Please consider this demographic data:
Only 36% of African American babies are living in a family NOT LOW-INCOME.
This compares with 76% of Asian babies and 70% of white babies who are NOT LOW-INCOME.
So that means there are 1.2 million black babies, 1.25 million Asian babies and 9.0 million white babies who are age 0-5 according to recent poverty data who are NOT LIVING LOW-INCOME.
So food for thought, if poverty and lack of knowledge/exposure causes one to grow up in a certain way...over time that becomes a cycle of trauma/hopelessness.
I suspect but do not know this factually but solely based on life experiences and my interaction with different types of people...this is how some black kids whose parents "did all the right things along the way" wind up still burying his/her child prematurely because they got caught up trying to fit in with some kids who deep down resented his/her positive outlook on life and future opportunity. Call it a drive by/club fight/random beat down on the playground. Call it a kid who was tired of being singled out as a nerd, gifted and talented, "geek" who wanted to just belong with people who looked like him or her who they could call a friend.
1.2 million black children 0-5 years old are NOT LOW INCOME while 2.2 million childen 0-5 years old are LOW INCOME. Do the math.
We have got to be our brothers and sisters keeper and stop sticking our heads in the sand that it is NOT our kids, our neighborhoods or are problems.
That is my very biased view, how do you see things?
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Joan E. Gosier > Denise BethuneFebruary 1, 2008 at 6:04am
Hi Maria,
U are sooo on point!
Were U on the conference call last night? If so, I apologize for not sending you the summary...I am missing 1 person and can't figure out who it is (oops!) Anyway here are the notes.
There are more white low income children simply because white people make up a far greater percentage of the American population. African-Americans make up only 13% of Americans. Black people also have a larger percentage of their population in the critical and younger 0-15 year bracket. Any way you look at it the statistics look bad for African-Americans.
Kind regards,
Denise
Joan E. Gosier > Denise van EscheMarch 6, 2008 at 12:50am
Hi Denise,
Thanks for pointing that out. That is why I used the % of total population vs. #s because often people try to dismiss the impact on our black community "There are more whites on welfare than blacks!" But the reality is that we are disproportionately exposed to income related problems in the 0-6 year old age bracket. It takes proactive thinking for us TO DO something now with our babies vs. closing our eyes, sticking our heads in the sand, and wondering "Why are there so few black men for our daughters to marry?"
We can only reap what has been sown. If we sow 3.4 million positive seeds TODAY...imagine how bright the future could possible look tomorrow! Every baby is a Gift from God!
I have seen families who are 3-4 generations deep in the projects. The children of these families usually suffer from low self-esteem, low expectations and no exposure to other opportunities. But they live what they see.
One thing thing that we haven't figured out is how to bring these folks with us on the way up the economic ladder.
When we get good jobs and move into nice neighborhoods and send our children to private schools, we want to forget about those hoodlums on the outside, until they get a section 8 voucher and move into the house for rent next door.
Then you want to hide in the house and wait for a chance to call the police on them.
Is that really going to help anybody?
We need to open up our hearts to our neighbors. Send over a cake like we use to do.
Don't let young little thugs race their cars up and down the street. Tell them that you're not going to tolerate disrespect..
They need to know that.
How else are they going to learn? I've seen it and lived it.
If you are living in fear of your neighborhood or your people, you ain't free.
You're paying for your own prison...
K
Kelle Jolly > Joan E. GosierFebruary 1, 2008 at 6:11am
You're welcome.
I just signed up for your mailing list.
I am not in the studio right now, but I need to be.
I've been busy doing things outside my circle. What I mean is... I am doing things that haven't done or things that I wouldn't normally do. Trying to stretch in the new year is one of my goals.
K
Replies
U are sooo on point!
Were U on the conference call last night? If so, I apologize for not sending you the summary...I am missing 1 person and can't figure out who it is (oops!) Anyway here are the notes.
http://www.hbcukids.com/EducationalConcepts3.html
Joan
There are more white low income children simply because white people make up a far greater percentage of the American population. African-Americans make up only 13% of Americans. Black people also have a larger percentage of their population in the critical and younger 0-15 year bracket. Any way you look at it the statistics look bad for African-Americans.
Kind regards,
Denise
Thanks for pointing that out. That is why I used the % of total population vs. #s because often people try to dismiss the impact on our black community "There are more whites on welfare than blacks!" But the reality is that we are disproportionately exposed to income related problems in the 0-6 year old age bracket. It takes proactive thinking for us TO DO something now with our babies vs. closing our eyes, sticking our heads in the sand, and wondering "Why are there so few black men for our daughters to marry?"
We can only reap what has been sown. If we sow 3.4 million positive seeds TODAY...imagine how bright the future could possible look tomorrow! Every baby is a Gift from God!
www.BlackParentConnect.com
One thing thing that we haven't figured out is how to bring these folks with us on the way up the economic ladder.
When we get good jobs and move into nice neighborhoods and send our children to private schools, we want to forget about those hoodlums on the outside, until they get a section 8 voucher and move into the house for rent next door.
Then you want to hide in the house and wait for a chance to call the police on them.
Is that really going to help anybody?
We need to open up our hearts to our neighbors. Send over a cake like we use to do.
Don't let young little thugs race their cars up and down the street. Tell them that you're not going to tolerate disrespect..
They need to know that.
How else are they going to learn? I've seen it and lived it.
If you are living in fear of your neighborhood or your people, you ain't free.
You're paying for your own prison...
K
I am inviting you to join our next teleconference. I think U will enjoy connecting with like minded folks!
http://www.hbcukids.com/EducationalConcepts3.html
Thanks for responding! How is that CD coming along?
Joan
www.BlackParentConnect.com
I just signed up for your mailing list.
I am not in the studio right now, but I need to be.
I've been busy doing things outside my circle. What I mean is... I am doing things that haven't done or things that I wouldn't normally do. Trying to stretch in the new year is one of my goals.
K