Mitchell Kapor Foundation Weblog

The death of 19 year old Kevin Powell can be summed up in one word, tragic.  Kevin Powell’s story (who he was, what he dreamed of, etc.), which came to light a week after his death, seems to be a common one for many adolescents that died young; a good kid from a good family headed down a path of success, but somehow gets detoured.  Just weeks before Kevin Powell’s death, Hyman Taylor, Jr., a 27 year old former USF basketball player that was shot to death in Oakland, shared similar fate.

As I read both of these stories, especially Taylor, Jr.’s (me being an ex-college athlete), I could not help but to acknowledge that just being afforded the “opportunity” to better one’s self educationally and socially doesn’t guarantee much.  Both of these young men had an “opportunity” that not many young black men get, yet the end result for them was a violent death.  Taylor, Jr., was described as a talented student-athlete that had worked really hard as a high school student to redirect his life and put forth the necessary time and effort to become a Division 1 athlete.  Powell was a stellar athlete that dominated the basketball court and was once enrolled in Stuart Hall High, one of the most prestigious schools in San Francisco, but then bounced around from school to school and earned his GED rather than a scholarship to college.

What circumstances are causing the  trajectory of black males’ success to be altered?  I remember my mother once telling me that if I simply invested in my education, success will be inevitable.  I bought in.  Now, however, I feel that there are several social and systemic factors that impede and potentially prevent any chance for young black men to experience the benefits associated with pursuing a higher education.

These incidents further validate that young black men with unlimited potential are encountering unforeseen perils that are altering their trajectory towards success.  We cannot disregard the fact that the adversity that black youth encounter while pursuing a high school education and even post-secondary education is omnipresent.  It is critical that young brothers get continued support from the community and have positive influences in their life to help them maximize their potential.  As a community, we can no longer ostracize young brothers when they defy rules and challenge authority and then expect them to successfully manage grappling the harsh world that they live in.  As a community, we need to challenge ourselves to help these youth reassess their futures and assist them in getting back on the right course so they become the individuals that they are destined to be.

Photo source: SF Gate, courtesy of Powell Family

BP’s trial and error approach to cap the unmanageable oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is damaging more than just BP’s financial outlook.  The oil spill has leaked between 19.7 million and 43 million gallons, according to government estimates.  BP will undoubtedly recover financially from what is being considered the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, but unfortunately this disaster may render irreversible damages to the environment and an economic trade that is supplemented by natural resources.

While wildlife will suffer the most visible effects of this calamity, those who inhabit the coastal lands of Louisiana will have to endure the economic and environmental effects associated with this spill, most notably Native Americans.  For many of these coastal tribes, fishing is a big part of life.  For the Pointe Aux Chenes Tribe, who resettled in the Louisiana marsh lands after being forced from their lands more than a century ago, seafood is not only a big part of their dietary intake, but also their primary export.  Having little to no resources to combat the spill and hurricane season approaching, the tribe, along with many other coastal inhabitants, is in great danger of having a low surplus of food for the upcoming months and potentially suffering from water contamination.

This spill is a call for government to become more active in pursuing alternative ways to attain oil and, more importantly, invest more money in developing a green energy plan that focuses on renewable energy sources.  But until the government puts talk into action, organizations across the country need to continue being vocal about environmental issues and the benefits associated with going green.  In addition, society must become more cognizant that low-income communities of color are suffering at a disproportionate rate from environmental injustice.  Our Green Access program at the Mitchell Kapor Foundation seeks to create meaningful opportunities for low-income communities of color thus ensuring fairness and sustainability.  Every community, regardless of class or race, should be afforded green and sustainable living, free from financial exploitation from large corporations.

photo source: Micheal Murphy, Examiner.com

What makes someone a pioneer? Do they have to be the first in their field to do something — like being the first black man in space, the first black man to play in the Major Leagues, or even the first black president?  Are they trendsetters who are capable of revolutionizing an industry similar to what Micheal Jackson did for music and Micheal Jordan did for basketball?  I want to share a story of a pioneer whose name is not in the index of U.S. history books but what she was a part of definitely is.  Her name is Dorothy Jean (Fitzgerald) Brown.

As a young school girl in Topeka, Kansas, Fitzgerald, along with her cousin, Jean Williams, would make a daily trip across town to the all-black school because the school down the street from her home was all white.  Years later, they shared their experience with their uncle, Attorney Charles Bledsoe, and these girls became the catalyst for what would become the  legendary  Brown vs. Board of Education lawsuit.  Although these two women were college graduates by the time of the 1954 Supreme Court decision that struck down the concept of separate-but-equal segregated public schools, they were truly pioneers in their own right.  As a senior at Topeka High School, Fitzgerald was the first black to be a member of the Glee Club  and was also the first black soloist at the 1945 THS commencement.

