Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / June 24, 1995, edition 1 / Page 12
Part of The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
2-THECARGL‘NA TIMES—SATURDAY, JUNE 24. 1995 Chavis-Led Organization Encourages Biack America to Save itseif By Al Brown Special to the NNPA Courtesy of the Houston Defender The black empowerment organization founded by Rev. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. during his last days as head of the NAACP is successfully evolving from its infancy stage. Bom from the ideology that black America has to take control of tts own destiny, The National African American Leadership Summit (NAALS) focuses on economic empowerment, more black political edu cation, as well as the saving and cultivating of black youths. A believer that organizations advocating black issues should be black- run, black-financially bScked and should include the leadership of all of hlack America, Chavis and his young organization faced a tough test at last June’s Baltimore Summit. By inviting Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to the NAALS table despite a fury of white corporate and Jewish protest, Chavis refused to buckle in to pressure, setting a strong tone for the new organization. While the move may have been unpopular with conservative blacks, Chavis received encouragement and support from the grassroots segment of black America. . • Now, on the first year anniversary of the Baltimore Summit, Chavis and the NAALS are gaining rapid exposure and wider acceptance across America. , j c On the eve of the fourth National African American Leadership Sum mit held in Houston June 9-11, Chavis candidly described the inner- worki..gs of the NAALS, its purpose and what the organization needs from black America. Defender; What’s the summit’s role? Chavis: We really have a dual role. One is empowering the African- American community and dealing with some of the interna! divisions and working to bridge those divisions. But externally. have the job of reeducating the larger society including white Amorli;.. Right now the black community is being scape-goated for all of Amer ica’s ills. We intend to stand up and say no to the scapegoating and pro actively try to engage our own people, particularly our young people; one of the most encouraging things about the Summit so far has been the at traction of young African Americans. Defender: Are more summits planned before concrete implementa tion is set in motion? Chavis: The summit is still in its embryo state. But over ilic last 12 months there has been a growing outcry, particularly at lire grassroots level, for the summit to become a membership based organization. That will be discussed at the Houston Summit. In fact, this is the pivotal summit. If delegates and participants approve and ratify a constitution and bylaws, the Houston Sunini.i will birth a new organization. ■ ■ u Another concrete proposal to come from the Houston Suininil is the strategy to mobilize one million black men to march on Washington Oc tober 15 of this year. That’s very concrete. Thirdly, over the last nine months we have been working quietly to put in place a African-American development fund, which will be a venture capital fund to assist African-American business persons and also focus on vouth entrenreneiir trurnlnn. We realize last year that the black community has not placed enough emphasis on economic development. In other words, if African Amer icans are going to look towards the 21st century as having a sustained presence in the U.S., we’re going to have to work Mird to build an eco nomic infrastructure for our community. The summit is committed to that process. That’s the purpose that invited African-American business leaders from across the country. Another definitive turn that this summit takes is that it is ’he first that representatives from Africa (Ghana, Liberia, Angola, Nigeria and South Africa) will sit at the table with us. The NAALS will help to promote the establishing of joint ■■ ■ . ■ ventures between African .^^,■iericans and Africans. We are a!.. ' .a out to Caribbean. We’re expanding the scope c! the summit, but in order to be effective, there has to be people commitic.l to implementing the plans and pro grams. We now have a full-time opei .ai.inal office in WashuiGtcn, D.C. Defender; The NAALS was born nithout tradifiona’ funding from corporate America. How will rlu organization be funded? Chavis: That’s also under discussion al this meeting. 1 believe that the NAALS should receive its funding directly from the African-American community and not engage in grant making proposals to foundations. With the NAALS, we’re departing from the traditional route. We be lieve the African-American community will support a grassroots and a national organization to the extent of which that organization will advo cate unapologetically. While all these right wing decisions are being made in the Congress and at the state level, there’s a void of response; no one is challenging the Contract With America; the Supreme Court just ruled against minority scholarships; California Governor Pete Wilson recently signed an execu tive order to eliminate affirmative action and the 'Voting Rights Act is un der attack. TT.. ■ In a few months various forces can erode 20 years of progress. This is a very serious matter. Through the NAALS we intend to engage those forces pro-actively, not necessarily just in reaction to what they do. In other words, we