We have come full circle. In Topeka we had a great speaker at the 2nd African American Male Leadership Awards Luncheon, and we have concluded the Million More Movement in Washington, D.C.

Many may have their own views on what African Americans can or should be doing to bring solutions to problems everyone know is stifling our growth and development. From the Montgomery bus boycott; which got the nations' attention, to the March on Washington led by Dr. King, we have been known to put our differences behind us and work in unison for a common goal and objective.

There are people like myself that still believe a fragmented Black society indoctinated by the American Way can concentrate it efforts and resources to accomplish what all the time and money by others has failed to do. I meet every new week thinking that someone, a group or an idea will spark our large group to stop examining the problem, and start moving on it in some earnest effort. Like MLK, I have a dream.

If the Million Man March was to prove Black Men could come together in peace, be humble, and in respect, then the Million More Movement is to create a better platform to move from. The event is over, but the heavy lifting now comes into play. Parallels in both events asked us to go back to our communities and organize, mobilize and energize ourselves and the communities (neighborhoods) we feel are being left behind. First, is the organizing. Everycity has its share of nonprofits doing social service work in our communities. Like a brick home, for-profits may be the bricks, but nonprofits are definately the concrete. One can't work without the other to build a strong and secure house. On both ends we are lacking. We don't have strong for-profit companies and our nonprofit are undercapitalized. Annually we know millions of dollars in contracts pass by our companies and millions more bypass our nonprofits. How can anyone finance a solution; even if when have one?

Without strong companies we lack any true ability to train ourselves or create jobs, and without viable nonprofits our people are shuffled in and out of nonprofits that have failed to get them off welfare, into jobs/training, and such failure has kept disproportionate incarceration in play. Many receiving this email know full well that ain't nothing changed but the year and the players. And in many aspects it's still the same players dishing out the same thing. In effect, there is a group of people who still believe you can do the same thing over and over again and get different results.

The Million More Movement placed us at a crossroad. We can continue to work against each other or, we can find common ground. We can accept the unemployment and lack of access to skills training to prepare Black folks for quality job and prosperity, and we can continue to rely on the Workforce Development system and its programs to deliver. We can continue to hope/wish somebody brings in another company that hires 900 new employees, but only 5 of us and call it success, or we can say we will construct our own concrete process to create jobs and provide training programs we devise that will increase our peoples employability. If we can't mobilize the hundreds of retirees from various companies to help us design training programs, volunteer as instructors, then nothing is gonna change. If we can't tap into the professional talent working in government and corporate environs to assist in raising funds, soliciting contributions, conducting research... then nothings gonna change. If nothing is gonna change, then our young people may never feel there is hope for them to have access to a better day than their parents.

We have gone through the Kansas Black Expo, Af-Am Male Leadership Banquet, Million More Movement... We have sat collectively with legislators and the Governors appointees to address our concerns on workforce development, business, education, discrimination, profiling, healthcare, prisoner reentry, diversity.... so it's not like they don't know what we feel is ailing us, but if they never do anything, what is our Plan B?

We witness retaliation on individuals who speak out about inequity or identify examples of crnoyism. We have to watch helplessly as tax-breaks and financial incentives comprised of our money is given away to companies who hire very few of us and donate very little; if any, to our few programs available that can help create a pool of skilled Black labor. We will set a short-term Fund for strangers flooded out of their neighborhoods, but those in power know we have failed to implement a long-term one that could effectively address the shortfalls they/we know exist. We know the same individuals are circulated around to sit on the various boards that's making decisions over our lives and livelyhood, but as long as we let someone walk on our backs, we can't be surprised if it they invite their whole lot to do it as well. You see, a self-determined people won't let anyone step on them as if they don't exist. They won't let anyone step on those they have an identity with. They stand tall in the face of adversity.

To address what ails our people stuck in the trenches of poverty, dispair and hopelessness... we first need to find a common ground to organize around. Then we must mobilize those concerned individuals, businesses and organizations in a manner that allows them to be the best they can be. Be the best in getting money for scholarships. Be the best at getting government to distribute contracts fair. Be the best being a thorn in somebody's side.... be the best in something that can shake loose the available fruits of opportunity for those incapable of doing it themselves. Finally, none of this can be achieveable if we can not energize ourselves into some type of consructive action. Just meeting to set the next meeting won't do. Simply sitting on a board and keeping the information to yourself is vain and self-serving. Accepting corporate contributions and staying silent on the lacksidasicle hiring/giving/contracting practices on the company speak for itself. If we have folks for sale, they need to post a sign so those seeking real change will know who they are and what they stand for. Giving somebody a pass just because they are a friend, spouse or family member is self-serving and should be addressed as ferverently as one would do if a white person was doing the same. Primarily because even whites in power can tell when a group is powerless to uplift itself or call out their own based on the facts that clear as day. 

