Lion, Become the Lion: The Need for Rites of Passage Programs James Morgan
As I continue on my journey from young adulthood into full maturity, there is one experience that I have that I think about almost everyday, in a seemingly religious manner, participating in an African Centered Rites of Passage Program. Often times the elders in our community, educators, and politicians ask the question "What is wrong with the youth today?"
I am going through my (obviously) wide-ranging collection of Great Black Music and putting only the slamminest, banginest, guaranteed-not-to-skip-it tracks on there. You might think this is an easy process. After all, if you own a recording you must like it enough to put it on your player, right?
Conservative media fuels racist fears of a black man called Obama Cheo Tyehimba
Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Even if President Obama never publicly utters these words, I have to think that he’s probably already said them to himself just to keep his sanity amid the rising undercurrent of race-fueled, anti-Obama rhetoric that is finding favor in national media outlets.
The first Sunday following the death of Michael Jackson, I'd venture to bet that in every black church or mosque in America a minister used the life and tragic death of Michael Jackson to illuminate a truth or parable about life's journey.
Michael Jackson and How Society Works Pendarvis Harshaw
... After all the jokes are cracked, and the dancing moves have been reenacted, and the voice has been mocked to the point of annoyance.... a subtle sober moment of clarity arises: damn yall, a little Black Boy was born into the worst Black community in America- and grew to be a world renown icon...
By now the controversy over Mudflap and Skids, two "Little Black Sambots" featured in Michael Bay's "Transformsers: Revenge of the Fallen" should have crossed your Internet radar.
"Violence is as American as Apple Pie." This has become a popular saying. America has more violent crime per capita than any other industrialized nation in the world. Homicides, shootings, assaults, rapes, domestic violence, school violence, are all far too prevalent in cities across America. The extreme amount of guns available legally and illegally is daunting. The excessive portrayal of violence in media: in movies, tv shows, music, magazines, nightly news, and especially in video games, is extraordinary. We are surrounded, in fact bombarded, by messages of violence.
Can You Loan Me $20 Till I Get My Check Next Week? Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt
Sure, our 401k balances are ridiculously low... but we're young and have time to ride the storm, so the balances will bounce back. Maybe we didn't get a nice annual pay increase as we did in years past but, at the end of the day, we're still employed. We may eat out less, shop a little less frequently, think twice before we make major purchases, or forego the latest gadget for the sake of saving money. But overall, we're doing ok. It may seem a little bleak to us, but compared to some others, we're doing well.
Mr. Lif has recently released his third full-length album: "I Heard It Today," but most people haven't and probably won't because Lif is not a rapper who needs to cut through the visual clutter by writing his name on his sunglasses
Homegrown Terror or Marooned Chickens Coming Home? James Morgan
First it was the disappearance of a number of mostly Somali immigrants and first generation American teenage boys from their Minnesota homes and mosques. Then it was four men in the Bronx, New York, and now a young man in Little Rock, Arkansas. Oh, let us not forget the two Beltway Snipers from 2002 and, "just for kicks," we will include the "Somali Pirates" (a number of whom happen to be the same missing young men described above). It seems like every so often there are Black Muslim men and boys turning against America and joining up with the jihadist or attempting to insight there own jihads right here in the United States. The question I ask is why?
These are extraordinary times to say the least. An African American president. General Motors needing a bailout. A Latina nominee for the United States Supreme Court. A floundering economic system with rising unemployment and uncertainty.
Reforming the Juvenile Justice System in the Nation's Capitol David Muhammad
Five years ago, Washington, DC began a major effort to completely reform the city's scandal prone, abusive juvenile justice system. There has been huge success in the reforms that have been implemented and tremendous challenge as well.
Is There Really Progress in Oakland? David Muhammad
There are two ways to paint the current condition of violence in Oakland. On one hand there appears to be progress being made – with nearly half of the year in the books, Oakland has seen a 20 percent reduction in homicides this year compared to last year. Five of those homicides have become national news – the BART cop's killing of Oscar Grant and Lovelle Mixon's killing of four Oakland cops.
