America Has Lost A Generation of Black Boys; In Pittsburgh, Fewer Black Men in Medical School; Every Young Black Man Must See Bring Your 'A' Game; Mentor Youth at College Basketball Games; 90 Cities Have Signed On To Mentor Black Boys in January and February 2012

America Has Lost Several Generations Of Black Boys with No Plan to Save the Next "Worst of all is the passivity, neglect and disengagement of the black community concerning the future of our black boys."   America Has Lost A Generation Of Black Boys        There is no longer a need for dire predictions, hand-wringing, or apprehension about losing a generation of black boys. It is too late. In education, employment, economics, incarceration, health, housing, and parenting, we have lost a generation of young black men. The question that remains is will we lose the next two or three generations, or possibly every generation of black boys hereafter to the streets, negative media, gangs, drugs, poor education, unemployment, father absence, crime, violence and death.      Most young black men in the United States don't graduate from high school. Only 35% of black male students graduated from high school in Chicago and only 26% in New York City, according to a 2006 report by The Schott Foundation for Public Education. Only a few black boys who finish high school actually attend college, and of those few black boys who enter college, nationally, only 22% of them finish college.       Young black male students have the worst grades, the lowest test scores, and the highest dropout rates of all students in the country. When these young black men don't succeed in school, they are much more likely to succeed in the nation's criminal justice and penitentiary system. And it was discovered recently that even when a young black man graduates from a U.S. college, there is a good chance that he is from Africa, the Caribbean or Europe, and not the United States.      Black men in prison in America have become as American as apple pie. There are more black men in prisons and jails in the United States (about 1.1 million) than there are black men incarcerated in the rest of the world combined. This criminalization process now starts in elementary schools with black male children as young as six and seven years old being arrested in staggering numbers according to a 2005 report, Education on Lockdown by the Advancement Project.       The rest of the world is watching and following the lead of America. Other countries including England, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil and South Africa are adopting American social policies that encourage the incarceration and destruction of young black men. This is leading to a world-wide catastrophe. But still, there is no adequate response from the American or global black community.      Worst of all is the passivity, neglect and disengagement of the black community concerning the future of our black boys. We do little while the future lives of black boys are being destroyed in record numbers. The schools that black boys attend prepare them with skills that will make them obsolete before, and if, they graduate. In a strange and perverse way, the black community, itself, has started to wage a kind of war against young black men and has become part of this destructive process.       Who are young black women going to marry? Who is going to build and maintain the economies of black communities? Who is going to anchor strong families in the black community? Who will young black boys emulate as they grow into men? Where is the outrage of the black community at the destruction of its black boys? Where are the plans and the supportive actions to change this? Is this the beginning of the end of the black people in America?       The list of those who have failed young black men includes our government, our foundations, our schools, our media, our black churches, our black leaders, and even our parents. Ironically, experts say that the solutions to the problems of young black men are simple and relatively inexpensive, but they may not be easy, practical or popular. It is not that we lack solutions as much as it is that we lack the will to implement these solutions to save black boys. It seems that government is willing to pay billions of dollars to lock up young black men, rather than the millions it would take to prepare them to become viable contributors and valued members of our society.        Please consider these simple goals that can lead to solutions for fixing the problems of young black men: Short term 1) Teach all black boys to read at grade level by the third grade and to embrace education. 2) Provide positive role models for black boys. 3) Create a stable home environment for black boys that includes contact with their fathers. 4) Ensure that black boys have a strong spiritual base. 5) Control the negative media influences on black boys. 6) Teach black boys to respect all girls and women. Long term 1) Invest as much money in educating black boys as in locking up black men. 2) Help connect black boys to a positive vision of themselves in the future. 3) Create high expectations and help black boys live into those high expectations. 4) Build a positive peer culture for black boys. 5) Teach black boys self-discipline, culture and history. 6) Teach black boys and the communities in which they live to embrace education and life-long learning.  Phillip Jackson Executive Director of the Black Star Project Chicago, Il. blackstar1000@ameritech.net, 773.285.9600 With just 10 more cities, the Black Male Achievement Movement will have recruited Black men in 100 cities to mentor Black boys and young Black men during January and February 2012. 