Society still leaves behind Black boys and men
A screen shot of child participants in a CBS report on staying healthy and happy during the pandemic showed an interesting yet disturbing trend — no African American boys.
Correspondent Meg Oliver created a worthy topic that involved parents’ concerns about kids missing out on daily in-person contact that occurs with in school education.
Kept hoping that the zoom meeting klatch hosted by Sesame Street idol Elmo would change to show a young black boy engaged in the important conversation.
An insertion of black girls and women into any conversation or diversity initiative offers a two-fer as they check boxes for both gender and race.
Black women have surged in our nation’s power structure as Georgia’s Stacey Abrams became a national political dynamo while Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi created a Black Lives Matter movement that shook up the world.
Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, a perfectly coiffed Harvard graduate, has become America’s darling just eight years after U.S. Olympic champion gymnast Gabby Douglas survived a twisted, black-hating episode about her “unkept” hair.
Vice-President Kamala Harris reigns as the second-most powerful person in America. Oprah rules. Serena rocks. Harriet Tubman may print on U.S. paper currency. And political pundits claim Black women won the presidential election for Democrats.
Despite the fierce energy wielded by black women, a fair observation underscores America’s history of struggle with Black men.
Those issues fuel United States
acceptance for the extraction of African American men from society via incarceration, murder and health inequities.
Black males make up about 6.2 percent (18 million) of the population yet account for 34 percent of men behind bars.
Racial disparities among youth exposes a system that incarnates black youth at an alarming rate five times that of whites.
Meanwhile, the number one cause of death for Black males between ages of 1-19? Homicide. And between ages of 20-44? Homicide.
Black men dying by gun violence barely registers as newsworthy as these deaths cultivate complacency.
Black murder has reached epidemic proportions as a nation stands back from recognizing this searing problem then fails to implement worthy initiatives to end the carnage.
Observers who mention blacks are killing blacks should understand that most homicides register as intra-racial events — blacks kill blacks, whites kill whites, Latinos kill Latinos.
Even when black men live beyond 45 years of age, they face disproportionate health challenges involving heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Borrowing from a Sesame Street song favorite from Kermit the Frog — It ain’t easy being Black (and male in America).
Plus, black men live seven years less than men of other racial groups. While suicide frequently gets pitched as a white issue, its the third leading cause of death in 15-to 24-year-old black boys and men.
An interesting situation developed last year as Trenton officials considered purchasing a Westside plaza property, ending a development deal that has cost the city millions.
Redevelopment proposals included building a women’s center. No objection here although Trenton needs a center for boys and men where they can receive instruction and information on myriad issues.
Failure to face factual data about potential demise of our boys will ultimately place in jeopardy their lives and futures.
Undoubtedly, black and other minority women and girls need resources and support but this disregard of black males exists as illogical behavior.
When one considers the plight of black boys and men in America, inclusion and comprehension of their issues seems like a nobrainer.