During the month of May the world engages in the more traditional festivities such as Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and Memorial Day. But what about that Mexican child who was taken away from his biological family and placed elsewhere with no historical knowledge of his ethnicity to embrace Cinco de Mayo? How about that individual who's an orphan and disregards Mother's Day; lastly, what about those children who have no family to go and have BBQ with for Memorial Day? What I just attempted to exemplify were situations that foster children encounter. Most of this world is so caught up in the traditional days in May that we neglect to recognize that the entire month of May is National Foster Care Month.
A Study in Brotherhood at the 40th New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Landon J. Adams
The evening before, after cleaning up from opening day at Jazz Fest, we find a few moments of rest before making our way over to the historic House of Blues in New Orleans' famed French Quarter. The Soul Rebel's Brass Band and Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews & Orleans Avenue Band are headlining the evening. My friends Ayo and Stella are friends with Troy, so we get in for free. As we are going inside we are handed backstage passes. Wait... backstage passes? "Landon, you were just handed a backstage pass at the House of Blues," I said to myself. "I know man. This is wild..." I said back to myself, not knowing what else to say.
I am having my bimonthly serious conversation with my 20-year-old cousin. The topic this time: violence in romantic relationships, tucked neatly in the more palpable guise of the Chris Brown & Rihanna situation. Much to my delight, he informs me that he holds tight to my advice- that it's pretty much never okay to hit a woman, and that even in circumstances where the woman seems to deserve it, a good man parts company with anyone inspiring violent passion.
Last week, as my son Andrew and I were preparing to leave for school, I stood at the top of the steps and marveled at my little 3-year-old as he put his book bag on by himself. Sometimes I catch myself doing that, because it seems as if it was just yesterday when he was a helpless little newborn. Seemingly sensing the moment I was having as I watched him, he looked up at me and said, "Mommy, do you know who taught me how to put on my book bag all by myself?"
Yesterday, as I was on my way to a Friday night drum circle at my spiritual house, Wose, I stopped at an intersection at the foot of the freeway exit ramp. It is a corner that is, in some ways, a dividing line between the affluent "above the freeway" neighborhoods of East Oakland and the stressed and depressed "flatlands" community where the majority of folks living there are working class Black, Brown, and Gold. Every city in America has some variation of this theme. Across the tracks. Lower bottoms. On the other side of the freeway.
Identifying Opportunities in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Improve Outcomes for Black Men and Boys Rhonda Tsoi-A-Fatt
Black men and boys face disproportionately negative life outcomes in many domains, particularly education, employment and justice. This audio conference will identify opportunities in the ARRA to provide education, training, and supportive services in a targeted manner to black men and boys.
The Oakland Tribune reported recently that two young boys, ages 8 and 10, committed an armed robbery with a BB gun at a gas station in East Oakland. They welded the gun and demanded money and candy – they asked for gum and Push Pops. The boys were apparently cousins and live in the area – an historic hot spot for drug sales and violence. The boys were arrested but not taking to juvenile hall – they were charged with armed robbery and have to appear before a judge.
Bruce Cox is a carpenter who's work as a community builder is the never-ending construction job. Cox, a native son of Oakland, Ca, takes pride in giving opportunities to youth and says he offers a constructive option to the many idle alternatives available in the city.
The Oscar Grant BART Shooting - An Interview with Oakland Lawyer John Burris Davey D
We sat down and spoke with famed attorney John Burris. He's the man to talk to when it comes to police terrorism. Burris who has represented everyone from the late 2Pac Shakur to Dwayne Wiggins of Tony Toni Tone to Rodney King all victims of police brutality says this is the worse case of police terrorism he has ever witnessed. Burris who has also written a book called Black vs Blue which deals with Police brutality and minority communities gives us the full 4-1- 1 on a number of key topics.
Another Lost Generation of Black Males? Phillip Jackson
Ask yourself: Who are young Black women going to marry?Who will be good fathers to tens of millions of Black children? Who will build and maintain the economies of Black communities? Who will be the anchor upon which to build strong families in the Black community? Who will young Black boys emulate as they grow into men?
Will Black America be a viable and valuable community in 20 years? Or is the better question: Who cares?
Black men hardest hit by joblessness in U.S. Kirsten Valle c/o Charlotte Observer
John Sowell left his job as a truck driver in Louisville, Ky., last fall to move to Charlotte. He has family here, he said, and he'd heard it was a booming city with plenty of jobs.
