HBCUs vs. Non-HBCUs

From the founding of the first HBCU to the slow integration of black students into predominantly white institutions, students of color have contemplated what the best place is for them to develop their academic and professional potential. Feelings of pride and respect are felt by students that attend either institution, with many being satisfied with the decision that was made.

As someone who was raised in a predominantly black neighborhood, who attended school with both latinos and blacks, attending an HBCU was never at the forefront of my mind. After all, I was constantly surrounded by folks who were smart, motivated, strong, independent, as well as those who weren't...and they were all people of color. In a way, attending a Non-HBCU allowed me to get out of my "comfort zone".

So what were the factors in your decision?
How have you benefited professionally, culturally, and/or socially from your institution?

Check out the Root's "Why I Went Black" article.

~Camille

YP in DC at the Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference

Camille here, blogging from DC. The politics, the parties, and the people. Lots to do and lots to see!


The 39th annual Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference is under way in Washington, DC for the next 3 days, and yours truly will be blogging about all the interesting topics of benefit to young professionals in Sacramento and around the country.
This is my 3rd annual trip to DC for this event and it has been much anticipated!

Here's a quick list of all the discussion sessions that I'll be stopping in on:

* Diane Watson : Entertainment Entrepreneurs - Images of African Dispora created by the media and entertainment industry and how that influences the greater community.
* Jesse Jackson Jr : Reclaiming our Families - Fatherhood in the African American Community
* Bobby Rush : Rescuing our Youth
* Eleanor Holmes Norton: Single Women, Unmarried Men: What has happened to Black Marriage
* Kendrick Meek: Education on the Frontline
* Maxine Waters: The End of Maximum Minimum Sentences
* A Dream Deferred? - The Future of Housing Opportunities for African Americans
* Donna Edwards: Water - The Next Big Environmental Fight for Communities of Color.
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If there are any of interest to you, let me know and I'll grab so info and some notes for you!
For those not familiar with this Conference, here's a little more information for you:

"The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation each year produces the Annual Legislative Conference, a four-day event held in September at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Thousands of elected officials, business and industry leaders, celebrities, media, emerging leaders and everyday Americans descended upon the Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) and its dozens of policy forums, general sessions, massive exhibit showcase, job fair, book signings and vast networking opportunities."

Visit www.cbcfinc.org/alc-09.html for more info

Camille

May 19th Ballot Propositions

On May 19th voters will decide the fate of 6 ballot measures set to bring in an estimated $6 billion in revenues to the state of California, to offset the estimated $21 billion deficit.

To make up the funds, the State must consider cutting state jobs, reducing health care programs, eliminating certain social services, laying off teachers and increasing class sizes. Similarly, vital investments like building roads and bridges, investments in public health, crime prevention, and education, may be ignored.
In other words, the decisions that will be made in the coming months will affect residents of this state for years to come.

Take a moment to share what services/programs/expenditures you think the State should retain when trying to balance the budget.

Violence: The Community and The Police

Given the two highly publicized events that have taken place in Oakland - the murder of Oscar Grant by the an Oakland police officer and the recent deaths of four Oakland police officers by an African American suspect - how do we feel about the relationship between law enforcement and people of color in our communities?

Consider the following:
*What is our collective responsibility to prevent violence as a whole when a majority of violent crimes committed in our neighborhoods are committed by members of our own communities?
*How do we get people to prioritize the accountability we have to one another?
*As we start to assess the role that our culture plays in violence and begin to discuss how to turn it around, does that dialogue hamper our ability to continue pressing law enforcement for better treatment of people of color?

The Republican Party & Voters of Color

The Republican Party recently selected Michael Steele to serve as the Chairman of the National Party, who becomes the first African American to hold that post.
But in terms of their overall policies, what does the Republican Party need to do to pick up more votes from people of color? How can the GOP increase their appeal while upholding the party's platform of small government, low taxes, social conservatism, and big business in today's economic and social landscape? Can the Republican Party regain relevance in national politics without increasing voters of color in their base?

A Post Racial America

I came across an interesting article in "the Atlantic" by Hua Hsu called "The End of White America?" It analyzes the cultural shift that has taken place in the US over the last 50 years or so and asks what these changes mean for our concepts of white identity. But after reading it, I found myself asking the opposite question which I would like to pose to each of you: What does post-racial America mean for Black Identity?
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200901/end-of-whiteness