One of the biggest questions I receive from people in the black community when they learn that I will soon be a Ph.D. (Doctorates in Public Policy & Administration) is, what do you plan to do to help the black community? I mean, I haven’t even completed my Ph.D. yet, but the question comes up more often than not, and it definitely stresses me out. The mere question: What will I do for the black community? Has haunted me and continues to do so. So, whenever I hear this question, I think to myself, what the hell will I do for my people? Posing this question to myself doesn't make anything easier, but does allow for deep thought on the question itself. The next question I get is: Will you move back into the black community you came from? The thought process behind this question stems from many in the black community who feel as though blacks that get educated or successful tend to move out of the rough neighbors they lived and grew up in, thus perpetuating the poverty and lack of resources in the community, and they have a valid point.
Ugh, this topic really drives me crazy, because I want to discuss the topic with little to no emotion, but I’m human, and the topic is pretty personal to me. I’ll answer the second question first here, for me, I had no choice but to leave the hood I grew up in. I was taken by my father when I was close to being 13 years old and moved to the suburbs. Still, I had many friends from those early years that I remember still lived in the hood. Later, as I grew up, joined the Army, got educated, and married, and started a successful career that allowed my family and me to get out of poverty, I did and made sure I wasn’t going back to the hood I initially grew up in. I mean, think about the rappers and the athletes, the first thing they do as soon as they make it, is leaving the hood, WHY? Well, I would say because they made it, they have money, they no longer want to live in poverty, in run-down housing, and in a community, they may no longer feel safe in. They want what they never had access to growing up; the new house, safe community, reduced risk of being shot/killed or robbed for the new Jordan’s on their feet, or the new car they just bought.
Now, I’ll provide some context for those who feel that I’m being broad toned here. NO, I am not saying that every black person coming from the hood/ghetto is bad in any way, NO, I am not saying that everyone wants to kill you, and NO, I am not saying that everyone is living terribly, in no way, am I saying that. What I am saying is that when I was growing up in the poor community I lived, crime, shootings, killings, and robberies, were more prevalent compared to when I had the chance to live in the suburbs. The reason: well, the area (the hood/ghetto) was/is impoverished, there were lack of basic resources, lack of access to food (food deserts), lack of investment into schools (reduced/lack of any after school programs), high addiction numbers (but according to statistics whites are actually found to do more drugs than blacks, but because law enforcement police black communities more heavily, more blacks are jailed when compared to their white counterparts-Do the research). When a community has higher incarceration rates, then you can expect more breaking up of the family (A breakdown of the African American family is a broken pillar rarely spoken about, but has cascading effects on the black family). Many of the jailed person(s) are black males (the practice of removing black males from the household/family is a practice that goes back to slavery and was a successful tactic of keeping the black family weakened and unable to build a structure and generational wealth). Now, take all that information, you will find that young black women have taken on the brunt to become the mother and fathers in African American communities. A young black man born into a home with no father (single families) statistically are more likely to join gangs, be jailed, fall into drug addiction, or be imprisoned for long periods of their lives -Again, do the research!
With everything I just said, we find that it is the perfect storm for an ‘eye for an eye’ environment, and need for survival. So, for some people (not saying this is right) they may feel like, ‘damn right, I’m about to come up (“come up”= steal) on those Jordan’s on his feet’ or ‘damn right, I’m hungry, haven’t eaten in two days, I’m about to rob this store.’ Again, not saying it’s right, I’m just acknowledging some of the circumstances that could lead to the negative effects of lack of resources found within the hoods/ghetto with a heavily African American population.
To that end, rappers like T.I, and Young Jeezy ain’t moving back to the hood, they living somewhere in luxury as their kids attend a private school for the best education, WHY? To break the generational cycle of poverty and create generational wealth. Ultimately, I found myself understanding that train of thought, I want to be safe, I wanted to live in a home that I know the police won’t be constantly harassing, or a neighborhood I can walk around with Jordan’s and a gold chain on my neck and not worry about being ‘hit up’ (“hit up”= robbed) for what I have. Basically, the mentality in the hood, I found for some, not all, surrounds a thought process of survival and getting what you can get. Although at one point in my life I had that same thought process, I no longer do, and my mentality has dramatically changed, to ‘what I can do myself to get out of this situation I am in.’ Yes, I realize systematic and institutionalized racism very much exist, I have experienced it firsthand, but I try to leverage my education, learned skills, and just plain grit & determination to get out of the situation I find/found myself. Don’t get it twisted, if you’re a person of color In America best be ready to work harder than those around you, this is what we must fix in American society, but we can do it, it sucks to know you will need a Master degree, while everyone else has a Bachelor’s degree to get to the same level sometimes as your white counterparts, but let’s be real, this requirement happens a lot.
On the aspect of the Ph.D., I would say that before someone ask me what I can do for them, I would like to ask, what can they do for themselves? Yes, I am here, I will use my Ph.D. in a way to highlight the disparities found in an array of issues, but also, as a black community, we must still stand up and take action over our own lives and together forge change. I am not Moses, I can’t part the Red Sea, but, I can provide advice, advocate, act through policy (The field of work I am in now), and I can help those wanting information, seeking clarity, looking for advice by providing that realm of information and advice. I am a powerful resource to be used by all people, but yes, it is probably essential for people that look like me to see me with a Ph.D. and know they can have attained it too, I am profoundly aware of this. I have had negative interactions within my community in the past when trying to help, such as being called a ‘Square’ or a ‘Sell out Ni@@a trying to be like the white people.’ Although I was extremely hurt when called these names, I realized that because I decided to obtain higher education some people like anyone could be jealous or the mentality of the individual making such statements is the problem, so I drop the anger and keep moving. Regardless of those incidents, I am still here today, wanting to be there for my community and anyone who comes from nothing, but need help; there are many in the white, brown, Asian, and other communities who live in these so-called hoods, and could use the help as well, we must not forget them! I would add one more thing as it pertains to the education of black and brown Americans and how we sometimes self-sabotage our own with words, we must work to change our mentality towards these groups that seek out further education, we should support them getting that degree that will allow them to be the manager, supervisor, or boss, and break the cycle of poverty. It is so difficult to help when some do not want to be helped, or you are looked at as 'trying to be better than thou,' when in reality you are trying to help your own and share what you have learned -The mentality (The way we think) is critical to change in the black community. In closing this post, I would say, I am still figuring out how I will help my people, and all people(s). I want to be an instrument used to help people who want it, seeks it, and need it. All I can say is, I'll try my best! I Promise!
Please join the discussion, this week was a more difficult topic, but please respectfully share your thoughts here as we UnTangle Talk.
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