90 cities have already signed up. If your city is not on the list, why not?  Join with strong, positive Black men from around the country and the world working for Black Male Achievement. Join the Black Male Achievement Movement  during January and February 2012, as we mentor tens of thousands of Black boys and young men across America.  Black men under the control of a Department of Corrections. The The difference between this... Young Black men at Urban Prep Academy of Chicago.   and this is YOU!  Become a mentor of young Black men and boys!    To become one of the the Servant Leaders in your city planning and directing this effort, please call 773.285.9600. We will provide you with an organizing kit that will help you step-by-step to create, manage or support an outstanding mentoring program in your city.  We will also provide technical assistance and ongoing support. Schools, faith-based organizations, fraternities, Masonic organizations, veterans associations, community-based organizations, affinity organizations, military service personnel, social service agencies, companies and corporations will participate in this effort.  Most mentoring events will occur on January 31, 2012.  The last event will occur on February 29, 2012.  Please see cities that are expected to participate as of January 11, 2012:      Albany, New York Atlanta Georgia Aurora, Colorado Baltimore, Maryland Baton Rouge, Louisiana Blandensburg, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Buffalo, New York Carbondale, Illinois  Chicago, Illinois - South Side Chicago, Illinois - West Side  Chicago, Illinois - South Suburbs Cincinnati, Ohio Colorado Springs, Colorado Dallas, Texas Danbury, Connecticut Danville, Illinois Delray Beach, Florida Detroit, Michigan Denver, Colorado Dorlton, Illinois Durham, North Carolina East Chicago, Indiana East Orange, New Jersey Englewood, Colorado Flint, Michigan Flossmoor, Illinois Fort Lauderdale, Florida Gary, Indiana Gilbert, Arizona Hammond, Indiana Hartford, Connecticut Harvey, Illinois Hillside, Illinois Houston, Texas Indianapolis, Indiana  Irvington, New Jersey Jackson, Mississippi Kansas City, Missouri Kenesaw, Georgia Lexington, Kentucky Lithonia, Michigan Los Angeles, California Louisville, Kentucky Macon, Georgia Manassas, Virginia Matteson, Illinois Mentor, Ohio Milwaukee, Wisconsin Minneapolis, Minnesota Munster, Indiana  Nashville, Tennessee New Orleans, Louisiana New York City, New York - Manhattan New York City, New York - The Bronx New York City, New York - Brooklyn New York City, New York - Queens New York City, New York - Long Island New York City, New York - Harlem Newark, New Jersey Oakland, California Oak Park, Illinois Omaha, Nebraska Palmdale, California Peoria, Illinois  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Phoenix, Arizona Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Richmond, California Richmond, Virginia Riverdale, Illinois San Bernardino, California San Francisco, California Santan Valley, AZ Seattle, Washington Shelbyville, Indiana  Southaven, Mississippi St. Louis, Missouri St. Paul, Minnesota St. Petersburg, Florida Tampa, Florida Toledo, Ohio Tshwane, Botswana Tuscaloosa, Alabama  University Park, Illinois Vicksburg, Mississippi  Washington, D.C. Waukegan, Illinois White Plains, New York Yazoo City, Mississippi     This event was inspired by the life and life principles of Muhammad Ali (Rumble Young Man, Rumble!).  The Black Male Achievement Movement was born in Louisville, Kentucky in September 2011.  Guidance, support and encouragement for this movement is provided by Open Society Foundations' Campaign for Black Male Achievement.  The National CARES Mentoring Movement and Mentoring U.S.A have signed on as national supporters.  For more information, please call 773.285.9600.   Click Here to see the Fathers Incorporated PSA on mentoring.    Click Here to see the Mentoring USA PSA on mentoring. Every Young Black Man and Black Boy in America Must See "Bring Your 'A' Game"!!! Bring Your 'A' Game  Mario Van Peebles directs and narrates Bring Your 'A' Game. By Shawn Mooring (21st Centurty Foundation Program Officer) Twenty-First Century Foundation's (21CF) Black Men and Boys (BMB) Initiative has recently added a new tool to its arsenal, the groundbreaking documentary film "Bring Your 'A' Game" (BYAG). The film focuses a national spotlight on the challenges affecting black men and boys and facilitates 21CF's work in identifying, highlighting, and supporting strategies that address the BMB crisis. The film was produced in partnership with actor/director Mario Van Peebles and producer Karen Williams. 21CF will use screenings of the film and associated community discussions to catalyze transformation in the lives of urban youth. Innovative technologies and a cinematic style influenced by popular culture add flair to BYAG's examination of strategies that have improved the lives of black men and boys. The film underscores the importance of educational achievement and high school graduation to survival and success in today's world. Spike Lee stars in Bring Your 'A' Game. Interviewees include such black male icons as Richard "Dick" Parsons, Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Dr. Cornel West, Ice Cube, Mayor Cory Booker, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles, Lupe Fiasco, Hill Harper, Damon Dash, Kevin Powell, Melvin Van Peebles, Geoffrey Canada, Bruce Gordon, Alan Houston, and others. 