Have we achieved the dream? by Tracy J. Brown
Monday, January 18, 2010 at 5:07PM
Who will carry the dream in your community?
I had the honor of attending an annual Dr. Martin Luther King celebration sponsored by the NAACP.
This was the first official MLK holiday since last year’s inauguration of President Barak Obama, so you can image the excitement and energy that filled the room. The speaker was high energy and compelling when he made that point that; “although black folks have made it from the “Out House to the White House” that we have a lot of work to do in our communities.”
AMEN PREACHER!
The preacher said it exactly right! Although we have achieved the highest office in the land, we still have some major problems to deal with in our communities.
- 70% of our households are lead by single parents
- Unemployment rates are double the national average
- High school dropout rates are ridiculously high
- Abortion rates are twice as high in our community
The people in the room were fired up and ready to continue working towards achieving the dream that Dr. King so eloquently shared nearly 47 years ago.
I was fired up too! But, then I looked around the room and realized that everyone there was, except me and a few others, over 60 years old. No one in the room was under 35! Where are the next generation leaders? How do we reach them?
What do you think?
Tomorrow, I will share a few things that you can do to reach younger people in your community, but before I do, I would like to hear from you.
- If Dr. King was alive today, how would he feel about the progress we've made and the direction we are headed?
- How do you attract young people to your organization?
- How do you get young people involved with community issues?
Please post your response below...I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Tracy J. Brown, CEO
Urban Awareness USA
http://www.urbanawarenessusa.org
http://www.communitydevelopmentsystem.com
P.S..
I’ve also included a recording of Dr. Kings “I Have A Dream” speech…hope it inspires you!
About Tracy J. Brown
Mr. Tracy J. Brown, devoted father and husband, is a distinguished author, speaker, businessman and urban development expert. He has achieved national prominence by teaching individuals, ministries and organizations how to socially and economically advance our urban communities to greatness using biblical stewardship principles. In 2004, Mr. Brown founded the nationally recognized 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, Urban Awareness USA, Inc., which provides educational resources & consulting to faith-based and community organizations to help them enhance the lives of the communities they serve.
Other Resources
Click Here to buy Tracy J. Browns book
About Urban Awareness USA
Urban Awareness USA, bridges the gap between communities, government and faith-based organizations. Our mission is to strengthen, empower and equip faith-based & community organizations with the necessary tools and resources they need to partner with and receive funding from government agencies and private philanthropist to better serve their communities.
Urban Awareness USA
a 501c3 Nonprofit Organization
www.urbanawarenessusa.org
www.urbanministrytools.org