Making America Great Again: Public Schools

Last week I wrote the first of a series of articles on how to make America great again. This week we continue in that series by taking a look at the public school system. Are we putting our children in the best possible environment to want to learn?  In a world where our country is falling further and further behind in technology innovations how do we stimulate our youth to become the next wave of great thinkers to address the worlds growing issues?

  I come from a broken family. My parents split up when I was eight years old, and we moved from an Air Force Base and what I would later find was a far more advanced education. It was not necessarily advanced in the things they were teaching, but in the programs they had in place to stimulate how we learned.  Upon starting at my new school I found that I was slightly ahead in some of the concepts we were learning, and since I was I felt I didn’t have to work as hard. This feeling would continue through out the rest of my public school career. It wasn’t until I left high school that I found I was not remotely prepared. In the wake of my public school experience I felt lost. This was further compounded by the death of someone close to me. It took me ten years and a ton of mistakes to come full circle and return to college, this time with the end goal in mind.  This brings me to the present. Now I am currently a Ph.D candidate and doing pretty much what I love, maybe not on the level I wish I was on yet but I have to remind myself I took ten years to get back on track I cannot expect to bridge that gap in less. This also got me thinking about my children and their education.

For this article we are not really looking at the drop out rate, what we are looking at is students that can think for critically on their own. Somewhere along the way we stopped teaching our children how to think for themselves and started treating the public school system as a factory to mass-produce a product. Providing the same education as if we are all cookie cut. Why, maybe, because it is easier than the alternative. Having to pay teachers more money and create a modern system that educates our children for the new world we live in. So I offer to you a story from NPR that may get you thinking enough to spark a change for the future. 

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=432582341&m=432910352

We can not expect our children to grow up and become adults that can solve problems and think outside of the box if we have not equipped them with the proper tools. What we have done to our school system is allowed it to become stagnate like a pond cut off from the streams and rivers that once fed it and made it vibrant. We used to allow the world into the classroom to allow students to learn and not just memorize. If we are to ever get back to a level where we are competitive and productive we need to stand up demand changes and educate our children so that they may learn to truly think for themselves. I know this is a dangerous idea for the current way of life, but if we continue to travel down this road what kind of future can we really expect for our children. More and more people with a sense of entitlement, dodging their own responsibility for their lives. Let's choose the road less traveled. The harder of the two and do what is necessary to change our goals and expectations of the public school system.

Here is a funny but true sketch from Key and Peele Enjoy and think about it.

https://youtu.be/dkHqPFbxmOU

What happened to substance in Hip-Hop?

Y'all remember when hip hop was about more than just making money. I do. I can remember hanging out as a small kid new to a small town where everyone was family except my family. Being a former military kid I had grown up with lot of people and wasn't used to the community or the way things were in small town America. The one thing we all had in common I found was the love of this thing called rap and the substance that a lot of it provided. Of course there were some songs that were just party tracks and I got to hear a lot of that via my neighbors. Their father was a Dj in the area and had a show on the radio and hosted parties. I cam up on tracks like this.

I did not realize what an effect Hip -Hop would have on my life at the time. It was just something to break the ice and to help me fit in at the time. For some time I was just in awe of the way the words meshed with the tracks and would spend hours listening to music trying to decode all of the lyrics. I figured since I couldn't dance I could at least know all of the words to the songs while I was hoping for a dance. This however turned to me focusing on poetry and eventually getting on stage as a performer in a rap group, and producing my own music. The substance in the songs I grew up with influenced me to embrace the art. It wasn't about the money ever in those days we did it for free and loved it. This got me thinking what was the point where hip hop lost it's substance, it's soul. When did we trade the ability to impact and inform our communities for dollars, or more like cents on the dollar. Up until recently I could count on at least one or two good albums a year with some kind of value to them. A concept album or an album that had something to say other than pop molly, shoot a nigga, drop something twerk something, and bust it open if ya real. Where did all of this come from? Is it just laziness? This new school is missing the message literally, and I blame the artist of yesterday for the decline. Has everyone lost their minds for a little bit of money? Do we not realize what a force we have and how powerful the voice of an artist is? This is what we have left for our children to help keep the revolutionary spirit alive, and seek out injustice and social inequality.