We have a huge task ahead if we intend on decreasing the disproportionate unemployment/welfare/reincarceration rate among those Black men and women who are serious about being productive citizens in the community. For us to see prosperity for ourselves in this community, we will first have to know what it will look like and then design a clear path to get there. To this end we must organize, mobilize and energize around a solid plan of action. 

You are encouraged to communicate your thoughts about the above to help us better understand your position on Black business development and empowerment.  

IBSA provides an online network to better inform and educate interested parties on pending legislation, policies, issues and actions that impacts our collective well-being and your businesses bottom line.

Our business of being about our 'business'

Who are we and where are we going? Probably an age old question, but it still seems one that needs to be answered.

Remember the time when we could not be in business? Of course not, anyone reading this was not alive during slavery, but since we were chattle during those tme we were for labor purposes only and not allowed to be as enterprising as we are today. Before slavery, we were involved in common trade and commerce activity. Sailing seas, bartering with each other, providing products and service among ourselves, other Africans and with other countries even. After slavery we were forced to do business among ourselves because we could not equitably do business with whites and probably did not venture to far into doing business with the Native Americans already in the US. So from one point to another we were enterprising, we stopped, and then started up again. Amazing how time flies.

Fast forward to the 21st century. One thing that's changed is that we are able to conduct commerce among ourselves and other without fear of having our village or towns burned down. We have access to technology that can put us and our wears in front of a world market and can make or take payments for these products and services in the blink the eye; or at least the click of a mouse. And while we are blessed to live during these modern advances in technology, the amount of business we do among ourselves have yet to increase in proportion to the technology and trading capacity now present.

We can order that new book by Toni Morrison from Amazon.com. We can order that Kufi Hat from Africreations.com, we can order the historical 'Eyes on the Prize' to share with generations growing up in our households so that they don't forget that which we came, or we can examine the next pattern of thought on Black economics by ordering Blackonomics by James Clingman.... much is at our fingure tips if we simply delve into cyberspace. 

Closer to home we can visit our own Black-owned stores to purchase products made from artists as far away as Washington, D.C. at stores as close as Above All books & Gifts right here in Topeka, find the best way to train and care for our pet dog from K-9 Obedience Center, or get a price quotes from local photographers Heavenly Visions for our weddings, special events or for personal portraits... technology has closed a divide that once was an insurmountable barrier. This is who we are, where we are, and now it is up to us to really define where we are headed. In order to be about our business, I believe it is important to create the roadmap that can take us to where we want to go. Anything less makes the journey toward economic prosperity possible, but it does not make it probable that that journey will end at the doorsteps of our fellow brother or sister. We can just as easy go outside the Black community and purchase the very products I've mentioned above.

Malcom X said that "the community that sends its money out of the neighborhood gets poorer and poorer, while the community it is sent to gets richer and richer. Therefore the businesses in which we spend our money gets richer and richer and they can inevitably hire more and more. Problem is we ain't getting the jobs at the companies that we are empowering. That equates to unemployment for some and prosperity for others. To reverse the trend is rather easy, but it takes a commitment to consciously seek out Black businesses for the purchases we make. We will never be able to escape doing business with big-box retailers, but there are some discrtionary purchases we can do among ourselves. Just like other ethnicities do amongst themselves.

Topeka needs a BlackPages but that's unrealistic because we don't have enough businesses to make it a viable venture for any individual entreprenuer, but what we that have higher incomes can do is our best to purchase from our peers to drive up our collective business gross receipts. Maybe in the process our business can too increase their performance, increase internal hiring amongst ourselves, decrease the disproportionate unemployment rate amongthose Black men and women who are serious about be productive citizens in the community. It is too costly to have too many of us as tax-drawing taxpayer; which creates an environment of resentment from others who may tend to see us as a burden to their city's prosperity.

You are encouraged to communicate your thoughts about the above to help us better understand your position on Black business development and empowerment.  

IBSA provides this online network to better inform and educate interested parties on pending legislation, policies, issues and actions that impacts our collective well-being and your businesses bottom line.

Support IBSA online today at  www.ibsa-inc.org .

Part II: