N-word

So as I am sitting here writing a report on discrimination in mortgage lending, I turn the television on to Comedy Central to find South Park playing. Now, we all know that South Park is very, very controversial, due to its comedic approach to addressing raw societal issues. Randy, the dad of one of the main characters Stan, was on Wheel of Fortune attempting to solve the puzzle to the statement, “People who annoy you”. As the Wheel of Fortune scene began to unfold, the letters, N_G G E R S appear on the screen, immediately putting me in a state of shock but I had faith that “Post-racial America” would not venture into such territories. Unfortunately, I was both disappointed and angry when the word “n*ggers” was said by Randy. Although Randy was wrong, and the correct word was actually Naggers, the implications behind this episode speak to a larger issue of language, who’s entitled to the language, and the historical context of language. Randy apologized to Jesse Jackson and literally kissed his backside but still received a lot of discrimination the whole show for saying it. Throughout the show the word was said and Token (the TOKEN black character) was mad at another character, Stan, but didn’t resort to violence and continued throughout the show to tell Kyle he didn’t understand that it was an issue that could not be simply apologized for. The word was used mostly used in referral to Randy in which they called him “n*gger guy” the remainder of the show. Long story short: the term “N*gger Guy” was made illegal (not n*gger) and the word “N*gger” could not be used within 7 words of the word “guy”. It was quite a show.

This post is not really about South Park. It is about the use of the N word. Now, anyone that knows me is probably wondering “who is he to talk about using the n word” because I use it just as much as the next man. Personally, I was really offended but amazed at the same time on how much they could not only use the word and it not be completely offensive or a racial slur. They masked it to a point that you could help to see what was going on. The way they used it was wrong but South Park and other shows such as Family Guy do it all the time. The shows are funny. Are they to funny for you to complain? Plus no one is safe on those kinds of shows. Can we really be mad?

I personally feel like I and every other African-American have every right to be offended. N*gger is off limits completely and I don’t care if your black, blue, red or yellow. The word Nigga. It’s up for discussion even though black activist has caused an uproar and campaign against the use. To say that certain people can say something and its cool and others can’t is kind of crazy. In California, some races say it. Some people trip but some don’t. Especially if they are hood. White people more often than not do not slide. I am kind of torn on the nigga subject. I may not want to stop saying it in my personal life just yet but we have to sort of lead by example. What are your thoughts?

Q. Young

We Taking Losses...

So Iast Tuesday night, I got a call from my mama saying that my uncle was killed in West Oakland. I got the usual feelings… hard to sleep, headaches from thinking, wondering "wtf" just happened. But after a minute I started thinking about how numb I am to these situations. When people ask me how he died all I can think is, “How do you think he died?” Never even tripping off the fact that this isn’t normal everywhere. Before I went to college I thought that all black people had the same backgrounds and same issues. I thought that all black neighborhoods had crime, murder and ratchet girls. That’s not really the case. I remember a girl from Birmingham or some rural Alabama town not too far away asking me when I said I was from California, “Have you ever killed someone?” I was beyond amazed but I just didn’t expect that from a black person my age that I thought had the same background as me. My little cousin from Hayes Valley and I thought the same way. As we talked about our past experiences people would be so surprised and advise us to stay out of California.

The point is isn’t really that California, Oakland or any other rough cities around the nation are bad places. I feel like that there is a learned helplessness in the hood today. People don’t feel the system is made for them to get out or that it pays enough to make legal money. Why make a $2,000 in a month, when you can make the same in 2 days. This mixed with lack of opportunities and businesses in low-income neighborhoods make it hard to succeed. Most businesses in low income neighborhoods these days are corner stores. These stores are owned by Asians or Middle-Easterners, who hire family members and rarely hire within the neighborhood. Where do the people in the neighborhood work? That kills the chance of a quick and easy to get to job that you would have minimal paperwork. While I cannot discredit programs such as YEP that are in the Oakland flats, they can’t save everyone. If you didn’t graduate high school and have no prior work experience by the time you are around 23 it will be hard to get something worth your time. This usually leaves only a chosen few to make it out the hood and usually those people don’t come back to help. Somewhat of a Talented Tenth kind of idea, but the talented comes off as fed up sometimes. Yet, our hoods need that help. They need those role models. To be honest a lot of the adults that I saw every day were dope dealers and it seemed like a good job to me at the time. There is a huge downside to that life though. If you make it out, unless you had a pretty good plan… you have good chance of being old, broke and full of stories.

