PUBLISHER'S PEACE

Rebuilding Black America?

I think we spend too much time trying to transform the less fortunate, who can decide or not if they even want to be transformed. In all actuality, we should spend our invaluable time building a stronger base of progressives who wants and demonstrates a wiliness for progress. The black community has way more positive assets than negatives. So why not concentrate on the people who've done all the right things to get ahead, but who may be missing a few elements; and that's a collective support system?

Because lets be completely real, there are fractions of black people who's cool being super ghetto, ignorant and dysfunctional. I'm not saying that they deserve to be disrespected or treated any differently. But what I am saying is that we should not spend our muscle trying to make them what they don't wanna be. And some just don't wanna be! And folks, that's cool. We all know people in our very families who don't want anything out of life but what they already have, and we're fine with that. We let them be. All we ask, is just don't attempt to stop the flow of family members who want better for their lives. That's how we have to treat certain people within our race. And we are not foreign to that premise. That problem exist in all races.

For instance, last week I saw a perfectly healthy and attractive looking white young boy working on 63rd street at the car wash. When I noticed him, I whispered to the owner, 'what's up with that dude?' He expressed that he came in a week ago looking for a job, so he hired him. I laughed, and said - 'he must have done some major stuff wrong for his family, friends and community to disown him?' And the car wash owner stated that the white boy admitted to being a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. He said that he was a star quarterback in high school and college, but just lost his way.

I knew that was the case. Because for a 6 ft. - 3 in. white boy to be washing black folk's cars on 63rd street near King Drive, he must have absolutely no where else to turn. He's one of those people who, thus far, didn't want anything from life, so the white community where he's from turned their backs on him. So it happens more than not, in all races. But since we're dealing with my peeps, lets stay on message.

I wrote several articles over the last year expressing how blacks need a new image. A makeover. A transformation to redirect our energies and purpose. And it's not a bad thing. We give ourselves hair and body makeovers. We give ourselves spiritual makeovers, and we are sometimes forced into career makeovers. And these makeovers are mainly individualized. But what I'm screaming about is a collective change. A change that will project to the 'black' world that 'black life' matters. Let me be clear, I'm not talking about proving anything to the outside world. This is totally about presenting a more dynamic and powerful front to blacks all around the world - that we got this! We demand and deserve so much more. And we have the tools to accomplish whatever, whenever and however.

It starts with a massive media campaign. Therefore, I'm going to institute this call to action to each and every black media outlet in this country; regardless how small or large the entity. We need a collective and meaningful message that portrays the images of black life being strong, resourceful, with great intellectual properties to enhance our own mission and objective; to be dominant, innovative, creative and progressive. We can, and we will change the world for tens of millions of blacks emerging within the next generation and generations to follow.

We could have used the slogan Black Lives Matter, but I understand that a non-black has already trademarked it. Go figure! I will work with every possible black media company who agrees to participate to script a slogan or tagline that will be used to engage this global strategy to rebrand black America. Are you with me? Peace and One Love.

I Write to Differ...

NOTE: Speak The TRUTH - I'm happy to announce that I'll be one of three or four leaders from the community chosen by WVON to contribute weekly content on their new and explosive daily commentary segment delivering relevant snippets of inspiration to its many listeners. - CDW

WVON has been home to some of the most provocative voices in radio...Vernon Jarrett, Lou Palmer and Carl Rowan, just to name a few. They were engaging and inspirational and ignited fires and made us get up and take action! Now it's time to give a voice to the next generation. When these young movers and shakers start talking and stirring the pot, things will begin to change in this city and in the nation! We call them The Commentators, and they are coming to WVON March 30th! - WVON