Let's keep it 100 there are a handful of artist out there still making music with some substance but they are fare and few between mainly because the support for that type of music is sparse at best. This is another reason the blame for our youth emulating what they see lays on the older generation as well as the consumers of such garbage music. I know everyone has a right to express themselves and that is only fair, however the practices of the industry to pander to the cheapest and most useless, and soulless forms of entertainment have only become more popular recently because first, we who know better sit in silence and accept it. Hiding behind the rhetoric that they are just making money; it's a business. Second we don't want to acknowledge the effect that music has, because that makes us accountable for what we put out there. That's the real problem people, artist, consumers no one wants to take any responsibility for the footprint they are leaving, because rather you actively make a choice to do something or you passively let it fly because it's not your concern you have to live with that choice. We are living with the choices of inaction now. So the next time you hear some subpar ish on the radio or on a show remember the good ole days, and make a choice. Me I'm turning nonsense music off.

Making America great again and where to start

 With the presidential elections closer than we would care to think, we as citizens of this once great country have to start asking ourselves do we want more of the same. Are we going to sign up for the statuesque and rhetoric that has become the norm over the past three decades? We were once a society of innovators and neighbors focused on making life rich and full for each other. However as the amount of wealth grew for a select few, so did the gap in our ability to empathize with others and to understand we are all a part of this community. Recently while I was watching the republican debate I heard Donald Trump, multi-billionaire, mention he wanted to make America great again. Which started my wheels turning. What would it really take to make us great again? My ideas of what made us great and what has the ability to heal us as a society come from my understanding of some basic business principals and some things that seem to be common sense to me. We have some issues that we need to address before we can even think about calling ourselves great again. This will be a series of the issues I deem important not just for us and the culture we have created in this country, but world wide as we are often imitated around the world, lest our climate of apathy and callousness for each other spread.

So if people with less can be innovative and find ways to take care of others with the waste they would throw away why can we here in a country with so much not find a way to do the same in all our communities to feed those who do not have? It is mainly because of the social stigma attached to not having food or a home. Our society does not see a person in need, we see individuals who have some how earned their place on the streets or their position. When in fact the statistics are staggering.

In 2010, 14.5% (17.2 million) of households in the United States experienced food insecurity at one time. 

• Households with children have almost twice the rate of food insecurity as households without children.
• 26.1% of Hispanic households and 25.2% of black households experience food insecurity, compared to 10.8% of white households experience food insecurity.
• Almost 14% of households experiencing food insecurity consist of a married couple with children, but 35.1% of households consist of a single woman with children, and 25.4% of households with a single father and children experience food insecurity.3

Food insecurity and hunger stem from poverty and a lack of reliable income sources. This climate is controlled by some of the jobs that used to pay a living wage being outsourced overseas. This causes a high rise in the rate of homelessness, healthcare, and petty crimes.

 If we are ever to get back to being a society of innovators we need to start taking care of each other in a way that says we are not just in it for the money. What do you think? Let's really start working on the problems and not just treating the symptoms.

 http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=431960054&m=432036132&live=1

References:
Nord, Mark, and Mark Prell. "Struggling To Feed the Family: What Does It Mean To Be Food Insecure?" Amber Waves June 2007. USDA Economic Research Service.
2.U.S. Conference of Mayors 2010 Status Report on Hunger & Homelessness. Rep. Washington DC: City Policy Associates, 2010.
3.United States. USDA. Economic Research Service. Household Food Security in the United States in 2010. By Alisha Coleman-Jensen, Mark Nord, Margaret Andrews, and Steven Carlson. 2010.
4.Grief, Meridith J., and Barrett A. Lee. "Homelessness and Hunger." Journal of Health and Social Behavior 49.1 (2008): 3-19.
5.Alaimo, Katherine. "Food Insecurity in the United States An Overview." Topics in Clinical Nutrition 20.4 (2005): 281-98.
6.Supra note 4
7.Cook, PhD, John, and Karen Jeng. Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on Our Nation. Rep. Chicago: Feeding America, 2009.
8.Ibid
9."Food Desert Locator Documentation." USDA Economic Research Service - Home Page. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.
10.United States. USDA. Economic Research Service. Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences : Report to Congress. [Washington, D.C.]: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, 2009.
11.Baer, Kathryn. "Acute Food Needs Now Monthly Events For More Than Three Million U.S. Households « Poverty & Policy." Poverty & Policy.Wordpress.com. 27 Oct. 2011.
12.Ibid.
13.United States. USDA. Economic Research Service. Food Security Improved following the 2009 ARRA Increase in SNAP Benefits. By Mark Nord and Mark A. Prell. [Washington, D.C.]: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, 2011.

Building the Dream

I want to thank everyone who has hung with us through the difficult times. We have been working very hard to shape our brand into something we can be proud of. This has been a task in and of itself as we needed to take a few steps back in order to serve people and clients better.