Fitzgerald eventually moved to Vallejo, CA, were she taught elementary school.  As a teacher, Fitzgerald had the opportunity to educate children of all colors under one roof,  something that  was not even thought of when she was a young girl.  She even taught my mother and many of my mom’s siblings.  Ironically, none of them knew of Fitzgerald’s  journey and the influence she  had already had on their lives.  It was not until Mrs. Dorothy Jean Fitzgerald Brown passed away April 27th, 2010, that my family and many others in the Vallejo community became aware of this woman’s significance in U.S. history and education.  You always hear people who have accomplished great things acknowledge those before them who helped “paved the way,” and historically for blacks, this meant enduring discrimination, bigotry, and unimaginable levels of racism just so there could be equality and fairness across the board.  Mrs. Dorothy Jean Fitzgerald Brown definitely paved the way for all children, and her legacy in education and life shall not be forgotten.

Photo source: printed pamphlet

This past week at the University of California Los Angeles, UCLA’s  Black Male Institute hosted the 2010 Think Tank.  The two day conference consisted of thought provoking, sincere and unapologetic talk focused on African-American males and their educational development.  Having a platform to speak candidly about the educational and social disparities between black males and their racial counterparts provided me with an opportunity to hear from a select group of brilliant and inspiring speakers that are committed to a) identifying problems for why young black males are not succeeding and b) developing adequate and lasting solutions to increase the number of black males that are graduating high school and are college ready.

Speakers varied from principals and professors to community activist and PhD candidates. It is important to note that these accomplished, yet concerned and committed individuals were all African-American, and all were male, except for one.  Why is this relevant?  The fact that there were black males leading a discussion on the issues black males are facing demonstrates that black men are not only concerned about the future welfare of their younger brothers, but also want to find immediate solutions to help them knock down the educational and social barriers.  This is extremely important for the young black males in California,  in which  African-Americans perform far worst academically then any other racial group, and are consistently out-performed by their female counterparts.

The event’s keynote speaker was Dr. Shaun Harper.  Dr. Harper has done extensive research on black males in education and is currently on the faculty in the Graduate School of Education, African Studies, and Gender Studies at University of Pennsylvania.   Dr. Harper began with the question, “What do we need to do improve Black males access to college?” and then focused his talk around what actions need to be taken to answer that question.  Dr. Harper took serious issue with how research is being done to even  answer that question.   He believes that we need to re-frame and restructure the way in which research is being done and spend more time talking with individuals who have beaten the odds and are now doing successful things (i.e. Edward Smith Lewis – a West Oakland native that overcame tremendous obstacles in his pursuit towards academic and professional success ).  Dr. Harper also believes that more needs to be done to help prepare the black males who are moving on to higher education.  He illustrated that there is a college culture that black males often  struggle adjusting to and as a result often leave school.  Dr. Harper’s address ended with him emphasizing the importance of there needing to be just as much effort to get more African-Americans into graduate school as there is for undergraduate.  He insisted that for there to be real systematic changes there needs to be more African-American’s in powerful positions to address the concerns of African-American’s in education.

photo source: http://www.addmanagement.com/thinking%20man.jpg

The overwhelming number of African-American males who are performing below or far below basic academic levels has led to an epidemic of young men that eventually drop out, do not qualify to graduate, or graduate without taking/passing college required courses.   The unfortunate reality behind the quandary of young black males and their education development is that it has been in a state of crisis for years.

Although young black men have been provided more educational opportunity than ever before, they have yet, for various reasons, been able to capitalize off of it.  As a result, majority of black males perform far worst academically than any other ethnic group during their K-12 experience.  This unfortunate trend in academic achievement for black students continues to be an issue for black males in the Bay Area.  Black male  from San Francisco and Alameda County are the least prepared to pursue higher education when compared to other ethnic groups upon graduating high school.  In a post-Brown vs. Board of Education era, where educational access and equality has been a right for nearly 56 years, it is about time that research is done to find new and creative strategies that will ensure a much higher percentage of black males are graduating high school and, more importantly, college ready.

Preparing black youth for college takes a collaborative effort from various sectors.  Responsibility surely lies with the individual and parents as well, but there needs to be an even greater role from community centers, non-profit sector, teachers, and most importantly, schools and the state.  The onus of achieving academic success cannot be placed solely on black students when there are a multitude of systemic factors contributing to their academic state.  So before labeling black youth as failures with little interest in pursuing higher education, consider the social, economical, and educational conditions that have contributed to their situation.  It is not enough to be content with a landmark decision established over 50 years ago, especially when there are newer acts such as No Child Left Behind, which some argue do more harm than good for low achieving students, in place.  If research can be done to identify the problems, then let’s take it one giant step further and infuse these strategies and concepts into the black community, communal organizations, and the educational system.  The future welfare of black men depends on what we do for our black youth today.