Now, three months and about 100 applications later, Sowell is still searching.
Report: Black men in South face many disparities Sheila Byrd
A foundation's report about racial disparities in education, health care and wealth is being used as a call to government and business for a focused strategy on easing the plight of black men throughout the South.
Through its prevention projects, leadership development program for teen women and men, youth organizing initiative, after-school apprenticeships, art and culture activities, string instrument program and teen talk show—MAGIC serves over 200 Woodlawn youth annually.
The film centers on 18 year-old Malachi, a native of Oakland, CA who joins a "rites of passage" program to learn the true definition of manhood. What he learns is put to the test when his girlfriend resists his growth, his mother abuses his father, his sister's provacative lifestyle endangers her safety, and he's asked to join a revolution against the local radio station.
Rize: Oakland's Youth Uprising Making a Difference
Youth UpRising is housed in a 25,000 sq. ft. state of the art building and offers a wide range of programs and services that develop youth leadership in order to transform the community. Youth UpRising grew out of the needs articulated by Oakland youth in 1997 after racial tension at Castlemont High School erupted into violence.
In Los Angeles Unified School District, only 48% of African American and Latino students who enter high school in the 9th grade, complete 12th grade four years later (CRP, 2004). The nationwide public educational system as we know it currently operates using an outdated framework (BMGF, 2007) and has failed to properly engage and prepare minority youth (CRP, 2005), specifically Black male youth, to further their academic goals, develop as morally responsible citizens and to successfully transition, socially and economically, into the community and the workforce of the 21st Century.
"This is an exciting year for Black Youth Vote!," says Melanie L. Campbell, executive director and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), the parent organization for Black Youth Vote. Campbell continues, "They worked hard to register new voters, educate them on the issues and their rights at the polls, and make sure they turn out in record numbers. They did a phenomenal job this year."
To catalyze a national conversation on the plight of Black men and boys, The Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF) has partnered with actor–director Mario Van Peebles to create BRING YOUR A-GAME — a documentary film that, in Van Peebles’ words, “sheds light on the resilience and influence of Black males.” BRING YOUR A-GAME is a groundbreaking documentary film that will use screenings and accompanying community discussions as a catalyst to transform the lives of urban youth.
Foster Care Advocate Zaid Gayle Chosen to Receive National Award for Improving Local Health Conditions
Zaid Gayle had a dream ten years ago when he launched Peace4Kids, a grassroots effort aimed at creating “community as family” for foster and at-risk youth in South Los Angeles. After touching the lives of over 1,500 youth and growing Peace4Kids into a thriving non-profit, Mr. Gayle has been recognized on the national stage.
I am a King: A Rite of Passage to Manhood Sequan Born Spigner
When I walk out of my house each day I cannot help but feel I am in a battlefield. Missiles are flying over my head and carnivorous bullets originating from advertisements and stereotypes are harming anyone with traces of individuality. My only weapons are my words, ideas, and thirst for knowledge. I have been born not only to win the battle, but also the war. I do this while focusing on the words of Fredrick Douglass as if they were the solution to all that is wrong: “Without struggle there is no progress.” I will struggle to succeed.
"They are uniquely different, but they do overlap, in some ways, in what they had to do to achieve success," said prizewinning Central Islip-born filmmaker Byron Hurt, whose latest project is a 10-minute short entitled "Barack and Curtis." He approached this film with a sense of detachment. It is neither pro-Obama nor pro-Jackson.
Over the summer, several teen members of New York's Brotherhood/SisterSol youth organization spent four weeks in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic through their International Study Program (ISP). The youth divided their time between the two countries and studied the history, culture, geography, and environment of each.
On this day, all fathers, male guardians, and other significant male role models will be encouraged to visit their child's or family member's classroom for as little as 20 minutes to view the daily routines, interactive instructional strategies, and the excitement of the teaching and learning process.
Senator Barack Obama opens up in an exclusive interview in the November issue of Men's Health magazine, on newsstands October 21, 2008, about how health and fitness has driven his success in life, love and leadership.
The Center for Minority Health has created Take a Health Professional to the People Day, which falls on September 18 this year, its seventh. The program works with ten barbershops and salons in the city, and 200 Pittsburgh health professionals have signed up to visit the shops on Take a Health Professional to the People Day to provide health screening to people in the surrounding neighborhoods.
