Black boys matter. They care, and they have value.
—
“When the future is ready the youth will appear,” is my twist to the popular quote: “When the student is ready the teacher will appear.”
That notable phrase came to mind when attending and presenting at the 8th annual Black Male Development Symposium (BMDS) last Saturday on the campus of Arcadia University.
My workshop, “The Next Great Person”, was an energetic and engaging presentation that aimed to teach black boys the importance of having a dream; remaining focused; and possessing rigor to achieve an outcome. While I’d like to believe I imparted a wealth of knowledge during my session – and throughout the sold-out event – I surely learned more about black boys than I anticipated.
“Black Men Turn Up” was the theme for BMDS; and “turn up” they did. While unaware of the official head count, I know for certain that Arcadia’s parking facilities were packed with cars and buses from folks who – according to their license plates – traveled from various parts of the East coast.
And not only did black men “turn up,” so did black boys; they turned up in numbers that were awe inspiring. They attended because they wanted to learn firsthand how to overcome the complexities of issues that society throws at them daily. Additionally, and more importantly, the boys showed up because they wanted to be in an environment populated with positive black men. They desired to be connected to a movement bigger than themselves; and what I learned from that was amazing.
I learned that despite the popular talking points, our black boys do understand life, and the bigger picture. I learned that black boys understand everything from ESPN to CNN to the UN. They understand these things because they want to be part of the solution, not seen as a problem.
So say what you will about black boys… as a matter of fact… no.. don’t say what you want; because more often than not, people get away with saying what they want and that has created inaccurate depictions that shackle the potential greatness in the minds of our future black male leaders.
We can no longer let the world say what they want about our black children, especially our boys. Our black boys – of all ages – care about life and they do matter. Black boys have value and they realize it. But it’s time that more people come to the realization that black men and boys are assets and deserve to be treated as such.
So just as much as we need to #BringBackOurGirls, we have to #BuildUpOurBoys! Black boys matter; they care and they have value. Spend some time with them and they’ll show you; perhaps you’ll learn something, like I did.
Thanks for reading!
B.O.L.D member-elect Jeffrey C. Jones is a motivational speaker, inaugural member of the Philly Roots Fellow cohort and the Founder of Greater Days Ahead. CLICK HERE to learn more about B.O.L.D
DOWNLOAD NOW: The Black His-Story Book: A Collection of Narratives from Black Male Mentors, presented in part by GoodMenProject.com.
—
Photo: Courtesy of the author
We can not let the world say what they want about black children of us, especially our son. Our black guy – at any age – interested in their life and work. Black guys are worth and they realize it. But it is time that more people come to the realization that black men and boys as assets and deserve to be treated that way is a great thing, people live together equal