21CF seeks to be at the forefront of changing the BMB crisis by building a framework for local coalitions, collaborative efforts, and durable partnerships across all sectors of society. The foundation's BMB initiative helps communities work together on the critical issues collectively identified as a paradigm of change for this crisis. Sean "Diddy" Combs stars in Bring Your 'A' Game. Click Here to see the documentary that every young Black man and Black boy must see -- Bring Your 'A' Game! In Pittsburgh, Fewer Black Men in Medical Schools Gateway Society seeks to reverse decline in black men entering medical school Closing the gap By Kate Luce Angell Monday, January 09, 2012 Since the civil rights era, the number of black physicians has been rising, with African-Americans now making up 4 percent of U.S. physicians overall.   But while this statistic keeps inching up, it conceals a troubling trend: The number of African-American men entering medical fields has been falling since it peaked in the early 1990s, and it continues to drop, both here in Pittsburgh and across the United States.   William Simmons, an anesthesiologist at UPMC Shadyside and associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh medical school, said the decline is obvious.   "In a typical class at the University of Pittsburgh, we usually have 16 or 20 African-American students entering medical school, in a class of 150," he said. "This year, four of them are male." Dr. Simmons sits on the university's advisory committee on diversity, but as of Jan. 1, he is also president of the Gateway Medical Society, a southwestern Pennsylvania organization whose mission includes bolstering the numbers of area black men in medical fields.   Founded in the late 1950s, Gateway is affiliated with the National Medical Association, which was founded in 1895, a time when African-American doctors were not allowed to join the American Medical Society and were barred from most medical schools.   Gateway's mission is to "Close the Gap," a phrase that points to a host of problems regarding the black community and health-related fields, including the dwindling number of male doctors.   "African-Americans have the highest incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), of AIDS, the highest death rate of heart disease, of diabetes, of almost any kind of cancer," Dr. Simmons pointed out.   Access to medical care for minorities is often a problem, he added, with financial barriers and fewer physicians willing to service poor areas. Additional problems include cultural barriers, from reluctance to seek medical help to difficulty in communicating to physicians who may not understand the needs of minority patients.   Gateway sponsors a number of programs that seek to connect minority and underserved communities with health care and provide health-care education, including a yearly community symposium in the spring, a scholarship gala in the fall and a provider symposium that addresses specific medical issues of African-Americans.   In 2010, Gateway started the "Journey to Medicine" academic mentorship program to specifically address the shortage of male African-American physicians.   Fifteen African-American 6th-grade boys are chosen from public schools to attend regular educational activities. These teach skills from PowerPoint presentation and public speaking to suturing a cow heart and performing CPR on a medical manikin. Each boy is mentored throughout the program by a Gateway physician member, and the 15 progress through the program together.   The program receives financial support from the Heinz Foundation, as well as Highmark, the Pace Foundation, and the Allegheny County Medical Society. Gateway also works with area colleges and hospitals, so boys in the program have access to the University of Pittsburgh medical library system, science camps at Carnegie Mellon University and the Simulation, Teaching, and Academic Research Center (STAR) at West Penn Allegheny Health System.   Now in its second year, the plan is for the program to continue all the way through high school, providing SAT preparation and college application support.   "And we don't want to lose them in college," said Anita Edwards, chair of Gateway's program committee and an internist at Century III Medical Associates in Pittsburgh. "As long as they stay with us, we'll stay with them."   "This is not a quick fix," conceded Jan Madison, Gateway's chair of fundraising and a specialist in pulmonary critical care with Pittsburgh Pulmonary Associates.   She acknowledged that the interrelated factors that influence the decline of black men in medicine are multiple and complex, but that all research seemed to indicate that an early start predicted better outcomes.   "We're hoping to catch them at a young age and fill that pipeline," she said.   On Dec. 17, the now 7th- and 8th-grade boys attended their final daylong program of the year at the Allegheny County Medical Society Building.   Each boy, in a shirt and tie, gave a presentation with a microphone, with subjects ranging from the dangers of steroids to pioneering African--American doctors to their favorite experiences in the program. Some had assembled PowerPoint presentations, others brought photos.   They then participated in a chemistry demonstration by graduate students from the chemistry department of Carnegie Mellon University. The level of the material was aimed at high school students, but the boys were rewarded for their attention by participating in experiments making rubber balls, soap and ice cream.   