Long story made short is that we are dying out here in these streets. Around 100 in most major cities are homicides and a lot of them are black men around my age (23). Those people that are dying aren’t just bodies. They are someone’s uncle, cousin, brother, father. These girls out here hoeing is somebody child’s mother, sister or niece. I can’t sit here and act like I don’t know how it goes and why but it really doesn’t matter until its people you know and in Oakland this starts in middle school. I really don’t know how this could stop but I am tired of taking my losses. Some say it’s the music. Some say it’s the poverty but at this point there needs to be a real team put together to figure it out. Job training and good programs may actually help these situations but there are large issues with funding. Regardless of the reason we need to know how this can be solved. Its people living this life everyday but nobody speaks on it in class because it is only a handful that are street smart enough to talk about it. While some professors, professionals and student would like to believe that if you are in low income neighborhoods, on section 8, government assistance then you are just lazy. With me knowing people that hustle 17 hours a day, every single day, I can’t believe that that’s the problem. Thoughts?

Rest Easy:

Acorn Jay

Thomas
Chuckie

Georgio 

Velle

Diamond 

Fame

D.Craig

Brodie

Lil E

Johnny B

Trouble

Vuke and to every one else that took a loss... Comment them on the bottom if you like

Q.Young

Can I Just Voice My Opinion

Kobe Bryant is by far one of the best players in NBA history, but he has recently landed himself in the headlines again, and no, it’s because he is returning to the court.  Kobe Bryant recently made a comment while being interviewed for The New Yorker about the Trayvon Martin case and how he felt about the Miami Heat’s support of Trayvon Marin in which he stated,

I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American. That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society? Well, we’ve progressed as a society, then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American. You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself.

After that interview, Kobe Bryant came under fire within the African-American community.  Kobe did however agree that Trayvon Martin was “wronged”, but he did not feel that he should automatically support a case just because the person was Black. Do we agree with Kobe on this? I feel that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and because Kobe Bryant is who he is, people tend to hold him to a higher standard.  Kobe without a doubt is entitled to his own opinion in the matter and is entitled to show or not to show support. 

I personally tend to support causes that I believe in, in regards to the Trayvon Martin case I felt that there was a lot of wrong doing and lack of evidence that would not hold up in court and side with the prosecutions argument. The fact that George Zimmerman was set free made me rethink the entire justice system, especially in Florida.  I myself did not wear a black hoodie in support for Trayvon Martin, am I wrong for this? Should I be condoned for not wearing a black hoodie? I showed my support in other ways, such as voicing my opinion and advocating on the issue. How many people do you know still wearing a black hoodie or supporting cases like this? VERY FEW.  I did not want to be that person to support a case because that was the “popular” thing to do at the moment.  I wanted to be that person that continues to bring awareness to cases like this, not because it’s the popular thing to do, but because it’s the right thing to do.  It’s important that we as an African-American community continue to support ALL cases and not just be selective in what we support.  You may not agree with what Kobe said or in the manner in how he said it but everyone is entitled to voice their opinion whether it be right or wrong. Thoughts?

-Britt Daise

Urban Echelon Magazine & Blogspot 

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Flag on the Play

We have all been in this situation where we are dating in hopes to find that perfect person to settle down with and start a committed relationship. However, the dating process can be a grueling task for some that often makes you rethink dating. Here are some tips that may/may not help you along the way: 

1) If he/she is still living at home, has no car, no job, or a bank account you probably should ask yourself, "what was I thinking"? This is an immediate flag on the play, run as fast as you can and don't look back. 

2) If he/she only calls/text you when it’s convenient, either there is someone else in the picture or he/she is just not that into you 

3) If he/she only text and doesn't like phone conversation, this could be the start of something daunting. Communication is the key, as cliche as it may sound. Healthy relationships require an equal amount if not more of phone conversation. 

4) If their child's mother/father is crazy - we will pray for you. 

