Back to Black

“And it’s much bigger issues in the world, I know, but I first had to take care of the world I know!” Jay Z; Rapper, Businessman, Mogul

Trump Won. The majority (Hillary won the majority vote) of the country is still in shock. I’m not. Majority of the country is distraught; I’m not! Majority of the country is scared; you get the picture. My life’s mantra is “Don’t Complain, Adjust!”. I really live that. But not everyone has that mentality. Complaining has a negative connotation so I’ll say most people are way more concerned than I am, and are voicing that concern. Right now though, I want to speak to my people. Black people. Black America is coming off of Barack Obama. Our biggest symbol of hope, nationwide, since Martin Luther King. President Barack Obama and his beautiful family exemplified everything Black Men, Black Women, Black Families, and Black love is, could be, and dare I say should be! That’s a high bar but that’s why God gave us wingspan. So most of my people feel like this is going to be a 50 year relapse. I can definitely understand why that sentiment seems plausible but the truth of the matter is, that won’t happen. But action needs to be taken Black America, and it needs to start now.

“The jewel is in the perspective, not the other way around”. That’s one of my favorite quotes. To me it means that the gift is being able to look at the same things as most people, but look at it differently. That’s how I look at segregation. Segregation was a horrible practice in this country. A product of racism and oppression but in jest, it’s not a bad practice. The reason behind it was the problem. I named this “Back to Black” because I feel like black people have to get back to caring about black people. About loving black people. About protecting black people. EDUCATING black people!! As a disclaimer I have to say that this isn’t about hating white people or any other ethnicities or about thinking that all white people are racists or against us, but you have to “take care of home first”. When PBS aired their Black Panther Party documentary earlier this year the most profound thing that resonated with me is that whenever this country saw black unity, it saw a threat. Whenever this country saw blacks being educated and self-sufficient, it saw a threat. “This country” being the powers that be. I don’t think anyone with an ounce of knowledge and integrity could deny that black systematic oppression has always existed here, even today, but I want to be very clear. The Black Panther Party wasn’t without rogue members, I doubt any organization with great volume and influence is, but what the Black Panther Party was and stood for, wasn’t what “this country” portrayed them as. No surprise there. The Black Panther Party at its core was about unity, protection, accountability, and education. Every leader in that organization had the fate of a bullet in the head, prison, or exile. Similar to Nation of Islam. In my humble opinion, the Black Panther Party was criminalized, and ultimately dismantled, because it cared more about black progression than it cared about capitalism. Capitalism isn’t the issue but we know in this country capitalism is a motivator for crime. Amongst all races and creeds. For anyone who dares to disagree with why the Black Panther Party was tactfully dismantled, tell me, were they a bigger crime threat than the Bloods and the Crips? Or any other street gang? Why was this country able to so effectively and swiftly take down the Panthers but still haven’t figured out how to reduce or eliminate the murders in Chicago that rise like the stock market? I’ll tell you why, because the Black Panther Party was educating and unifying black people; The Bloods and Crips are killing people. Could Beverly Hills ever look like the south side of Chicago? No chance in Hell. I say all that to say, our greatest strength is our unity.

If you’re black and concerned about the potential threats that have arisen with Trump becoming president, your task is simple, it’s time to go to work. It’s time to punch those time clocks and stop swiping those credit cards. It’s time to save 30% out of every paycheck (Start at 10% and work your way up) and get off government assistance slowly. It’s time to start community programs to teach kids the importance of literacy and stop depending on schools with predicated curriculums. Time to start reading up on true taxes instead of just child allowance credits. Time to read up on investing. I suggested to my own extended family (which consists of 11 adults and 11 kids) that we should start a “Family rainy day fund” where all the adults deposit $15-$20 monthly. So if anyone hits a tough stretch down the line and needs a light bill or two paid, it comes from the rainy day fund and God willing it doesn’t happen so it just builds up and eventually a portion can be used for family vacations. Start a book club amongst your family and friends where every reads non-fiction books on finances, history, politics, etc. The more information, the better. It's time to save up and buy the convenient stores in our neighborhoods back. Learn who the city councilmen are and vote to get liquor stores and pawn shops off of every corner in black neighborhoods. Start growing our own food again. Who's going to become the nutritionist in the neighborhood? Who's going to open the juice bars? Who's going to reopen, do fundraising and outreach, and take on the task of reopening community centers? Who's going to fight for the grant money allocated in the city's budget for these programs but ultimately not being dispersed? It’s time for blacks in Corporate America to give back more than money to organizations. It’s time to give back time. It’s time to give back direction. We have to educate our people on the importance of getting into position in Corporate America. Not for status or envy, but for diversity and influence. Sharing your path with kids and parents who have no idea that so many industries exist, let alone how to break into them. Oppression is and has always been systematic.

The system isn’t broken; it’s working how it was designed to work. What we have to do is break it and rebuild it. The only way to change a system is from the inside out. In New Jack City, when “The Carter” got infiltrated they had to burn it down… it’s time to infiltrate the power structure. Not for vengeance or supremacy, but for balance and equality. It’s time to go to work.