The Black Male Handbook by Kevin Powell

Author:Kevin Powell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria
Published: 2008-09-09T00:00:00+00:00

If you are driving a car, but do not know your final destination, how are you supposed to know if you’re off course? Within the word destination you’ll find the root of the word destiny. Do you know what your destiny holds? I challenge you today to take authority and control of your life. I challenge you to have a vision of your destiny. Where will you be in ten years? Twenty years? Thirty?

Maybe you don’t have a vision for today—that’s not the end of the world. But make no mistake, we need soldiers with focus and clear intentions in this economic empowerment movement, soldiers who can lead our communities to a higher level of economic development. Without vision you will lead your community nowhere but to a state of chaos and confusion. We already have enough of that in the Black community, and I for one am tired of it. Lead or get out of the way!

Step Three: Collect the Necessary Resources for Success

Now that you have a vision, you must collect the necessary resources to bring that vision to fruition. And the most important of all resources is knowledge, no matter where you are in your educational development.

High school dropouts: We need you to get your GED to participate in this movement. If you aren’t willing to go to college—which isn’t for everyone—then you need to find the resources necessary to develop a skilled trade so that you can help build our communities.

High school students: For brothers who have visions of higher education, talk to your school counselors to help you research the best school for you. Make sure to research all the scholarships that are available to you on websites like FastWeb.com, Scholarship America.org, or scholarships.com. After you’ve written at least twenty essays (yes, I said twenty) to apply for at least twenty scholarships, apply for as much financial aid as possible.

Do not limit your search to local institutions. They’re cost-effective, and I know many students who have attained success with degrees from these institutions. But why should you assume that Harvard, Brown, Yale, and Princeton are not options for you? If you’ve got the grades, it is possible to attend an Ivy League school. And don’t leave historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) out of the equation either. The education and networking opportunities you’ll receive at a Howard, Hampton, or Morehouse are tremendous. Whether you choose an Ivy League or an HBCU, it takes both vision and desire to see beyond the boundaries of your immediate community.

I am from Detroit, but my world did not start and end there. I attended the University of Michigan, where I graduated from the top-ranked business program in the country. Then I had the vision to leave Michigan to pursue something larger than my surroundings. I urge you to do the same. But never forget where you came from. Use the knowledge that you acquire in higher education and in life to return home and help to build up your community.

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