Black Hero – Tyler Perry

Writer, actor, producer, director. Born Emmitt Perry Jr. on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana. At 16, he changed his first name to Tyler to separate himself from his abusive father. At one point, Perry even attempted suicide in an effort to escape his difficult situation.  Perry dropped out of high school, but he eventually earned a general equivalency diploma, later. Trying to find his way professionally, including a time of homelessness, he held a series of unfulfilling jobs before discovering his true passion.

While watching an episode of Oprah Winfrey’s talk show, Perry was inspired by a comment on the program about how writing about difficult experiences could lead to personal breakthroughs. Similar to this blog being an assistant to my personal walk. He started a series of letters to himself, which became the basis for the musical “I Know I’ve Been Changed”.  With $12,000 of savings, Perry debuted the show at an Atlanta theater in 1992. The musical’s run lasted only one weekend and drew a measly 30 people to see the show.

Disappointed yet determined, Perry continued to write and produce musical plays that dealt with many core issues facing the Black community. Perry is my Hero because, regardless of his success, all of his work feels like it comes from a place of genuine care of understanding. Money, fame and material spoils appear not to be Perry’s motivator. This pure reflection within his work always leaves a giggle in my gut, a pinch in my heart, a thought in my mind and a tear in my eye.

Breakfast of Heroes

Every six weeks I get a group of men from ages 16 to 65 together to discuss the various topics facing men today. Our next breakfast is this Sunday and I’m looking forward to it. This is just a part of my effort to buy credit with God. When I attempt to enter the pearly gates of heaven, it will help me build a counter argument against the devil that currently has a strong case against me. Spending time to benefit others as opposed to just myself is purposeful time spent.

I am inviting a recent college grad and a hero of mine, Peter Tadros to the breakfast. After we lost contact a number of years ago, He Googled me to invite me to attend his college graduation. He gives me the credit of encouraging him to pursue a college education through my work with my non-profit. Last week we both shared in the pride of his accomplishment.  I have faith that his accomplishments are his alone and he’d be successful with or without my help. Yet for what ever positive force I may have represented to him, I am truly grateful. The opportunity to inspire and witness people overcoming their own doubt is a gift from God. Peter Tadros and I are each others Hero.

Tuskegee Airmen – Black Heroes

“We said the antidote to racism was excellence and performance and that is what we did.”

Enduring blatant skepticism and racism at the Tuskegee Army Air Pilot Training Field in Alabama, members of the 332d Fighter Group exceeded all expectations in order to rise to a higher calling and chip away at injustice to secure justice and freedom for all successors.  In April 1943 they began their first tour of duty in WWII. Read more

Black Heroes – Michelle Obama

For my first female Black Hero I have selected an obvious choice in Michelle Obama. Given our focus on Independent women I ponder Mrs. Obama’s standing in that she is acutely successful on many plains. Academically gifted, accomplished career-wise, sacrificial for the sake of family, and supportive and pivotal in the grand success of the man that she stands beside.

As her new role as First Lady, she has acted the part of Royal Ambassador. Barrack Obama leaned on the connections and network of his wife for political gain while pursuing the Illinois State Senate seat. Michelle is able to enter a room with a man as large in status as Barack, yet never fade into the background, thus shines just as bright to exhibit a power and status of her own. This is where the synergy creates the united front of a power couple. She is our perfect example of an Independent woman, mother and wife.

I only wish there were more women like her. I’m sure we would see more women like her if there were more Baracks handling their business and presenting and executing a strong plan of mutual growth and consideration to the many strong deserving sisters.

Black Heroes – John H. Johnson

Born into poverty in Arkansas in 1918, and grew into prominence through enduring hard work.  Mr. John H. Johnson released “Negro Digest” in November 1945.  He soon changed the name to Ebony Magazine.  We are a diverse people who the media has historically failed to portray as such. Mr. Johnson published magazines that showed the world the wide variety of faces, facets, struggles and successes of the life of Negros, Afro-Americans, Black People, and African-Americans throughout nearly 65 years of OURstory.  Johnson published an Auto-biography in 1989 that I read as a young entrepreneur.  His words and example helped build my confidence and courage to face this world with my head held high. This is why Mr. Johnson is my Hero.

 

Historically Ebony and Jet magazines were of the most notable permanent fixtures in every Black household. John H Johnson pasted away in 2005. He handed the company to his adopted daughter Linda Johnson Rice in 2002. I have recently learned that the Johnson Publishing Company is currently going through a financial crisis. The company is attempting reorganization in order to survive. Many people have already lost their jobs with a company that has employed thousands of Black Americans during the course of its existence.  In order to support this effort to save OUR magazine, my friends and myself have pledged to subscribe to both, Ebony and Jet magazine. We are urging every other person who comes across this plea, to do the same.