The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to medical presentations by Gateway physician members, advice on taking advantage of the Pittsburgh Promise, a program that gives college tuition help to students enrolled in city schools, information on academic internships, and an award ceremony.   Morris E. Turner Jr., the youth program coordinator, pointed out that despite the "graduation" ceremony, the boys in the program won't have much time off -- meetings begin again in January. He also begins the recruitment process for new 6th-graders immediately.   "To get those 15, I interview more than 60 kids," he said, adding that they look for a 3.0 grade point average, but that strong math and science grades are more important. The initial candidates are recommended by school principals and science and math teachers. Each boy must have signed permission from a parent or guardian to participate.   Mr. Turner noted that he's seen dramatic improvements in the boys in the program.   "We've made so much progress in public speaking, and the excitement they show for the kinds of things we're teaching them is a welcome sight," he said.   All the boys' grade point averages have improved, with some even averaging 4.0, or straight As. Jordan Rawls, an 8th-grader at Sterrett Middle School, has been with the program since the beginning and admits that at times it was difficult.   "At first, it was hard to present in front of people you didn't know, and it does involve more work," he said. "We do things two or three times a month."   But he's decided it's worth it, and said his future goals include becoming an anesthesiologist, like his mentor, Dr. Simmons.   Troy Thompson is in his first year with the program and is a 7th-grader at Sterrett. He finds presenting difficult too, especially since, as his mother, Khaleelah Glover, points out, he tends to be shy.   "As he's been given more responsibility, he's gotten more confident around his peers," she said. She added that the Gateway program was important because it focused on a group of boys with different needs.   "A lot of programs out there are for 'at risk' young men, and those programs are needed," she said. "But these kids need to be rewarded too. They're doing well, and people recognize that."   Dr. Simmons said the Journey to Medicine program attempts to address some of the many reasons why so few African-American men become physicians.   "We need to tell these boys, 'It's OK to be smart, it's OK to do well in school,' " said Dr. Simmons, who pointed to stereotypes and a lack of exposure and role models as significant factors.   "Some of these boys haven't seen many African-Americans who are professionals or physicians," he said. "They can't imagine going to medical school, it's not part of their experience."   Dr. Edwards stressed the importance of quality education as another factor at work.   "A lot is just academics -- our young men are not prepared. A lot of avenues are closed to them, because of economics, because of attending public schools that may not be serving them," she said.   But she indicated that cultural factors may play a role, too.   "I don't think African-American boys get the financial and emotional support from families that females do," she said. "And I think a lot of parents still don't grasp the importance of education."   The problems were difficult, she said, but as physicians, the members of Gateway had little choice about getting involved.   "You either sit on the sidelines and say, 'I'll do nothing,' or you try to change it," said Dr. Edwards. "Why do we need African-American doctors?" added Dr. Simmons. "Because they are more likely to serve minority and economically disadvantaged communities, they're more invested in improving the lives of African-American people. And if we keep losing boys the way we are, they'll all be left behind."   For more information on the Gateway Medical Society and its youth mentorship program, go to http://www.gatewaymedicalsociety.org/index.html   Chicago Defender Calls on Black Men Across America to Take Control of their Communities and Stop Youth Violence   Plea to our men: Step up and be visible  Editorial Saturday, January 7, 2012   With the escalating shootings within the last few weeks you'd think this was summertime chicago. With the senseless foolery that's going on -- Church's Chicken shooting that left two boys dead, slain Officer Clifton Lewis and Nicholas Comacho who barely lived to see the second day of the new year -- we need our men to take back the streets of Chicago. We're calling on the men of Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Iota Phi Theta, Masons, etc. We need you visible on the streets alongside the male youths and young adults that are continuing the foolery. Take back the streets. We need for the Black Star Project to get the One Thousand Men of Action (1,000 MOA) mobilized again. According to the BSP, the 1,000 MOA is a well-structured, comprehensive approach to getting fathers and mentors connected to sons and boys, to reducing violence among youth, improving their behavior and academic performance and increasing safety and a culture of calm in Chicago communities. 