So what's up with brothas on bikes? Besides the fact that it's a very cheap means of transportation, for some of the Black men I see riding, the act is also a means of survival, a source of income. And I ain't talking about a paper route.
A program that targets black freshman boys at high schools with the highest dropout rates is showing promising results in its first year. The first-of-its-kind program involved 4,000 at-risk Ohio students - half of them in Cleveland - at 35 high schools in 15 districts during the past school year.
Bigger than Hip Hop: A Q & A with Kevin Powell on Leadership Jeff Chang
42 year-old, former Vibe writer Kevin Powell faces off against 74 year-old, 26-year veteran Congressman Edolphus Towns for one of Brooklyn's 3 House seats in Washington D.C. It's one of the most closely watched races in the country, in no small part because of the contest's implications for generational change.
What Obama Means to Black Men and Boys Cheo Tyehimba Taylor
Despite two detailed memoirs, achieving near cult of personality status in American popular culture, and having been in the media spotlight during one of the most-visible marathon presidential primary seasons in history, folks still want to know more about the guy with the "funny name."
Wall Street Wizards Help Black Males Improve Financial Literacy William E. Thomason
The Wall Street Wizards Urban Financial Literacy Program and the Wall Street West Financial Literacy Fund is the vision and inception of money manager and author William E. Thomason. Having been on Wall Street and having worked in the world of finance and money management for many years, he sees the inequity between the world of finance and people of color.
Given Half A Chance: Black Males in Public Schools are Driven to Drop Out Schott Foundation
More than fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, far less than half of Black males nationwide receive a high school diploma on time. Due to unfair school policies and inequitable funding, Black males are overwhelmingly railroaded into Special Education, disproportionately suspended and expelled, and least likely to be admitted into gifted programs.
The Youth Researchers For A New Education System (YRNES) is a “diverse group of youth from all over New York City (NYC) who have come together for a common goal: to be instruments of change in the NYC public school system.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, African-Americans account for roughly more than 1 million people living with HIV -- half of all U.S. cases -- while only representing 13 percent of the general population. Dr. Kevin Fenton is director of the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. Here's what he has to say about what we can do to live healthier lives in the age of HIV/AIDS.
Have a seat sister; this may take a while. Don't be afraid. The two pistols you see smoking in my hands are harmless now. Both clips are empty, much like a Larry Elders speech. And even though I was aiming at the System when I first unloaded shots into the air, I see now that I missed the target. The System remains intact while you sit wounded and battle-weary from decades of bullets being lodged deep into your heart and soul.
2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys to Convene in Philadelphia
The Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition (GPUAC) will host the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys General Meeting on Friday, June 27, 2008 in the City of Brotherly Love. This all-day event will include an update on campaign activities, a highlight of Black Men and Boys work in Philadelphia, a dialogue among local workers from across the country engaged in Black men and boys work, and more.
April 26-27, the 2025 Steering Committee took its meeting to the Big Easy, site of current and growing funding support of the Twenty-First Century Foundation. The 2-day meeting included Campaign networking with those engaging in Black men and boys locally, and enjoyment of all that is New Orleans.
On June 2, 2008, a standing-room-only audience filled the sanctuary at Brown Memorial Church in Brooklyn to learn what fatherhood means to Black men of the Hip Hop Generation. What they discovered was a soul-stirring and inspirational safe space where Black men stood up and testified about their resolved fatherhood "issues."
I am sick to my stomach and I really do not know what to say right this second. My cell
and office phones have been blowing up all day, and people have been emailing me
nonstop, to let me know that Detectives Michael Oliver, Gescard Isnora, and Marc
Cooper, the three New York City police officers accused of shooting 50 times and
murdering Sean Bell, were found not guilty on all counts.
It is easy to fund or to showcase a program that provides mentoring to at-risk youth, or a program that enters prisons and teaches life skills to inmates, or an organization that provides drug treatment to addicts. These are relevant and essential to combating violent crime. But these are also reactionary.
For the recent college graduate and the graduating class of 2010, its apparent that life may not be as our parents told us. The United States faces an economic crisis and an unemployment fiasco the likes of which have not been seen in America since the great depression of the 1930s. The question I and many other college age people are asking at this point in time is "How am I going to be able to sustain myself and make my degree work for me?" 
