Molding a Young Black Man

Listening to a radio interview with 9^th Wonder who is a producer of hip hop music and I guess he lectures also at Duke University. He struck a cord within me because his goal in life is to help improve the mind set of young black male. It touched me because it seems that the world sees these boys as wasted space or as the buffoonery that is seen on television, via the internet, magazines and newspapers. It’s going to take more then a black president to change the mind set of people looking at black men.

 

Change has to come from more then a single mother raising a young man. It’s hard to step into the shoes of a black man and live their day to day life. It will take a few strong men to step up to young men who are a drift in life. At one point I would have said that only a black man can show them how to be a black man. What is needed is a man to step up and show them how to be a better person and maneuver through growing pains. They need to be educated, participate in extra curricular activities, nurturing talent and just openly communicating to children.

I would encourage the men that I know who are not professional athletes, singers, rappers, and radio or television personalities to step up. Spend some time with some young men showing them what real life is beyond what they see on 106 & Park. There is so much that we are all capable of doing with ourselves. It takes hard work, grit, and strength to wake up daily and go to work. I have met more then a few men that do it daily along with being great parents. Sharing that with a young person might just help shape and mold them for a better future perhaps even another president.