The Role of Black Intellectuals

[J-Nice]

No, this is our land. The rights of indigenous people is not a Federal Government acknowledgement, it's an international acknowledgement. But, the nation must first be standing. The inalienable rights and charter is protected alone by that decree and law.

I don't want this to go off the subject so I'll pm you about this.

 

[J-Nice]

Broken families are the root of the problem, its like treating a cough with Tylenol. Bill Cosby was ridiculed, and with his Doctorate in Education, he really focused on key points. His problem is he is too condescending, even for people like myself who felt he was welcomed voice.

So if people get married and have children, the problems we face will all but disappear?

 

[J-Nice]

If the black intellectuals of today are out touch with the community in 2013, then what role do they have going forward that see us progress? Looking at some of the posts in this thread, it seems there isn't much of anything they can do.

 

[Carter G. Hoodson]

In which case there's already loads of youtube channels, vimeo channels and websites. How are they working?

you are missing the point, that's piece to the puzzle.

Educating our own is the most important thing. If we're not going to put our finances together to build our own schools, we have to be more involved at what goes on during the board meetings than what goes on at the PTA conferences. I've been to plenty of board meetings with my parents over the years where I saw empty chairs, saw a panel that could care less about the students their serving, serving the state's mandates that cripple not only the youth but communities. Whatever they're lacking or missing has a negative affect on the community.

Our faces don't have to be all over the television screens to make change.

 

[ChatGPT-5]

you are missing the point, that's piece to the puzzle.

Educating our own is the most important. If we're not going to put our finances together to build our own schools, we have to be more involved at what goes on during the board meetings than what goes on at the PTA conferences. I've been to plenty of board meetings with my parents over the years where I saw empty chairs, saw a panel that could care less about the students their serves, serving the state's mandates that cripple not only the youth but communities. Whatever they're lacking or missing has a negative affect on the community.

Our faces don't have to be all over the television screens to make change.

Exactly, and who are the heads of the boarding meetings? Who head the school districts? Do you think they will allow you to focus on your own and no one else?

 

[tru_m.a.c]

This is too true. And what is also telling is that many of our youth aren't even on reading level to attend community college, let alone a four year school. I am apart of this organization that fosters youth to be committed to service in their communities. In the program we put them through leadership, finance, and academic workshops and at first I was shocked at how poor their reading levels were. It was important for them to comprehend the concepts of the program early on because they were going to be given actual budgets with real money to create a service project. But many of them needed extra attention and help to be able to read at a 9th grade level.

So we enrolled them in tutoring classes to improve their speech and reading skills and throughout the course of the academic year, ALL of them began to improve. It's not impossible to help our youth break out of the darkness if we are able to be the light that guides their way.

That's commendable work. I myself work with youth from the ages of 14-18. I have a session every Wednesday 6 pm to 9pm. Last 3 weeks haven't had any classes throw the building renovation but we're back on track. But, I even open the doors to kids a little older. Our aim is to keep them off the street but it's still to educate them. We offer classes on civics, finance as well, agriculture, health & holistic medicine. The list goes on. My focus is on civics, law and history. Initially, I was surprised myself to see the lack of reading or understanding on basic things but the interest of them learning was there. This is a disgrace towards the educational system today that doesn't elevate the interest level of these young black and latino students. In order to grasp their attention, you must teach something that they can relate to. You cannot teach puerto ricans about Shakespeare when they don't understand that they're the aboriginal Taino people. The same with blacks. We cannot start our history as when slavery starts. Innately they think they are nothing. That inferiority complex kick in quick thinking the European is still your master when we taught them.

Bravo gentleman. I think its appropriate to highlight these post because this is the image of the Black Intellectual that needs to be at the forefront of the conversation.

Unfortunately the "Black Intellectual" has been a title reserved for what we perceive as monolithic figures.

We need, desperately, for the individuals ages 18 - 30 to bring their skills and knowledge back to the community. We don't need this 1 national figure to rally around.

 

[Carter G. Hoodson]

Exactly, and who are the heads of the boarding meetings? Who head the school districts? Do you think they will allow you to focus on your own and no one else?

Applying pressure is the best thing you can do. When you acquiesce, you agree that you're powerless. We underestimate ourselves.

edit....it start with the educators. I've watched my former middle school Principal Baruti Kafele put his job on the line by changing the curriculum that the board of education had mandated which centered around teaching young african american and latino boys and girls about their history. And he had the support of the teachers. If you're going to call a school, Sojourner Truth : of African Centered Studies, then the curriculum must follow. They had to submit the the pressure of support from not only the teachers and parents, but the students.

 

[Suicide King]

We teach latino students as well and we have latino teachers and interpreters with us when we go through our sessions. One of the things I noticed early on was the growing fascination the students had for learning when it came to knowing about Africa and other subjects outside of the European paradigm. It so much in fact that some of them asked to be taken on field trips and read books on various subjects. I could see the pride in their eyes in the fact that they were learning about people who looked liked them and held positions of power and did great things outside of being slaves. Recently we were having discussions on whether to include the parents in any of our workshops as well.

I think anything that stimulate young minds is a plus. Whether its learning about the rich history of Africa or learning the basics of math, science, and technology. It would be shortsighted to place too much value on one thing. Sometimes it not even the subject, its the fact someone cares, especially when their family and community do not. I've had people say the kids today are a lost cause, I laughed. They said they are too wild and dangerous, I laughed. These people who lost hope in our children are the problem. There are tons of examples are people making a turn around in their life when their situation improved, and of course there are tragic stories like Proof and C-Murder. This is why I would never lose faith in the youth, because I've been around the worst of the worst and they can be redeemed.

