SPIN: What prominent examples of black success can today's youth turn to as models?

[RamsayBolton]

Spin thread on the question of whether or not rap impacts behavior.

Let's say you're a young teenage breh doing your thing. You're starting to wonder what the rest of your life is going to look like.


If you want to make a lot of money, who do you look to as an example?

If you want to know what success means for black males, where do you find your examples?

What examples of success in America's highly individualistic and capitalistic society are you turning to?

Ones that your peers will also respect you looking up to?

Leaving parents out of this - assume you're in your rebellious phase where even if you're not outright disrespectful you're not quite ready to absorb any lessons they're giving out yet.

 

[BaldingSoHard]

 

[Matt504]

I like this thread. I'd add one qualifier though, the Black success stories can NOT be athletes or entertainers.

 

[CopiousX]

Robert Smith was a chemical engineer who went Colombia. Not to mention he is one of the few black people on earth who runs an investment firm. I think his only real competition in finance would be on Nigerian banker dude in DC, and one black brit. I could list them if you like, but both were barely at a few hundred mil while Smith is obviously a billionaire.



Also, I hate to admit it because of their shady politics; but pretty much all the Republican tokens are extremely distinguished folks in their professional lives ranging from Carson's surgery and academic papers, to Thomas's Yale law and appointment, to even that slippery/slick Sowell being a Harvard economist. I think it's possible to learn from them in isolation the same way Cacs can study the rocket scientist Warner Von Bron separately from his time in WW2 Germany or Rockefeller separately from his exploitation during the gilded age.

 

[get these nets]

Spin thread on the question of whether or not rap impacts behavior.

Let's say you're a young teenage breh doing your thing. You're starting to wonder what the rest of your life is going to look like.


If you want to make a lot of money, who do you look to as an example?

If you want to know what success means for black males, where do you find your examples?

What examples of success in America's highly individualistic and capitalistic society are you turning to?

Ones that your peers will also respect you looking up to?

Leaving parents out of this - assume you're in your rebellious phase where even if you're not outright disrespectful you're not quite ready to absorb any lessons they're giving out yet.

You'd follow Black Enterprise on Twitter.

See examples of Black men operating businesses. From every part of this country, and eventually you will read about a man from your city.

 

[Brolic]

If you want to know what success means for black males, where do you find your examples?

What examples of success in America's highly individualistic and capitalistic society are you turning to?

Ones that your peers will also respect you looking up to?

I didn’t look up to anyone. Around the 10th grade I started to realize I’d end up broke/making minimum wage if I didn’t go to college and that motivated me to focus in school. (I didn’t know about trades or certs)

 

[BmoreGorilla]

I like this thread. I'd add one qualifier though, the Black success stories can NOT be athletes or entertainers.

And there goes the problem. They are the only two groups that most kids will know

 

[Chrishaune]

Need to connect with other black folks around the world.

 

[Ski Mask]

Its sad, cause i think it would better to have better examples in the neighborhood than on tv, but i understand why that will never happen without major changes

 

[africngiant]

stringer bell if he was never in the drug business

 

[TRUEST]

Robert smith is essentially the only one.

 

[ShaneTheRogue]

I like this thread. I'd add one qualifier though, the Black success stories can NOT be athletes or entertainers.

Hmm. Like not currently athletes or entertainers? For example Myron Rolle is a surgeon now but was previously a NFL player. Would you count him?

 

[42 Monks]

All the black astronauts are to me. Its crazy because they are STILL putting in work on all fronts. Going to space was just the intermission in their careers.

List of African-American astronauts - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Guion Bluford​

Guion Bluford - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And if yal never heard the story of Eugene Bullard, check it. One of the few black WWI pilots, one of the few to be award the French Croix de Guerre, stayed in France became a jazz musician and drummer and had one of the popular clubs in the country, came back to the US despite the racist bullshyt and when he was knocked down from the high life he enjoyed he still carried himself like the legend he was.

The life story of Eugene is striking. Hard to believe its real, but its so important because it is. You don't have to be great where you are currently, you can be great anywhere. And if you really build yourself right - wherever you go, no can take that from you either.

So many icons man I need a minute great thread will drop more later

 

[LadyJ2]

I made my teens get LinkedIn accounts to follow people in industries they show interest in.

Lawyers, doctors, artists, etc are all on LinkedIn and you can find people very close to you.

My husband or I do the outreach to set up a call or Zoom if they are really interested and the person looks legit.

Another great resource for teens is using the better business bureau to look up businesses
And learn more about how businesses can become accredited which is really what counts when looking for capital/investors.

 

[MasterThought]

Unfortunately, removing rappers and athletes is like removing 95% of a pie chart.

One of our biggest problems as a collective is having little to no control of the media, hence having little to no control of our own image.

Our kids can't aspire to be something that they never see.

If you limit a groups circumference of awareness, you limit their possibilities.