5) If he/she only wants to "chill" then this can be a sign that they may not be looking for a relationship with you rather just relations. Know the difference!

6) If he/she is constantly texting or on the phone while you're on a date, then exit stage left. Last I checked the President and First Lady were still married.

7) Don’t get sucked into the phrase "there's not enough time in a day". It's a bunch of bologna! Like Lyfe Jennings says in his song Busy, "we all got things to do, but we make time for what we want" 

Dating should be something fun, where you figure who you are and who you want to be with. Sometimes we go on an amazing date where we don't want the night to end and sometimes we get a date from hell. Enjoy the dating process until you find the right person, but when in doubt don't hesitate to throw a "Flag on the Play"

-Britt Daise
Urban Echelon Magazine

Equality or Nah?...

The media and government has recently made a huge story about an “income gap”. This income gap is basically the gap that exists between the rich and the poor in America, but in the whole world. This gap becomes important when it comes to the ability to have access to quality education, good neighborhoods and even the chances to succeed. This has become an important topic within the media. Yet, people deal with this on a daily basis, with no one paying attention. Just as fast as the story entered the news, it has seemed to float away. People hope for deep end jobs and some politicians feel that this is all that they need but what can they do when these jobs close? These jobs give no real experience and no true way to move up into a different financial situation. This is not just a minority or black problem. As an Oakland native, there were not many poor Caucasians that I knew of. When we thought “rich”, we thought “white”. When I moved to Alabama, I found out that there were plenty of poor whites that shared a struggled with a life that I once thought was a “black thing”. As I began to work and grow, I saw plenty of white people much older than me and wish they had have made the decisions in life that a lot of the young people at the job made. While we (college students) were working until graduation, they were working to provide and hoping they can stay up through their next job that began 4 hours after our job ended. I say this to say that the issue is not race although minorities tend to far to often end up on the wrong side of the stick. There is a issue with low-income people as a whole and their ability to get ahead or to even live comfortably. The current society that we live in seems as if it is not truly made for people with low skills, education or job experience.

Americans enjoy a comforting housing outlook compared to most other countries around the world, the affordability of housing is still an American issue with a serious need for attention. We may not be in a 3^rd world country, but there are many people living under the poverty level with no hope of getting ahead. While we have people fighting against raising the minimum wage, there are people using most of everything they have on rent. The amount of income used on rent or mortgage is used in estimation to understand how comfortable a living situation is for a household. This is used to determine how much someone gets in programs such as Section 8. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has stated that people that spend more than 30 percent of income on housing are cost burdened and may have difficulties in providing the necessary needs such as food and transportation. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan states that, “an estimated 12 million renters and homeowner households now pay more than 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing. A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.” Meaning that there is no place is the United States that a full-time minimum wage earning can afford a 2 bedroom home and live comfortably enough to save to get out of their situation. This harsh reality of the shelter  makes one wonder “Can this be true?” but what you should wonder is if low income citizens are aware of how the odds are stacked against them?

3 millions people were working for minimum wage in 2012 and in the class considered the "working poor" there were 10 million people, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These people are the ones that worked at least 27 weeks in the labor force but still managed to be under the poverty line. 84% of these people tended to call low wages the issue and not particularly the job market. Being that the majority of high paying jobs are typical for the 9.3% of Americans with a college degree. Georgetown professor Carole Feldman states, the average wage for workers that did not finish 9^th grade is $26,545, for high school graduates and for people that hold GEDs the average is $40,545, while the average for adults with a bachelors or higher is $81,761 in annual salary. Even though all school is important, the big choices are made in high school. Those years are the most important of a person’s life and if they do not go right, then a person are bound to live a life of catch-up. Bad choices at the ages of 14-18 years old can have lifelong consequences. The bad luck of someone’s past may lead to a future of struggle, minimum wage jobs and long hours. It is easy to talk if you made the right choice, but what if you are that person with felonies? What if you are that person with no education? What if you are that person with the kids, in school and are having trouble making the ends meet? A lot of these people are hardworking tax payers and contributing members to society? Yet, some may feel that they are just out of luck. Like they are the have-nots that have to exist in the greatest country on earth. The gap in income means more to some people than others. What do you think?

