This Sunday, July 24th I'll be speaking at the Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz Educational Center in NYC on the mis-education of our youth. It's gonna feel a lil weird joining other educators and youth psychologists this sunday at the same sight Bro. Malcolm was assassinated...
Gonna feel even more weird knowing that this same spot that wasn't ours before is still not ours today. Nonetheless, it's an opportunity to meet other professionals committed to the overall development of our youth. It's also a chance to read excerpts from my upcoming book on young urban Black males. Here's one section of the book where I speak directloy to our sons--
A friend of mine told me to come at you with love and not disgust, so I’m hoping my words and tone have been proper to you. I’m hoping you take it the right way when I tell you to clean up after yourself and respect others’ belongings; to remember to wash, especially your underarms, your privates (the inside of your foreskin, if you weren’t circumcised), to always flush after relieving yourself and wash your hands; to keep your nails short and cleaned, your clothes off the floor; to watch what you eat, how you treat your neighborhood, how you come off to people. And yes, pull your pants up some. Because I want more from us, and I want you to want more from you. I may not always get you, but I love you just the same. I love you enough to tell you what you need to hear; and to tell young fathers to try not to be so hard with their sons, to hold their hand when walking with them and not ahead of them because that’s how we create emotionally healthy males.
The center is located at 3940 Broadway and 165 th Street. Conference starts at 4pm.
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