''Our crown has already been bought and paid for
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Posted By: hok kim on May 15, 2006 ''Our crown has already been bought and paid for. All we have to do is wear it.'' I have always had trouble on deciding what I wanted to do in life. What i wanted to "be" when I grew up. All I knew was it had to be something that I loved and was passionate about. And in the last few months I may have not decided exactly what I wanted to have as an occupation when I grow up, but I have definitely found what I am passionate about. No matter what I do when I graduate from college I will be happy and satisfied as long as I know I am doing something that will help the black community. When I was younger and heard my parents and their friends constantly preaching how it was important to give back to the black community I routinely brushed them off. Ideas like consistently giving back to black businesses came off to me as just another way to separate themselves from the majority of the population. But after looking back over the last 4 years of my life, I have learned more about life than I ever thought I would. My school is very socioeconomically and racially diverse. And though my school is diverse we seem still to have the stereotypical rich whites and poor blacks. After observing the way my school works I realized that I had to basically fight to get attention, and not to get overlooked. I was only able to do this because of my and my parents means. When I realized all I went through just to get attention and be cared about by some teachers, guidance counselors, and administration, I couldn't help to think about those who didn't have the means. I thought of all those who slipped through the cracks. All those who no one seemed to care about, those who don't get support and confidence from home and are left to get it from their "boys", "the streets", and the media. My only problem with this is, the fact the aforementioned source's beliefs and values are so jaded and skewed that we are essentially setting up our youth for failure. Many black youth simply idealize the wrong things, many look to get rich quick, rather than the traditional method. They would rather be the drug dealer on the street who is able to sport the expensive jewelry and drive the hummer, opposed to the hardworking dad ensuring a future for his own kids. I feel like the black community has come so far and we are beginning to set our selves back, and almost taking ourselves out the race for sucess. If we begin to realize where we were and how far we have come maybe we will realize how much we are giving up. Which comes to my intial quote ''Our crown has already been bought and paid for. All we have to do is wear it.'' (James Baldwin via Oprah). The fight has already been fought for us, it seems all we have to do is accept the victory and use it to prosper, yet we seem to begin a fight against ourselves. While some blacks are becoming rich and sucessful (50 cent, jay-z, allen iverson), they are doing it at our cost. It seems they are almost paid just to instill the unprincipled values just so we keep buying their cd or shoe and begin to idealize them and their lifestyle. I guess I am saying all this to basically say I want to be able to change all this. Yes I know I can't change the world, but I feel it is up to "those with the means to help elevate the mass". I feel like if we are able to change the face of black youth, we will create a new generation of blacks with elevated beliefs and values. I also feel like the youth with skewed values and principles are the ones who will soon end up in our lower class, who are trying to live off a combination of minimum wage and government handouts. If we are able to change their ideals as youth, they wont be destined to that below par lifestyle. If we are able to instill in black youth that education is the key, we are to ensure success in their life, and the generations to come. And though I am just sharing my personal views, I am also making a plea to those who will soon be in the position to help. As I said earlier, if those who with the means dont help, who will. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
Comments
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Re: ''Our crown has already been bought and paid for I live in South FL and i think its diverse down here. But we do have schools that educate whites and schools that educate whites. It's been a problem that the school system has tried to tackle, but "their" parents dont want their children attending schools in CERTAIN neighborhoods. We also have us black kids who dont want to attend school with the 'other' kids. I don't really blame the youth for their skewed values and principles. There arent many black & famous people living within black communities to be a role model for the youth. If it's not a teacher, preacher, church member, etc. the closet person they will look up to is someone on TV. Which will be the latest rap video with the half naked woman...which may lead them to purchase a CD will some un-kind words. These persons become their role models. And their lyrics become a part of their mentality. How often do you see rap artist going into their communities telling the youth to go to school, learn, read, respect adults? I work with students every day at my job and they come from households that arent too stable. I have also come to realize that many of their parents dont help their kids w/ their homework b/c they dont understand it or their forced to work more than 1 job. Teaching and learning starts at the home, not at the school house. For instance, I remember asking my mother to help me with my algebra homework in the 8th grade and she didnt know how to do it. Many parents of the children i work with have told me that they dont understand their childs homework therefore, they cant help them when they get home. Our world is changing and the things that are being taught in schools now have not been taught to our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. My great-grandmother didnt complete high school b/c she had to help her mother maintain house duties. If she had'nt pushed my gradmother to suceed through high school & college I dont know if my father would have suceeded as much as he has. Many children dont see this side of life. Their minds are shaded, and we cant simply blame them. See where im going? Maybe if we more interaction from Mrs. Rice, Collin Powell, Oprah, Black college presidents, more black teachers, etc. directly in black neighborhoods as role models we may be in a better position. Or simply better attitudes from PARENTS...or you and I I totally agree with the quote. Although we may have been disenfranchised there is a way out! We have have the thirst to be educated, live better, be POSITIVE role models, sign checks and not just recieve them, and not depend on govt. assistance. WE WILL WEAR THE CROWN! Tuesday, May 16th 2006 at 9:46AM |
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God Bless you Ashely...I went through the same thing when I was in highschool in a mixed school- I had to scrap and fight to get awards or noticed. They did not teach much about Black History and I grew up starving to know more. As I have grown I have paid more attention to the statistics and they way things "are" and not what we assume. People say well Oprah is big so we have come far...that is not so we need more Black teachers, scientists, engineers, politicans, etc. The few we can count on our hands is NOT ENOUGH. I want to see us network more and pull each other up into the board room and into executive positions at companies. The get rich fast thing-must stop and we must concentrating on respecting our precious black history. We respect them by being successful black men and women--in no way am I racist I feel that things are still very unbalanced no matter how far we "think" we have come we still have a long way to go. Excellent post and point continue to be a classy and determined lady! I hope the Lord blesses you with much protection and success. Tuesday, May 16th 2006 at 8:24PM |
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