believe that the fundamental uplifting and destiny of the African-American community is in our hands. We will not depend on the government or forces outside of the African- American community. This is the mistake that some of the other African- American organizations have made. There has been an old reliance on help from outside the community without putting enough emphasis on galvanizing and refocusing and redirecting the wealth of talent and re.sources that are in the African-American community. African-Americans spend $400 billion yearly. But most of that spend ing has nothing to do with our liberation, has nothing to do with our self- upliftment, but concentrates on funding the very forces that oppress us. and we’re trying to change that. Defender: What is NAALS role in upcoming national elections? Chavis: We will play a role by registering African Americans to vote. For example, when the one million men march in Washington, we’re making sure that they are registered. We realize that this is the eve of the 1996 presidential election and we will weigh in. But we will weigh in on the issues that affect the ■quality of life of the African-American community rather than get into a situation where we blindly follow a candidate or a party. What we’ll do is help disseminate political education and voter educa tion because we’ve found as you do voter registration and voter mobilization, if there’s no voter education, voters still may not vote, even though registered. Defender: Will the organization provide an avenue for dialogue with black conservatives and black Republicans? Chavis; Oh, no question. Part of our principles is that we have to out reach to all the diverse forces in our community, whether Democrats, Re publicans, conservative, moderate or liberal, we want everybody at the table. Defender: If the targeted goal of the one million men march on Washington falls short in numbers, will it slow NAALS’s mo mentum? Chavis: No. We believe that the very call for such a demonstration al ready has had some therapeutic consequences in the community. In my travels across the country over the last nine months, I see brothers pre paring themselves by trying to get off drugs, alcohol and find jobs, so that when October 15 is here they will have their backs straightened. Defender: What’s the significance of the march? Chavis: The significance of the march is partly what will happen ate the march. This will not be an anonymous march; people are registering to march; we’re getting names and addresses. We’re going to build 8 computer base to network and hold this together. Defender: The i s are naany uhhMfd vi^es in black America that have never h?.-* a fe?™® share their knowledge and proposed solu tions. Will the NAALS welcome critical dialogue from this group? Chavis: One reason that we include the National Town Hall Meeting as part of the summit is so that we can gather input from the community of the tity where the summit is held. Defender: Will the NAALS make an attempt to present issues in a clear and definable way, so that it brings a faster understanding to the African-American community as a whole and not just those who are well-educated? Chavis; Clarity was genius of the 1960s. It was crystal clear what the issues were and also clear of how those at the local level could partici pate. Today, in terms of how issues are framed, there’s a lot of confusion. For example, take affirmative action, we’ve allowed the right wing to wrongly define it, and they’ve done the same with welfare. People on welfare did not build the welfare system, but they want to blame welfare mothers as if they are criminals. Defender: In summation, what are some immediate challenj^ facing black America? Chavis: Political education, economic development and the embracin. of our youth in terms of encouraging leadership development. I’ve sai* that what we need to do is raise up a new generation of freedom fightetj Defender: The NAALS was formed while you were still head of tlj, NAACP, had you not left the NAACP what would have happeneo^ the NAALS? Chavis; It would have been a priority of the NAACP. Ironically, mju local NAACP branches are still participating in the NAALS. Defender: What do you want to say to black America? Chavis: One essential message that the summit is trying to delivq jj how important it is for the black community for its destiny. In our view there is no guilt left in the white community that we can appeal to. Mii ■.. .. ,:v. Iz L- UNCF SCHOOLS GET CORPORATE BOOST i RIM MART — Coleman Peterson (right), senior vice president nf the People Division for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., presents a $1 million con tribution to William H. Gray III, president and chief executive of ficer of the United Negro College Fund, for ’JNCF’s Campaign 2000: An Investment in America’s Future. The campaign is helping 41 UNCF colleges restore and build facilities, strengthen endowments, create new educational programs, improve administration and in crease scholarship funds. Peterson, an active supporter of UNCF, is a former member of the St. Louis UNCF advisory board. Letter to the Editor: TRIO Programs Threatened The United States House of Representatives and the Senate have now approved Budget Resolutions which assure the complete elimination of TRIO Programs at the end of the 1995-96 academic year. While this recommendation is certainly not law, it does pose .the greatest single threat the TRIO Programs have ever faced. TRIO