Dressed in a sharp suit and carrying his baby girl in his arms, Al Grant strolled through the Washington Convention Center, taking in the hustle and bustle of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 43rd annual legislative conference, held recently in the nation’s capital.
Amid the mix of authors, vendors, elected officials and hundreds of participants who attended policy forums and community-building sessions, the husband and father took time to ponder a question that seemed on the minds of many in this largely African-American, upwardly-mobile crowd: how’s black America doing these days?
Indeed, in the aftermath of Trayvon Martin’s murder and George Zimmerman’s acquittal, recent assaults on voting rights, impasses over gun control legislation and “Stand Your Ground” laws, comes the question whether the African-American community as a whole is making progress, standing still or even regressing.
Over the course of the four-day confab, theGrio spoke to individuals hailing from across the country and garnered myriad responses.
“Globally, we’re much further ahead,” said Grant, 47, a real estate professional in D.C. “There’s President Obama, black CEOs, and we’re [prominent] in sports and entertainment,” he said. “We have a lot of wealth.”
Yet despite such hard won achievements, a half-century after the famous March on Washington for racial equality and jobs, many conference attendees expressed that vexing collective challenges remain.
Black unemployment rates are higher than whites, drug fueled violence is sweeping inner cities, and there are stubborn inequities in the educational, justice and penal systems, among other issues.
Such problems demand a 21st-century approach, Grant said.
“Now it’s time to educate people on the local level. You can’t [always] legislate change, you have to educate people,” so they can successfully navigate their circumstances, he explained, citing the power of the ballot and African-American economic clout.
Active in national organizations such as ‘100 Black Men’ and engaged in financial literacy mentoring with community-members, Grant believes future progress will depend on those who’ve made it extending themselves to help others.
“We have to reach people — especially young people — and share our knowledge,” he said.
Expressing disappointment about the Travyon Martin trial, he added that select factions of America still tend to view black Americans, particularly young men, through a negative lens.
“We have to change perceptions so that [people] don’t view us as expendable. We have to let it be known that we’re valuable.”
Victoria Christopher Murray, 58, a best-selling national author whose latest novel is Never Say Never, echoed the sentiment that “all politics is local.”
Yet Murray, who splits her time between Los Angeles and D.C., expressed concern that in today’s contentious political climate, not enough is being done to serve the interests of African-American constituents locally or nationally.
“Once upon a time, Senators and members of Congress had to do their jobs and serve responsibly. Despite their political views, they thought of themselves first as Americans and represented all of us,” she said.
“Now with the gerrymandering of political districts, they don’t have to do that. It’s about the narrow interests of a few people. Politics has become theatrics.”
Murray, whose parents were active in the civil rights movement, praised previous generations for identifying key issues — i.e. ending segregation — but warned that the black community’s interests today are increasingly fractured.
“If you ask five Hispanic people what their top issue is, they will probably say immigration. If you ask a gay person, it’s marriage equality. But what are our issues in the black community?” said Murray. “Ask five people, and you’ll get different answers. We have assimilated and we’re part of America, but it’s not helping us identify priorities and solve our challenges.”
Stephanie P. Jefferson, a communications expert, said while many African-Americans are focused on financial concerns and issues like health care, she’s concerned that black America is facing “a spiritual crisis.”
“America is collectively dishonoring the God of this universe and we [blacks] have become embedded with all the rest,” she sighed. “Faith and family used to be our foundation. But if you’re not in tune morally, things will not go well. We’re seeing the some of that now.”
Jacqueline Glover, 39, an architectural engineer and native of South Carolina, said that black America must push harder to galvanize its intellectual, economic and other resources.
“I think we should get better organized and fight smarter when it comes to injustices,” she said, while standing in the exhibition hall surrounded by dozens of vendors who showcased art, books, jewelry, apparel and other wares.
“I’d like to see us doing boycotts and protests anytime there’s legislation that affects us, such as voting rights.”
Glover, a construction manager in D.C., believes black America has made strides in industry, for instance. She cites the ability of black-owned firms to bid for and receive lucrative contracts.
“More companies are being proactive in terms of working with minorities,” said Glover, who belongs to the National Association of Black Women in Construction. “But there’s room for improvement. A lot of resources are available, but I’m not sure we’re fully tapping into them businesswise or community-wise.”
Carlos A. Watson was hard to miss at the conference. The educator brought a large group of young black males from Brooklyn to the conference. The excitement of the young men was palpable as they attended forums, shook hands with elected officials, and enjoyed off-site excursions to Howard University and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial statue.
“We focus on young black males from the inner city,” said Watson, founder and executive director of African People Exalting, Inc., known as APEX. “We prepare them with manhood training and HBCU college tours.”
Walton, who kept the young men engaged along with teacher Brian Favors, said hundreds of youth have benefited from the mentoring and leadership training. Yet he admitted there have been struggles at times to gain support for his mission.
“People need to get out of the way. There are celebrities and others in our community who have power, money and they refuse to help. Or they’ll say one thing in front of the cameras and then don’t follow through. And that’s more damaging than good, when we’re trying to do positive things in the lives of young men.”
That sentiment—uplifting the community—was echoed by guests at a festive affair hosted by Essence Communications on Friday night at the International Trade Center.
The 5th annual Evening of Excellence honored influential advocates of change and trailblazers, with a focus on armed services and entrepreneurship. This year’s honorees included Sherri Shepherd, Emmy Award-winning co-host of the The View, and Major General Nadja West. This past spring, West became not only the Army Medicine’s first black, female two-star general, but also the first in the entire active Army.
The coveted invitation-only event, in partnership with Southern Company, Perennial Strategy Group and Google, also featured a lively performance by Bell Biv DeVoe, plus an after party.
Vanessa K. Bush, editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, said the publication was “proud” to recognize this year’s honorees who are doing stellar work and making a huge impact both within their hometowns and the African-American community at large.
“Their incredible stories are aligned with what we highlight in the magazine each month—individuals who are selfless and totally committed to making a difference wherever they are. These are heroes who are uplifting our community.”