1,000 MOA will: Recruit, train and develop men who volunteer as mentors and community revitalizers. Promote better parenting and fathering. Promote and support early childhood education. Share information on college enrollment and higher education and development. Share information on skill training, job training and entrepreneurship. Mentor youth one-on-one, in small groups and in school settings. Support recreation centers, sports programs and after-school programs. Provide social, emotional and psychological support to youth in the community. Help youth and men expunge their criminal records. Patrol communities and transportation hubs and interrupt and mediate violence on the streets of Chicago. Clean litter and debris in communities and plant flowers, grass, trees and edible gardens. Accompany youth for spiritual development at faith-based institutions. Support and assist elders in senior-citizen communities. Facilitate marriage, family development and community living classes for young men. Conduct "Rites of Passage" ceremonies for young men Men, please step up, step out and help stomp out the violence! ___________________________________________________________________________________ Please click here to subscribe to one of the oldest and most important African American newspapers in the country or call 312.225.2400 to subscribe or for more information.   Join Black American and African Lion Mothers and Fathers Who Plan, Organize and Fight to Educate their Children. Join Us for a Meeting of "Lion Mothers and Fathers" There are some Black American, African and Caribbean parents who will do anything to educate and protect their children. Anything! And in fact, they know that this is the only way that their children will ever be successfully educated in America.  We call those Black American, African and Caribbean parents, "Lion Mothers and Fathers".  They are like Chinese "Tiger Mothers" but they are African American or of African descent.  They believe in hard work, uncompromising excellence and rigor!   Join Lion Mothers and Fathers  on Saturday, January 14, 2012 1:15 pm   at The Black Star Project 3509 South King Drive, Suite 2B Chicago, Illinois 60653 If you do not believe that you are the most important person in your child's educational life, this meeting is not for you. If you think that your child's school will give a great education to your child without your participation, this meeting is not for you. If you do not understand that your child educational success is related to the educational success of every child around your child, this meeting is not for you. If you believe that government is capable of delivering a high-quality education for your child, this meeting is not for you. If you are not ready to spend substantial time during the day and the evening at your child's school, this meeting is not for you. If you are not ready to learn new skills and information for the sake of educating your child, this meeting is not for you. If you are not ready to put much of the responsibility for your child's education on you, your child, your family and your community, this meeting is not for you. Otherwise, welcome to the meeting!     We will plan strategies and programs to help Black and African children and students become globally competent.  Lion parents do not ask others to educate and protect their cubs/children, nor do they ask for permission to educate their own children.  If they did, their children would be destroyed.  Lions are responsible for educating their children.  No one else!   This is what people should see when they stop Black and African children from being properly educated.   Bring a Chapter of Black Star Lion Parents to your city by calling 773.285.9600. Click Here to learn about Chinese Tiger Mothers. Join the Black Star Project's  Million Fathers Club for Men's College Basketball at Its Best! Free for adults and elementary school students - $1.00   for high school students (payable by The Black Star Project per NCAA regulations) University of Illinois at Chicago Flames vs Loyola University Chicago Ramblers on  Saturday, January 14, 2012 The UIC Pavilion  525 South Racine Avenue (500 south and 1200 west) Chicago, Illinois  Game starts at 3:00 pm Call Bruce Walker at 773.285.9600 to reserve your tickets. In Gwinnett County, Georgia, Black elementary school students are asked to improve math skills by calculating beatings of slaves!   'If Fred Got Two Beatings Per Day...' Homework Asks Jan 7, 2012 Third graders in in Gwinnett County, Ga., were given math homework Wednesday that asked questions about slavery and beatings. Christopher Braxton told ABC News affiliate WSB-TV in Atlanta that he couldn't believe the assignment his 8-year-old son brought home from of Beaver Ridge Elementary school in Norcross. "It kind of blew me away," Braxton said. "Do you see what I see? Do you really see what I see? He's not answering this question." The question read, "Each tree had 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?" Another math problem read, "If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week?" Another question asked how many baskets of cotton Frederick filled. "I was furious at that point," Braxton said. "This outrages me because it just lets me know that there's still racists," said Stephanie Jones, whose child is a student at the school. "Something like that shouldn't be imbedded into a kid of the third, fourth, fifth, any grade," parent Terrance Barnett told WSB-TV. "I'm having to explain to my 8-year-old why slavery or slaves or beatings are in a math problem. That hurts." "In this one, the teachers were trying to do a cross-curricular activity," Gwinnett County school district spokeswoman Sloan Roach said. Roach said the teachers were attempting to incorporate social studies into math problems. "We understand that there are concerns about these questions, and we agree that these questions were not appropriate," she said. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Click Here to view story on ABC News.  You may contact Beaver Ridge Principal Jose DeJesus at (770) 447-6307 if you have concerns about this use of slavery in their lesson plan.