According to U.S. Census Bureau (2007), approximately 13.6 million single parents in the United States today, and those parents are responsible for raising 21.2 million children.
A new trend among many middle-class Black women is to choose to have a baby out of wedlock (sperm donation, adoption, etc.) & raise child alone. We know waiting for a compatible, eligible Black man is a "statistical nightmare" but how much progress have we made when we still raise children in households that don't have models of a whole, loving relationship/partnership/marriage? What's the answer?
For those who don't know what its like being a daddy in the age of present, committed, duty-sharing, hard-working fathers, here is a day in the life.
In 2004 the RZA (say "rizza"), founder of the Wu Tang Clan, dropped the "Wu Tang Manual," a deft blend of autobiography, lyrical analysis, street culture studies, pop culture data-mining, chess, drugs, and actual philosophy. Like your favorite Public Enemy album or verse by Rakim, "The Tao of Wu" is an instant classic of Hip Hop-centric knowledge. 
What a mighty bit of vision, prayers, and fortitude, not to mention gut-wrenching writing, it must of taken for my good brother Kenny Braswell to push out his inspiring new book, "When the Tear Won't Fall." It is a true testimony of love, faith and grace – one man's account of what the journey to manhood has meant to him, his family and the friends who love him dearly. 
In 2004, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His doctor recommended surgery and suggested that if didn't have the operation the outlook could be very bleak. As he weighed his options and my family mentally prepared for the worse, I learned a lot about prostate cancer and its peculiar pursuit of Black men. 
Three-hundred and twenty-two young men walked out of the building. They stood in a single file spiraling line. The line was centered around a makeshift wooden doorway. The doorway was engulfed in flames. The flames gave rise to a thick cloud of lighter fluid laced smoke. This made a number of young men uneasy. They began to move amongst themselves; many began disengaging from the shoulder grip of the individual in front of them and others merely turned their heads. They were starting to tune out of the program.
It's back to school time again, and as my son prepares to head off to "big boy school," I cannot help but reflect on the millions of black boys who are also starting school this month. My son's exuberance was endless as he prepared for school. He tried on his new school uniforms, and I had to pry the school sweater off of him.
These are extraordinary times to say the least. An African American president. General Motors needing a bailout. A Latina nominee for the United States Supreme Court. A floundering economic system with rising unemployment and uncertainty. 
During the month of May the world engages in the more traditional festivities such as Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and Memorial Day. But what about that Mexican child who was taken away from his biological family and placed elsewhere with no historical knowledge of his ethnicity to embrace Cinco de Mayo? How about that individual who's an orphan and disregards Mother's Day; lastly, what about those children who have no family to go and have BBQ with for Memorial Day? What I just attempted to exemplify were situations that foster children encounter. Most of this world is so caught up in the traditional days in May that we neglect to recognize that the entire month of May is National Foster Care Month.
We sat down and spoke with famed attorney John Burris. He's the man to talk to when it comes to police terrorism. Burris who has represented everyone from the late 2Pac Shakur to Dwayne Wiggins of Tony Toni Tone to Rodney King all victims of police brutality says this is the worse case of police terrorism he has ever witnessed. Burris who has also written a book called Black vs Blue which deals with Police brutality and minority communities gives us the full 4-1- 1 on a number of key topics.
Ask yourself: Who are young Black women going to marry?Who will be good fathers to tens of millions of Black children? Who will build and maintain the economies of Black communities? Who will be the anchor upon which to build strong families in the Black community? Who will young Black boys emulate as they grow into men?
John Sowell left his job as a truck driver in Louisville, Ky., last fall to move to Charlotte. He has family here, he said, and he'd heard it was a booming city with plenty of jobs.
A foundation's report about racial disparities in education, health care and wealth is being used as a call to government and business for a focused strategy on easing the plight of black men throughout the South.
Through its prevention projects, leadership development program for teen women and men, youth organizing initiative, after-school apprenticeships, art and culture activities, string instrument program and teen talk show—MAGIC serves over 200 Woodlawn youth annually.
