Visiblemen

A no excuses policy in the educational setting can come across to some as harsh, insensitive, or lacking context of the real psycho social stressors that many of our urban African American students face. But in my experience as an educator, youth advocate, and parent, a “no excuses” policy is  just what we need to expect from our children if we want them to thrive and succeed.

No excuses means that when a student with profound dysfunction in the home and neighborhood arrives at school and says he didn’t complete his homework last night because there was a crisis in his building, the teacher looks at him and says, “I’m sorry to hear about the crisis in your building, but why isn’t the homework done?” . It’s expecting them to find a way, fight harder, work longer, and never give up. It’s continuing to expect great things from children who have chaos, unpredictability, pain and loss in their life. It’s showing them that you care, and because you care, you are going to demand excellence in their school work and behavior.

Yes, along with a “no excuses” policy comes  empathy, connection and the acknowledgement that some students just plain have it harder. The ideal relationship with our youth is to help them feel heard and understood, and to hold them to a very high standard in spite of all the hardships in their lives. Making excuses for our students when they fail serves no one. Resources, excellent teachers,  school counselors,  mentoring programs, coaching and extracurricular activities all help to strengthen our students and give them opportunities to find skills, joy, and success. However, a universal “no excuses” policy by parents, educators and those that love and nurture our youth is more powerful than anything we can provide them. It sends a deep and resonating message: we believe in you and your abilities.

“Urban Prep in Chicago made history when it opened in 2006 as the first all-boys charter school in the nation, said founder Tim King. King was determined to take African-American boys from “tough backgrounds” and get them into college, just as King had succeeded in doing as president of Hales Franciscan.

Four years ago, every freshman at Urban Prep Academy Charter High School-Englewood was given a watch and told they now had no excuse to be late for class at a school dedicated to putting black males into college.

And no excuses were needed Friday, when Urban Prep’s first graduating class celebrated the news that every senior had been accepted to at least one four-year college.”

What Urban Prep has done in “beating the odds” and graduating 100% of their students is beyond impressive. It’s inspirational. Even if a school doesn’t have some of the advantages Urban Prep has, there is one winning attitude any school can have: expect success from your students. Don’t accept the excuses the students provide you when they fall short, and certainly don’t make excuses for them.

Discipline, accountability, goal setting….these are the anchors in the storm all children need.  Read more!

Morgan Freeman has been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of South Africa’s first black president , Nelson Mandela, in the film “Invictus”. This film is a must see.

Few have shown the mental fortitude in the midst of extreme hardship like Mandela. We have a lot to learn from him: endurance, inner strength, pride, vision, surviving against the odds…and letting our light shine.

Invictus:, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul”…They were words Mandela recited to himself during the 27 years he spent in jail, imprisoned by a white government for fighting against apartheid. February 11 marks the 20th anniversary of the leader’s release. Following his release from prison, Mandela supported reconciliation and negotiation, and helped lead the transition towards multi-racial democracy in South Africa.

Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, the first black South-African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election..

These wonderful words from Marianne Williamson were used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 Inauguration Speech.

Our deepest fear
is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves who am I to
be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are we NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened
about shrinking so that other
people won’t feel insecure
around you.
We are born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just within some of us
it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light
shine we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our
own fear our presence
automatically liberates others.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/04/morgan.freeman.mandela.invictus/index.html

The Washington Post Magazine had a great piece on news anchor Leon Harris (WJLA 7, DC) today…here’s a real story of a young boy who realized from an early age that his own father was not the kind of man he wanted to grow up to be. His own father, a man who struggled with drug addiction, domestic violence and crime was not a positive presence in Leon’s life. He states, “if there was anything I wanted to be, it was the exact opposite of him. Whenever I’ve come to a crossroads in my life, I would think to myself: What would he do? And I would do the exact opposite.”

“He eventually went on to Ohio University on a National Merit Scholarship. There, Harris joined the school’s speech and debate team. His friends were puzzled. “Black people don’t speech,” one of them told him. He did; Harri’s team eventually finished fourth in a national tournament.”

“At night in the bedroom attic that he shared with his brothers in the Nashes’ home, Leon imagined what he could become. He visualized the brick house he would live in as an adult, the cars in the driveway, the pool in the back, the trees just so. He wanted to carry a briefcase to work and wear a mustache. He was fascinated by Darrin Stephens, the ad man married to the pretty witch Samantha, on “Bewitched”. Darrin carried a briefcase, “and people respected him for what he knew”.