During our absence we have secured our own studio location, shot several short films, been to a few festivals and written our first feature scheduled to begin shooting late next year. There a couple of other irons in the fire but we will keep that in our back pockets until the time is right.

It is important for people not to just talk about their dream. I mean if all you want to do is dream, then talking about it is just fine. However if you want to make it a reality there is a lot of hard work that must come before you can begin to live it. So here is the hard truth, everyone will not be able to live their dream. It's not because they are not special, or because they don't deserve it. It is simply because they are not really willing to work for it. Many people believe that other successful people stumble on to it out of luck or having the right connections. The facts actually are that many successful people have worked many hours sacrificed time with family and doing the fun things in life that others may do on a daily basis to be able to reach that point. Just because they are not out sharing those hours with others does not mean they did not earn the it or that it was handed to them over night.

So the very first step in building your dream is to be willing to work for whatever it is.  So with that being said I want to share a song with you from an Artist named P-Dash it's called Work.


Photo courtesy of iampdash.com

Leadership Value: Learn from the lessons of false leaders

Leadership Value: Learn from the lessons of false leaders

Over the past few weeks we have had a conversation about what leadership is and what it means to be a leader. Now that we know what it is we should be able to recognize what it is not, right? Unfortunately that is not always a simple thing to do. False leaders are abundant we see them everyday. Some are in office, some at our places of business, and some in positions that we depend on to help provide a safe environment. I have mentioned this before in other Leadership Value posts, but I really want to hone in on it in this one. For many people it is easy to be a leader, especially when there is no sign of trouble, anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm, is a saying from Publilius Syrus, a freed slave from the first century BC. He is also credited with saying that a good reputation is more valuable than money. On both accounts he was correct. As long as things are good and they are never tested, false leaders are able to have a reputation that is more valuable than money. It is not until time of need that they are exposed. We have an obligation to learn the signs and test those that would lead for the betterment of all those they claim to be striving to lead to a better position. There is a measure of personal responsibility that everyone has over his or her own actions, but that is for another post. Beware of those that steer the ship only in calm water because the sea is not naturally smooth sailing. There will be turmoil and challenges. Many may try to sell you their dream, while you supply everything and they supply only the vision. This not a leader, this person is a shame artist that wants to take advantage of your resources all the while standing on your back to move to a hire position. They will often talk of their vision but will seldom have anything of substance to offer you. If we are to improve our own lot in life and pave the way for others that we care about we must study from our past mistakes and the mistakes of others and those lessons should be implemented in a fashion to maximize our growth.

Leadership Value: Leadership is not a position

Leadership Value: Leadership is not a position

Do you remember when you were in grade school and the teacher would make you do a group assignment. If your class was anything like some of mine, there was always that one kid that volunteered for the position of the leader of the group. Most of the time this person wasn’t really interested in the welfare of the group; he or she wanted the position to make them look better. Let’s be honest, we all want to look good, to be appealing to positions of authority, because they are the gatekeepers of success. They have the authority to; in this case pass or fail you, but more so in life these people are the ones that hold your raise or evaluation for that new position at their discretion. Back in grade school we had not learned that the way a leader really looks most attractive is when the whole group succeeds. So here is where being the leader actually comes into play. Leadership is not just a position; it is in fact the ability to take action, to pull the trigger on a decision. This does not only apply to the calm times but when everyone around them is in a panic, the leader must remain calm and focused. Leadership is the ability to act when everyone and everything around you is in chaos, that is what defines a leader. Often times a true leader is the most reluctant to take on the task of being the leader, because they understand what it means, and what a responsibility they have to the people whom have chosen to follow them. A true leader understands that there is more to leadership than the title of a position.

Leadership value: success and failure is perception

Leadership Value: The difference between success and failure is perception

It’s hard for people to believe that their success is not their own. It’s even harder for them to believe that their failures are not someone else’s. Some people think that if they are ever going to be successful it will be at someone else cost, that there is not enough room for them to be successful and someone else. This is a problem with perception. There are two main factors that will determine how successful you are. The first is not viewing the work as a whole but as each individual task. When small tasks are done with a simple discipline of doing each task the best we can we learn to see success for what it really is. The second thing to know is no matter what you are doing; no matter if it is art, or engineering you are not alone. The road to success is not a journey that is taken alone, although everyone will not make it with you to the end of the journey you must give in order to receive. The opportunity to help someone else is an opportunity to elevate you as well. I do not mean for wealth or taking advantage of another person, but by aiding someone else you have not only changed your perspective but theirs as well.  With the right perspective things become less daunting, because when we succeed it is because we are together, and when we fail it is only because we feel we are alone.