Would you believe it possible for a 100 percent graduation rate of black male seniors at a high school?  Those of you who are familiar with the achievement gap that exists between black males and their peers are probably shaking your head in skepticism.  Would you think I’m absolutely crazy if I told you that not only is it possible, but that the same group of graduates has a 100 percent acceptance rate for college?

That is exactly what the graduating class of Urban Prep, an African-American all-male charter school in Chicago, did.  On a daily basis these scholars face intense adversity and social oppression, yet they have maintained a level of focus and dedication to set the precedent of excellence as the first senior class in the school’s history.

Urban Prep’s success is worth applauding.  It serves as an example for educators, policy makers, the greater community, and, most importantly, black males everywhere.  Furthermore, we should take note that accomplishing both goals are realistically possible despite the unyielding challenges associated with increasing the percentage of black males who are: a) college ready and b) college bound.

Urban Prep has creatively developed a method that gets black boys to college.  However, their creativity is molded to fit the construct of their own organization, a charter school. Yet, success is success.  So how do we replicate the same statistical success, or close to it, for black males in the Bay Area?  Like the black youth in Chicago, young black men from the San Francisco Bay Area suffer from a multitude of social and educational issues that contribute to a road less traveled towards higher education.  The lack of opportunity and success of young black men from the Bay Area is a problem that the College Bound Brotherhood seeks to address.

Those who are unfamiliar with “The Brotherhood” should know that our primary focus is establishing a stronger college-going culture by supporting organizations committed to aiding and fostering educational opportunities for black youth.  Last year, the Brotherhood supported and collaborated with 11 non-profit organizations throughout the Bay Area.  Our inaugural year concluded with a wonderful ceremony honoring graduating seniors from those grant recipient organizations.

As The Brotherhood transitions into its second year, we are actively building upon lessons from our first year and view Urban Prep as further inspiration in developing a college bound movement in the Bay Area.  Statistically speaking, increasing the number of college bound black men is an uphill battle; only 26.9 percent of all graduating black males  met UC/CSU A-G requirements in 2008 (Source: California Department of Education). But if the story of Urban Prep demonstrates anything, it’s that the job can definitely be done.  In order for the college bound movement here in the Bay Area to reach its full potential there must be a collaborative effort from organizations, community members and leaders, and all individuals that have a genuine concern for the plight and educational development of black males. That’s what we’re working ton build.

photo source: www.lashawnbarber.com

As a former college basketball player, I understand the difficulty associated with juggling academics and athletics.   It’s no cakewalk–one drives the other.  The young men and women who have taken on the challenge of participating in athletics while simultaneously obtaining their degree are commonly referred to as “student-athletes”.  Sadly, due to the immense commitment involved with playing Division 1 Sports, the reality for many student athletes is that they are athletes first.  For most, meeting the obligations of both worlds is a rigorous balancing act.  Consequently, a good percentage of athletes, mostly black, are leaving their respective institutions without a degree.

African-American males playing Division 1 Sports in this country are suffering far worse from this dilemma than any other ethnic group in college athletics.  While the NCAA is capitalizing off of the athletic ability of all athletes involved in high profile sports, there are far too many African-Americans not graduating college and the NCAA is doing very little to fix the issue.

Coinciding with the NCAA Basketball Tournament, The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida released their annual report highlighting the disparity in graduation rates (over six-years) between white and black players on this year’s men’s tournament bound teams.  The study reveals that white Division I basketball male student-athletes graduate at a rate of 84 percent while only 56 percent of black Division I basketball male student-athletes graduate.  Furthermore, the study finds that 79 percent of the men’s tournament teams graduated 70 percent or more of their white athletes, while only 31 percent graduated 70 percent or more of their black players.  To illustrate the severity of this issue, it should be noted that the gap in graduation rates has increased by 22 percentage points from the previous year.

As we meticulously fill out our brackets projecting which team will be crowned 2010 NCAA Champions among the pool of 65, let us not forget that the young men entertaining us are also sacrificing their education.  More importantly, as this gap in graduation rates between white and African-American athletes continues to widen, we can only hope that the NCAA will consider investing at least 1% of the $710 million in revenue that it averages annually (90 percent coming from the tournament) into developing programs and initiatives that focus on ensuring that African-American athletes complete their college degree.

photo source:  http://whitneymcd7.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/march-madness-picks.jpg