Leon has had an impressive career as a scholar, national and local news anchor, husband, father and community advocate.

Respect, Leon, Respect.

Read the Washing Post article here.

VM sends congratulations to winter Olympian Shani Davis on his gold medal victory in Vancouver!

http://www.shanidavis.org/

Happy New Year!
We are so excited about the support we’ve received here at VM in 2009. Thank you for joining the movement and helping us evolve! We wanted to share a few of our VM goals for 2010 and tell you how you can help us:

1. Visible Men Recruitment Campaign
2. Fundraising
3. School program: InVision Project Expansion
4. Media initiatives-TV, Print, Online

You can help us by:
1. Send Visible Men to the network:http://visiblemen.com/vm-network/
2. Donate to Visible Men and send other potential donors to: http://visiblemen.com/donate/
3. Encourage educators to apply for an Invision Project at their school: http://visiblemen.com/presentations-programs/school-and-community-programs-invision-project/
4. If you are a Visible Man, send us photos, youtube clips or written blogs for TV print and online media that tell your success story -submit to shannon@visiblemen.com

Here’s to Success in all that you do in 2010!

Thanks to all of the People of Color Conference attendees who joined us in Denver last week for the Visible Men: Elevating Black Boys workshop. As always, the comments that were shared and the energy in the room reveal the genuine interest in the topic of success for black boys and men.

Though the PoCC focuses on the independent school world, the topics discussed and the issues raised apply to black boys, and those who support them, far beyond our country’s private schools. Yes, there are certainly aspects of the conversation that pertain specifically to the independent school environment, and we explored some of these in depth during the workshop. But, the need to immerse black boys in the study of success is one that applies to all school, social, and geographic settings. It’s a universal necessity.

I look forward to future workshops not only with NAIS, but with schools all over the nation who are committed to addressing the challenges of young black boys and the success strategies needed to empower them. I’m constantly inspired by the educators and social advocates I meet who hold the hopes, dreams and ambitions of these young boys close to their hearts, as I do.

In Newton Massachusetts, a suburban New England town that is almost 80% Caucasian, residents will be led by a black Mayor, a black Governor, and a black President; Setti Warren, Duval Patrick, Barack Obama. That’s kind of cool to me.

For the younger generation, this may not seem like a big deal. For the Civil Rights era folks and those that came up before them, this is a really big, fantastic, it’s about time deal. Young children of all backgrounds growing up in Newton Massachusetts may be fortunate enough to never actually know how significant this is. This is my hope for the next generation.

Hats off Mr. Mayor, Mr. Governor, Mr. President. And hats off Newton, MA.

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/newton/articles/2009/11/16/newton_voters_unique_in_us_for_backing_african_americans_for_mayor_governor_president/?page=2

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/19/AR2009111904330_2.html

There are some key winning ingredients in this story. First, Colin himself is already showing the drive and vision that will help make him successful. Even the pits in his stomach and the restless night sleep before a big day of flying are great signs that he’s invested, and thinking about his performance. You don’t see that everyday in a teenage boy. His mother is dedicated, resourceful and committed to helping him achieve his dream. The Tuskegee Youth in Aviation Program paved the runway for Colin years ago.

The stats certainly show that this is an area where blacks are not well represented. 1.9 % of Air Force Pilots are black., or 270 out of 14,130. Cost, underexposure to profession and the daunting task of getting accepted to the Air Force Academy are a few reasons given for the small number of black Air Force pilots. Nelson Evans is the co-chairman of Tuskegee’s local Youth in Aviation program. Although I respect the candid realism Evans shares about the extremely competitive nature of becoming a Navy or Air Force pilot,
“To be a Navy or Air Force pilot and be black is not easy,” said Evans, a bank manager who holds a private pilot’s license. “It’s probably easier to be in the NFL.”

I shutter when I hear anyone make a statement about how being in the NFL could be an easier professional pursuit for a young black boy. Not true at all, and it’s a set up for far too many boys who see this or becoming an entertainer as their “ticket” out. Colin gets it, basketball (or football) is a game, flying is a career choice, he says.
When we encourage kids to dream big, give them the resources they need, provide a road map, believe in them, and sacrifice with them, they will indeed soar to great heights. Watch Colin fly.