-Q.Young
Urban Echelon Magazine and Blogspot

Fair Market Rent in your State: http://nlihc.org/oor/2013

Natural Hair in the Workplace: Why Is This Battle Still Being Fought?

One morning I woke up, looked in the mirror, and made the decision to go natural.  Although it seemed like a very sporadic decision, it wasn’t. I hadn’t been natural since I was in the 5^th grade.  I could remember going to the salon for the first time; and sitting in the chair patiently waiting for my hair to turn out like Tyra Banks’ hair in the movie Life Size.  The smell of the relaxer was one to remember; it smelled like boiled eggs. I could remember squirming in the chair as the coolness of the relaxer was placed in my hair.  I became very dependent on the relaxers or “creamy crack,” what it’s commonly called in the natural hair world; I would get relaxers every two or three months. Then I chose to go natural in search for a healthier alternative for my hair.  Relaxers can severely damage your hair due to how strong the chemicals in the relaxers are. I started off with extremely long hair, but as time went on the chemicals in the relaxer forced me to trim, and sometimes cut my hair in order for the damage to not spread. Natural hair gave me a new outlook on life; I was tired of society dictating what was beautiful (in regards to hair). After graduating from undergrad I realized how much of a setback having natural hair can be in regards to the workplace.  Wearing your natural hair in the workplace should be your choice, not your employers’.

            After months of not hearing back from the firms I had applied to for employment, I finally received a call to go on an interview for a company based in Atlanta.  I was extremely nervous because I knew that this position could open the doors for me.  I decided to wear my hair out; since my hair is naturally curly, I didn’t see why I shouldn’t.  As I walked in the office I realized that there were other people waiting to be interviewed for the same position.  I went in and just knew that I had the job. A few weeks later, I got a letter in the mail stating that I didn’t have the “professional” look that the company was looking for.  I was extremely taken aback because I didn’t know what they meant by “unprofessional.”  After a few days of pondering I realized that my hair was the issue.  I couldn’t believe my hair would become the leading and determining factor for me not getting this position. I did not agree with the employer, and thought that judging someone based on his or her appearance was a form of discrimination.  What makes natural hair “unprofessional”? Is it because it doesn’t fit into the Eurocentric standards of beauty? Or is it because the hair is done in a manner in which it genuinely doesn’t look professional? I will choose the latter of the two. Many critics of natural hair deem it to be very unprofessional and inappropriate for the workplace and corporate America.  I see this differently, I see natural hair like any other style; you “rock” it because you like it, and it defines your style.  Your hair shouldn’t define who you are or what you’re capable of being. 

            Hampton University’s School of Business placed a ban on dreadlocks and cornrows in the classroom back in 2001. The dean of the School of Business stated, “The ban had been successful in helping students land corporate jobs.”  The bigger question is, should you conform to the norms of the corporate world, like the dean suggests?  Of course not! Does that not take away freedoms that we inevitably have?  Conforming says that having natural hair is not acceptable.  Although I do agree to an existent, it’s all about maintaining a professional look. Styles such as Mohawks and excessive hair coloring should be banned due to the lack of professionalism.  Corporate jobs should be more focused on your credentials and not on your natural look.

            As I sit and listen to India Arie’s “I Am Not My Hair”, I realized that some corporate companies may never understand natural hair, and that’s fine.  My job isn’t to conform to these corporate companies, but rather seek for change and better understanding in the workplace, and show that you can’t be defined by your hair.  You can be professional while being true to yourself and your natural hair.  We must show these corporate companies that looking at our credentials is more important than looking at our hair texture.

What are you thoughts on natural hair in the workplace?

-Britt Daise-
Urban Echelon Magazine & Blogspot

"The New Jim Crow"

Michelle Alexander, an associate professor of law at Ohio State University, a civil rights, advocate and writer of the 2010 book "The New Jim Crow" had this to say about the new marijuana laws: "Here are white men poised to run big marijuana businesses, dreaming of cashing in big-big money, big businesses selling weed. After 40 years of impoverished black kids getting prison time for selling weed, and their families and futures destroyed.  Now, white men are planning to get rich doing precisely the same thing?"

What are your thoughts on this statement from "The New Jim Crow"?