As we enter yet another New Year, the African American community is faced with many of the same challenges that our ancestors faced over 150 years ago!
The Reconstruction Era, circa 1865, brought a euphoria, not unlike that being experienced with President-elect Barack Obama’s win in the 2008 Election. That euphoria quickly became dysphoria because the focus was not on community development. Community development, economic, political and cultural, is the one tool that will guarantee a community’s success and forward movement. Unfortunately, the focus was then, as it is now, on superficial political development and on the trappings of assimilation, integration and success. Political office is only a fraction of what a community needs to be grounded and prosperous. While Reconstruction brought the greatest number of African-descended people to political office, the vast majority of African-descended people, who were the foundation of this economy since this nation’s inception, remained in a social miasma as “slaves,” share-croppers and indigents. The core of a community’s development is in family and neighborhood economic, political and cultural development. These comprise the backbone of the politicians and politicos who are elected or appointed to serve the community. This is, however, more often not the case. The politicians and politicos serve their own vested interests in more cases than one.
Although I understand the exuberance of the moment and the historical significance of having so many African-descended people in political office, I cannot help but feel dismayed that while folks hoopla for the success and prestige of these politicians, they, the community and even the politicians themselves, are still plantation-bound, community-less and tribalistic in the 21st century. I can only think of the abysmal state of many of the former community-based institutions and all those who have been co-opted with them but who continue to make “rational” excuses for their lack of integrity.
The major issue continues to be how to build real and true community in the midst of “gate-keepers,” “junkyard dogs” and automatons… These are the folks who can have their hands on a Bible or Qu’ran, smile, laugh and lie simultaneously! These are the folks that the pathologically paternalistic have put in place in key positions to destroy and make a mockery of what community we do have.
Here is the real and true dilemma: Unfortunately, these same folks have become so accustomed to the familiarity and relative comfort of “slavery” that they have come to long for remaining shackled to it, intellectually, mentally, physically and spiritually. And, worse, they want to keep the rest of us on the proverbial plantation with them. On the other side, there are those who only see the proverbial “struggle” and want to remain there because they cannot see beyond it! It is easier to live for the “struggle” when one sees nothing else to live for. They both fear the point where “slavery” and the “struggle” end and they will do whatever they can to maintain the chaos! Both believe that there is something honorable in being enslaved or in being subjected to this domestic terrorism that is part and parcel of the African American historical experience.
David Walker’s Appeal…, Ida B. Wells’ efforts, Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker’s struggles, Malcolm X’s foresight, and Cecil B. Moore’s initiatives are as relevant today as they were then.
In response to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s challenge and query in his seminal work,Why We Can’t Wait … Here is why: It is past time for us to stand up so that there is a future for the youth whom we proclaim to love. If we do not step up and educate, protect and defend our youth, there will be no one left to represent humanity! As we brace ourselves for a 21st century depression, it becomes clear that it is time to share our own community resources. We have spiritual, intellectual, cultural, social, scientific, economic and political wealth in abundance right in our own midst. Step off of the plantation and out of the laboratory. Put an end to the rabid monkey-fication of the African American community in Philadelphia!
And, to that end, the Frator Heru Institute, in its 20th year in Philadelphia, continues to offer critical community-based educational seminars and effective community outreach. With innovative and strategic educational consultancy, the longest-running public community-based rites-of-passage initiatives for boys and men, multi-faceted prison outreach programs, and much-needed community development initiatives, the FHI now offers rites-of-passage initiatives for girls and young women, acting for beginners and cultural mathematics.
About the author:
Mr. Yumy Odom
has been a multidisciplinary educator, scientist, researcher and community change-agent for over 30 years. Since 1988, he has been involved in the longest-running public rites-of-passage youth initiatives in Philadelphia and in many other community-based educational efforts. He is the Founder of the Frator Heru Institute, a community-based educational initiative established in 1986. He served as the Director of the Temple University Pan-African Studies Community Education Program (PASCEP), the CLA-designated non-credit, continuing and adult education program (and the 5 th largest school) from 2002-2008. He previously served as Assistant Director for Administration (1997-2001), Acting Director (2001-2002), and as a PASCEP volunteer who taught over 14distinct classes / seminars (1989 – 2008).
The Frator Heru Institute: Honoring Community & Achieving Excellence!