Programs should not be eliminated. Funding TRIO is an invest ment in our nation’s future. TRIO Programs’ graduates are productive, tax paying, contributing citizens to the American economy. They are not on the welfare or prison rolls. TRIO graduates are self-sufficient participants in the American society. JRJO Programs include: Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Centers, and Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement. Each of these programs provide op portunity and realistic chances for Americans from poor and working families to enter college and graduate. Nationally, there are 1700 TRIO Programs currently serving an estimate 681,000 students from low- income backgrounds. North Carolina currently has 62 TRIO Programs and is serving 19,262 students throughout the state. TRIO Programs are successful. Students in the Upward Bound Program are four times more likely to earn an undergraduate degree than those students from similar backgrounds who did not participate in TRIO. Nearly twenty percent (20%) of all black and Hispanic freshmen who en tered college in 1981 received assistance through TRIO Talent Search oi Educational Opportunity Center programs. Students in the TRIO Student Support Services program are more than twice as likely to remain in college than those students from similai backgrounds who did not participate in the program. Since 1965, thebe- ginning of the TRIO Programs, it is estimated that TRIO has produced and estimated 2 million college graduates. North Carolina TRIO Programs have produced [the state’s] share of outstanding citizens. For example, the current recipient of the North Carolina Board of Governors "Teacher in Excellence Award" was pre sented to a 1971 University of North Carolina Upward Bound graduate, Dr. Freddie Parker, professor of History at North Carolina Central Uoi- versity. Dr. Parker, Dr. Francesina Register-Jackson (1969 TRIO gradu ate), a professor of Education at North Carolina Central University, and Dr. Ricky Spoon, Assistant District Attorney of Wake County, represent numerous TRIO participants in North Carolina who have excelled and succeeded in academics and life. TRIO Programs are in the national interest and are equally contributors to deficit reduction; not producers of public dependency. A well educated citizenry will keep America the leader of the free world. Please join me in [bringing to a halt] the war on opportunity and access for million of Americans from poor and working families across this great nation. Joyce D. Clayton, President North Carolina Council of Educational Opportunitv Programs Investing Globally Makes Sense But Requires Caution Submitted by L.B. Harrison, Personal Financial Planner {919) 933-1163 We’re encouraged these days to "think globally" regarding environ mental issues. Many investors are thinking globally, too, by giving their portfolios an international focus. Investing globally seems to make a lot of sense. Returns on world markets in the past couple of years have been relatively strong and those who have been investing in foreign securities have done well. World markets, similar to U.S. market segments, do not move neces sarily in the same direction; while some are moving downward, others are trending upward. The opportunities to make excellent returns do ex ist. There’s no question, also, that diversification of your portfolio is a sound idea, particularly on a long-term basis. But international investing has a downside. Financial experts .say that world markets seem to move more in tandem when financial markets are going through periods of volatility. When international markets are calm, their movements show no strong relationship to each other; when the; re. trenriinS downward, however, they tend to go down together. Currently, global markets are in a volatile cycle. So, while investinj overseas is a good idea in general, it’s best to exercise caution withta approach. Don’t jump into the markets in Mexico and the Pan Pacific simply because it’s the trendy thing to do. Be aware that the risks are high, and educate yourself about them Know that most investors in foreign markets generally hold onto intern- tional stocks for shorter periods of time than they do when investing ii U.S. securities. In order to add more diversity to their portfolios, they select stocks that have no relationship to their current investments. Before plunging into foreign markets, you may v.'ant to ask for advia for a professional. Talk to your financial planner to determine howgIoM investing might fit into your long-term financial goals. A knowledgeaBt planner can help you map out a strategy that gives you a balancedpon- folio that reflects your comfort regarding risk. If you decide to invest overseas, you may want to consider starting wi mutual funds run by experienced portfolio managers. While this is > more conservative approach that won’t provide you with an opportumi) to strike it rich on a "sure bet," it will limit your risk from an investmeni that could go sour. . wmli Particularly now, when world markets including the U.o. s be in a period of volatility and uncertainty, you should exercise cauUo^ Choose global investments with care, and make sure to spread your adequately. The reason crime doesn’t pay is that when it does it is called i>!' more respectable name. -Laurence ,1- P*
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 24, 1995, edition 1
12
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75