 

It would be a crying shame to lose our historic magazine during the same year of such an historic event as the election of our first BLACK president of these very United States of America.

 

 

 

Black Heroes – Earvin “Magic” Johnson

I am currently teaching the “Institutional racism” chapter in my Econ 4 class. Given my paradigm shift due to the recent National events, I find myself at a loss of lecture on the topic. I feel that institutions have been losing their grip on exclusivity. Not only has Barack Obama captured the Whitehouse by way of the American people’s hearts, but many have come before him in many different institutions. Many ethnicities are in controlling positions. Teachers on the ground floor like strict, stern and respected Ms. Love, my 6th grade teacher; Principals such as Lamond Preston; School Superintendent Dr. Billy Cannaday; Kenneth I. Chenault the CEO COB of American Express.

If we have opportunities to change the system from within, we must take that shot and only blame ourselves for not taking advantage if we fall short. All competitive environments have competitors, let’s compete. We have the opportunity to stay home and read our child a book, find teachers that care, send out children to historically Black colleges, start our own firms and hire our own people. There is no room to pout, doubt or shout. Only do, pursue and accrue. Where there are road blocks we need leaders with solutions and alternatives, but we also need soldiers 100% committed with no excuses.  By creating our own destiny we strip the power of others to influence our heights.  This is why my Black Hero of the month is Earvin Magic Johnson.

Magic has mastered the basketball court as well as the corporate board room. He has reinvested in and revitalized many Black communities by starting and attracting businesses to rejuvenate economic viability. Magic has been affected to action of providing employment for the people of the communities his businesses serve.  Not only creating wealth for himself, but depositing a sense of accomplishment for others.  He has taken an additional step by publishing a book “32 ways to be a champion in business” to inspire and instruct us on how to be greater assets to our communities.  Once we free our own minds, there is no stopping us.

“The best way to be successful in anything you do is to always OVER-DELIVER on your promises.”  Earvin Magic Johnson

Black Heroes – Steven Williamson

Steven is one of my former Econ 1A students from the summer of 07. Of my eight years as a College Economics instructor I’ve found great difficultly in encouraging success in my young Black male students. Regardless of my additional academic accommodations, I am lucky to have 40% of them who enroll actually complete the course. Steven Williamson was the first young Black male student to score the highest points out of the 40 students enrolled in my class. This is not a difficult feet, but from my experience it is all too rare. Read more

Black Heroes – Barack Obama

I think we have reached the gates of the promise land, with this man’s leadership let’s push in.

Black Heroes – Tavis Smiley

Last week I focused on the lives of two of our fallen heroes, Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. I must confess that I have a sort of disdain for honoring Black athletes, actors and musicians. These two former sentences may contradict one another but allow me to explain by stating that this disdain is created in the perception that Black people have a limited roll in successful society. Yet we live on the backend of the Black movement where victory drenches our mouths. Increasingly we have other positions of accomplishment that we can point out to our youth and honestly say “you can be like her, you can be anything you want to be”. It is a deep rooted hurt when you have to say that to your child while crossing your fingers behind your back.

Those days are behind us now. Now we are in the battle for greater numbers of winners to represent in white lab coats, board rooms and as scholars. One true soldier of bringing to light extraordinary people or just ordinary people with extraordinary stories is my Black Hero this month, Mr. Tavis Smiley.

As a Journalist and facilitator of the truth as told directly by those who partake in accomplishments of their own goals, Tavis is in his fifth year as host of his self named interview show on PBS public access Television. Tavis has created an avenue for people to be feed various perspectives that shape the world. The purpose of his work can be summarized in three things:
1. His first goal is to introduce America to each other
2. Aid America in reexamining their own assumptions
3. For Americans to expand their inventories of ideas

The theme is to build understanding and tolerance so that we can live as a united America. In addition to his journalistic works, Tavis also runs The Tavis Smiley Foundation which is the premiere leadership training and development program for African American youth. They focus on Youth rights, Homelessness, HIV/AIDS, Juvenile Justice, Hate Crimes, Media Influences, Peer Pressure, Education, Politics, and Leadership. They provide training and exposure to opportunities to allow youth to demonstrate their skills as organizers, activists, advocates, and catalysts for social change on behalf of themselves or their community.

For all his efforts I consider Tavis Smiley one of my Black Heroes.

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/