Building A Lasting Legacy

Do we live in a selfish society? Why is it that this stereotype only seems to describe the Black communities. I actually had the opportunity to examine other races compared to Blacks on this issue. I am not shocked by the results of my research but more so baffled on why the Black race tends to stand out above the Asians, Whites, Hispanic, Europeans and Indians. Its proven and very clear that other races look out for their own, despite if they don't like each other, they respect one another enough to lend a helping hand. Why can't we as Blacks understand and see the bigger picture. We always come together for funerals and family reunions. We also unite when Blacks are victims of police brutality or any racially provoked death or violence caused by someone from another race. I reflect back to October 16, 1996 where minister Louis Farrakhan called out 100 million African Americans to Washington D. C. for the Million Man March. One of the primary motivating factors was to place black issues back on the nation's political agenda. At the time of the march, African Americans faced unemployment rates nearly twice that of white Americans, a poverty rate of more than 40% and a median family income that was about 58% of the median for white households. We showed up in bus loads to support the cause, but to only see ourselves back at square 1 almost 18 years later because we don't support each other. There is something very wrong with this picture. How can we Build A Lasting Legacy when we don't understand our worth, strength and impact that we could have in this world.

What happen to our sense of community? What happen to "It takes a village to raise a child" Michael Erik Dyson says: "No one is self-made, someone changed your diapers, you didn't make yourself, someone helped you so when you make it...you outta help somebody." I believe the Crab Mentality that we as blacks have developed is killing our progress to be prosperous as a whole. There is no love or support for our black owned businesses and we constantly hate and demoralize each other. If you were born in the sixties and seventies the majority of the Black parents instilled in their kids to go to school, work hard and it will pay off. We were encouraged to attend college so you can get a good job and raise a family. Our parents struggled to make ends meet, but why our parents insist they didn't want to see their children struggle and go through the same adversity. They unknowingly passed along the same mentality of how to become a better slave. Since they picked cotton and worked in the plant that was life as they knew it during that time. Education was the key to better jobs and becoming successful. While I agree that education is important, we were uneducated on the ways of the world. We weren't prepared for what happens after college, we weren't given a head start in comparison to other races. For example a substantial savings acct, a trust fund or a car paid for. We graduate college and instantly have debt due to student loans and everyday bills.

In order for things to change we must change our mentality. I challenge you and everyone of color to make a decision. If you claim you are tired of the negative perception that has plagued the black communities for years then make a decision. If you want something better for yourself and your family please understand that working a 9-5 won't create financial freedom. Jay Z said it best in D' Evils "working 9 to 5 is how you survive, but I don't want to survive...I wanna live it to the limit and love it alive." To live life abundantly takes not hard work but working smarter and not being afraid to take risk. I believe that people make time for things he or she really wants to do. So how bad do you want it.....because we spend money on frivolous things all the time. Do you know for $27 a month you can invest in stock. We spend more than that on going out to dinner, buying alcohol or any other impulsive spending that we find ourselves doing. How many of us actually have a real savings?? Over 60% of Black Americans are living check to check and probably 1 missed check away from being put out on the street. The time is now to get our act together, utilize our resources properly, construct a plan and rebuild our black communities.