So if people get married and have children, the problems we face will all but disappear?

It seems that black intellectuals know all these advance concepts and ideas, but the basics are lost on you, as if rhetoric is more relevant than real world ideas. Still surprised marriage got a Patrice, even though I said nothing about marriage, I spoke of parenting.

 

[ChatGPT-5]

Applying pressure is the best thing you can do. When you acquiesce, you agree that you're powerless. We underestimate ourselves.

Not at all. I don't think those are the right medias that's all.

Looking at history, what did work, were community organizations. Places IN the communities where charismatic, qualified intellectuals with the same speech power as Malcolm and Obama can set up individual facilities to share this knowledge. The Panthers had it, the Nation had it, heck even the Vice Lords had it. I think schools and the govt are counter productive and easily manipulated by the man since he heads those platforms.

With the age of information I think these organizations can be a bit more in sync, and spread quicker. What didn't work in the past was the fact that people weren't on the same page, but now with the internet......

 

[Carter G. Hoodson]

Not at all. I don't think those are the right medias that's all.

Looking at history, what did work, were community organizations. Places IN the communities where charismatic, qualified intellectuals with the same speech power as Malcolm and Obama can set up individual facilities to share this knowledge. The Panthers had it, the Nation had it, heck even the Vice Lords had it. I think schools and the govt are counter productive and easily manipulated by the man since he heads those platforms.

With the age of information I think these organizations can be a bit more in sync, and spread quicker. What didn't work in the past was the fact that people weren't on the same page, but now with the internet......

But, we have that though. Again, everybody must be involved. All the churches, Mosques, Temples...etc must be in involved. We must work on what we agree on. Excuse me, but fukk the doctrines. I'm an active Moorish Science Temple of America Moor, but we have organizations within that construct that don't condemn because of different religious beliefs. Folks are scared to ruffle some feathers. I understand that 501-c3 that keep them doors open, but at the end of the day you must stand for something. These churches are not doing enough. Giving praise to the most high for 3 hours isn't cutting it. You have to be on the front line as well.

 

[ChatGPT-5]

But, we have that though. Again, everybody must be involved. All the churches, Mosques, Temples...etc must be in involved. We must work on what we agree on. Excuse me, but fukk the doctrines. I'm an active Moorish Science Temple of America Moor, but we have organizations within that construct that don't condemn because of different religious beliefs. Folks are scared to ruffle some feathers. I understand that 501-c3 that keep them doors open, but at the end of the day you must stand for something. These churches are not doing enough. Giving praise to the most high for 3 hours isn't cutting it. You have to be on the front line as well.

We should definitely not bring churches into this. I don't want to hear shyt from pastors or muslims, I want to hear knowledge from intellectuals, not preachers who believe in ancient books.

People are more incline to listen to an Obama like speaker than a pastor. Sorry.

 

[Carter G. Hoodson]

Bravo gentleman. I think its appropriate to highlight these post because this is the image of the Black Intellectual that needs to be at the forefront of the conversation.

Unfortunately the "Black Intellectual" has been a title reserved for what we perceive as monolithic figures.

We need, desperately, for the individuals ages 18 - 30 to bring their skills and knowledge back to the community. We don't need this 1 national figure to rally around.

100% agree, we don't need that Messiah lol What need Ujima (collective work and responsibilities) and Ujamaa (cooperative economics). The language may change, but the Nia (purpose) stays the same.

I blame ourselves, real talk, I don't get paid for what I do or the other sistas and brothers that work in that program. I feel it's my duty to serve my people the best way I know how. It's hard but you cannot question the growth. You may not notice it because it's not plastered on your television screen, but it's in effect. When crime goes down over 10% and when gun violence goes down 20% but all you see on television are violence in the urban areas or shootings across the nation...the outraged should be real, but the intentions to promote this have to be questioned. All I see around the nation is crime going down but more prisons are being made while the schools are being shutdown. That's giving our kids the incentives to go out here and be stupid. You stripping everything away that might help them to uplift themselves and their family. And it's not by accident. But, if there's an outrage within the community, then instead of (1) voice, there must be 48,000 voices.

 

[Carter G. Hoodson]

We should definitely not bring churches into this. I don't want to hear shyt from pastors or muslims, I want to hear knowledge from intellectuals, not preachers who believe in ancient books.

People are more incline to listen to an Obama like speaker than a pastor. Sorry.

So if a pastor told our ppl to put down the hamburger because Kale can grow all year around, that I need an Obama type speaker to relay this to our ppl?

Like I said, fukk the Doctrine, religion has nothing to do with I'm talking about.

 

[ChatGPT-5]

So if a pastor told our ppl to put down the hamburger because Kale can grow all year around, that I need an Obama type speaker to relay this to our ppl?

Like I said, fukk the Doctrine, religion has nothing to do with I'm talking about.

I wouldn't be at the church to hear it, so I'd miss out on it, and most, esp young people, are not trying to go attend a church or temple, sorry but that's reality. People are put off by churches and mosques.

 

[Carter G. Hoodson]

I wouldn't be at the church to hear it, so I'd miss out on it, and most, esp young people, are not trying to go attend a church or temple, sorry but that's reality. People are put off by churches and mosques.

I'm not saying they have to go to a church. I do my work outside my temple. The kids still come. They're eager to learn something.