Black and Latino youth, America’s unopened gift

https://www.facebook.com/SFYonFS1/videos/1080838515286873/

Thanks Ayodele Harrison, for this video. I think Mr. Whitlock has essentially captured the problem. And I understand that the venue perhaps tamed his comments somewhat. And so let me go there. For me (and I know you have heard this from me a thousand times), this is a lot like the exclusion of huge numbers of our population from: STEM, economics, the creative arts, etc. I even believe that we would be better at Homeland security if the FBI was a more diverse organization. America is not fielding its best athletes, not only in soccer, but in many other sports (i.e. Swimming, Gymnastics, Chess, Archery, Fencing, Baseball, Gulf, etc.) Further, there are “internal” obstacles; I and many others have found ourselves in deep trouble (with Black folks) for trying to push “non-stereotypical” athletic programs; or even trying to make those stereotypical sports programs follow a scholar-athletic model.

But just look what happens when a child of color, who by “chance”, or who is blessed with very aware and supportive parents gets through (Ibtihaj Muhammad, Simone Biles, or the Williams sisters)! This nation has made a Faustian bargain, to purposely suppress and destroy a large percentage of winning members of our national team, in every category of life. And say whatever you want about the: “Make America Great Again Folks”, or the liberal: “Keep America how it is folks”; they are willing to take any national hit necessary, in science innovation, sports or the creative arts; as they see the necessity of empowering and preparing the talents and gifts of their own children.

My life-long struggle has been to convince the disenfranchised and disregarded members of our society that nothing else really matters if your children (your future) are not engaged in the development of their inherent creativity and intelligence. And so to return to a sports analogy, our children lose early and often in the game of life, because they are missing adults who will champion their cause. My “take-away” from the Alexander Hamilton Broadway phenomena is this: How many “Alexander Hamilton” like plays are locked and hidden away in the hearts and minds of America’s children of color? How many Williams sisters are out there who will never pick up a tennis racket?