The film centers on 18 year-old Malachi, a native of Oakland, CA who joins a "rites of passage" program to learn the true definition of manhood. What he learns is put to the test when his girlfriend resists his growth, his mother abuses his father, his sister's provacative lifestyle endangers her safety, and he's asked to join a revolution against the local radio station. 
Youth UpRising is housed in a 25,000 sq. ft. state of the art building and offers a wide range of programs and services that develop youth leadership in order to transform the community. Youth UpRising grew out of the needs articulated by Oakland youth in 1997 after racial tension at Castlemont High School erupted into violence.
In Los Angeles Unified School District, only 48% of African American and Latino students who enter high school in the 9th grade, complete 12th grade four years later (CRP, 2004). The nationwide public educational system as we know it currently operates using an outdated framework (BMGF, 2007) and has failed to properly engage and prepare minority youth (CRP, 2005), specifically Black male youth, to further their academic goals, develop as morally responsible citizens and to successfully transition, socially and economically, into the community and the workforce of the 21st Century.
To catalyze a national conversation on the plight of Black men and boys, The Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF) has partnered with actor–director Mario Van Peebles to create BRING YOUR A-GAME — a documentary film that, in Van Peebles’ words, “sheds light on the resilience and influence of Black males.” BRING YOUR A-GAME is a groundbreaking documentary film that will use screenings and accompanying community discussions as a catalyst to transform the lives of urban youth.
Zaid Gayle had a dream ten years ago when he launched Peace4Kids, a grassroots effort aimed at creating “community as family” for foster and at-risk youth in South Los Angeles. After touching the lives of over 1,500 youth and growing Peace4Kids into a thriving non-profit, Mr. Gayle has been recognized on the national stage. 
When I walk out of my house each day I cannot help but feel I am in a battlefield. Missiles are flying over my head and carnivorous bullets originating from advertisements and stereotypes are harming anyone with traces of individuality. My only weapons are my words, ideas, and thirst for knowledge. I have been born not only to win the battle, but also the war. I do this while focusing on the words of Fredrick Douglass as if they were the solution to all that is wrong: “Without struggle there is no progress.” I will struggle to succeed.
Over the summer, several teen members of New York's Brotherhood/SisterSol youth organization spent four weeks in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic through their International Study Program (ISP). The youth divided their time between the two countries and studied the history, culture, geography, and environment of each. 
On this day, all fathers, male guardians, and other significant male role models will be encouraged to visit their child's or family member's classroom for as little as 20 minutes to view the daily routines, interactive instructional strategies, and the excitement of the teaching and learning process.
Senator Barack Obama opens up in an exclusive interview in the November issue of Men's Health magazine, on newsstands October 21, 2008, about how health and fitness has driven his success in life, love and leadership. 
The Center for Minority Health has created Take a Health Professional to the People Day, which falls on September 18 this year, its seventh. The program works with ten barbershops and salons in the city, and 200 Pittsburgh health professionals have signed up to visit the shops on Take a Health Professional to the People Day to provide health screening to people in the surrounding neighborhoods. 
So what's up with brothas on bikes? Besides the fact that it's a very cheap means of transportation, for some of the Black men I see riding, the act is also a means of survival, a source of income. And I ain't talking about a paper route.
The Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition (GPUAC) will host the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys General Meeting on Friday, June 27, 2008 in the City of Brotherly Love. This all-day event will include an update on campaign activities, a highlight of Black Men and Boys work in Philadelphia, a dialogue among local workers from across the country engaged in Black men and boys work, and more.
April 26-27, the 2025 Steering Committee took its meeting to the Big Easy, site of current and growing funding support of the Twenty-First Century Foundation. The 2-day meeting included Campaign networking with those engaging in Black men and boys locally, and enjoyment of all that is New Orleans.
On June 2, 2008, a standing-room-only audience filled the sanctuary at Brown Memorial Church in Brooklyn to learn what fatherhood means to Black men of the Hip Hop Generation. What they discovered was a soul-stirring and inspirational safe space where Black men stood up and testified about their resolved fatherhood "issues."
I am sick to my stomach and I really do not know what to say right this second. My cell
and office phones have been blowing up all day, and people have been emailing me
nonstop, to let me know that Detectives Michael Oliver, Gescard Isnora, and Marc
Cooper, the three New York City police officers accused of shooting 50 times and
murdering Sean Bell, were found not guilty on all counts.