According to Wikipedia a community involves intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of adhesion. It is also a feeling of belonging and family and responsibility for one another. At one time Black Americans had a strong sense of community. We lived with the creed “that it takes a village to raise a child.” Somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost it. Instead of a village raising our children in a lot of cases, not all, it has yielded to the streets to do the job. In some instances men have denied their children and disrespected their women and each other. What is the justification for this? There is none.It is so very important for us, as Black Americans; to re-build that sense of community once again that transcends socio-economic boundaries. “Why?” You ask. One reason is if we do not look out for each other, no one else will. If we do not respect ourselves, should we expect anyone else to? We are only as strong as our weakest link. We must re-build so that their will be no more weak links, for the bottom portion upholds the top. Boundaries tend to divide people. Socio-economic boundaries can cause segregation within a group. This can happen by a person thinking that he or she is more than what they are because they were afforded better opportunities and anther was not. This causes them, unjustly, to be arrogant and shone others. Once this boundary ceases to exist within the Black community then we can begin to bond as one instead of being the mind set of “the have and have nots” or “I got mine, you get yours.”The fragmentation that we have allowed to divide our race can be connected by changing our mind set. How does one go about the changing of the mind? Good question! This can possibly take place by bringing in commerce, social organizations which are not blocked by the mighty dollar, and seminars on entrepreneurship, to name a few.A growing and thriving community would also help in the process of rebuilding of the Black American community. By this I mean a community/neighborhood that has decent affordable housing, good schools with the necessary equipment and supplies conducive to learning, job opportunities and training programs.Online social networking platforms such as HBCU connect, Facebook, or MySpace can best serve to aid in establishing the community that close mimics the natural communities to which we were accustomed to growing up by keeping people in touch with each other, communicating, and informed. In addition, such a platform gives people a sense of belonging, which the natural community exhibited. So, why is it important for Black Americans to re-build a sense of community that transcends socio-economic boundaries? It is important so that we can regain the strength, power and sense of family that has allowed us to survive slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, racism and prejudice. We must cause such boundaries to dissipate before the boundaries cause us to dissipate. Come together now, Black Americans, with your intent, beliefs, resources, preferences, needs and take a risk.
