Convocation

Friday September 24, 2020 was the 143^rd opening convocations at Howard Univesity. The keynote speaker was Ben S. Carson M.D. Not only is Dr. Carson a prominent figure in African-American medicine; he is a prominent figure in American medicine.  Dr. Carson spoke about finding his strengths and pursuing them despite his obstacles. He knew that he wanted to practice medicine from the time he was a boy, and he stayed focused on his goal. He is now the head of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins hospital. His determination to achieve his goals has allowed him to reach the pinnacle of his field. Dr. Carson said that he did not believe in the idea of political correctness. In this day and age, at least one group of people is always offended. Keeping everyone happy can be a big distraction from the task at hand. I learned that I must pursue my goals, even though some toes may get stepped on along the way. 

Good Things Still Happen

            Today, September 24, the New York ran a remarkable story about a prison guard at Rikers Island that won the lottery. Garina Fearon actually bought the wrong ticket. She intended to play Powerball, but instead palyed the Mega Millions game. Fearon, who has experiences many hardships throughout appears to be very deserving of such great fortune. Homeless as a child, she overcame this only to file for bankruptcy as an adult. She endures daily abuse from the male inmates and supports her two children on her own. This feel-good story is a glimpse of the potential our cold world has to be uplifting; a turn of events that would make Robin Hood himself proud. The only plans she has made with her payout is to buy her sick mother a home in Jamaica. The old cliché, what goes around comes around, is yet again proven to be true. 

Ikimulisa Livingston Reuven Blau, Leonard Greene. “Rikers Guard Wins $54 Million Dollar Lottery”. New York Times. New York Times, 24 September 2010. Web. 24 September 2010.

 

Definition

Roberto Santiago discusses his struggles growing up as a multiracial kid in Harlem. His story of not completely fitting in with any one group is similar to that of President Obama, and to many Americans. I would technically be considered multiracial, although I have not compartmentalized my ancestry as well as Joyce from Dreams From My Father (Obama 99). I know the feelings Mr. Santiago mentions; the feelings of bouncing around from group to group. Growing up in predominantly white environments I became the exception to my friends’ perceptions of black- but never the rule. I didn’t fulfill the expectations of a black kid, and therefore I was just an anomaly. The author wonders him being black isn’t enough when he says, “Acting black. Looking black. Being a real black. This debate among us is almost a parody. The fact is that I am black, so why do I need to prove it?” (Santiago 184). I cannot allow others to define what my race requires of me. This is the point Mr. Santiago is trying to make; he is black because he is black, just as much as he is Puerto Rican. We all must define our own lives.

Works Cited

Obama, Barack. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. New York, New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004. Print.

“Black and Latino” by Roberto Santiago, from Revelations

Current Event

I didn’t choose to write about the burning of the Quaran that has been in the news, or anything directly related to race. I chose to look at how some large companies operate, making us more efficient in progressing. On Wednesday, September 8, 2010, the oil company BP released the results of its internal investigation into the April explosion. BP took very little of the blame, and instead targeted partners Transocean and Halliburton. Transocean conducted its own investigation placing blame back on BP. This passing responsibility only slows the process of moving forward. These giant corporations expend more energy on covering themselves from legal technicalities than solving the problems the explosion caused. This tactic of passing blame is the opposite of how President Obama says we should move forward 2in his “A More Perfect Union Speech”. As a society we must stop dumping our problems into the laps of others. I see many minorities blaming whites for their current situation. President Obama also called us to move on from the past. It is far easier to make excuses when plans go awry than to take responsibility for wrongs we have had part in causing. I am sure that the explosion was not completely that fault of any one company, but this finger-pointing game leaves all parties involved worse off. It is time for all companies to work together for a speedy end to this saga.  People of all races must follow suit and work together to improve conditions cross-culturally. In the beginning of his speech President Obama says, “The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished.” He goes on to say that any final resolution was left further generations. We must begin a new legacy that consequent generations can continue and improve upon.

Works Cited

Obama, Barack. “A More Perfect Union.” National Constitution Center, Philadelphia. 18 March

          2008. Speech.

United for Change

As African-Americans we must do our part to help race relations in our country, and not perpetuate the issue with excuses. President Obama calls for us to do our part in moving on from an unjust past in his “A More Perfect Union” speech. He urges us to address incidents of racism with action, not words. He does this by saying says, “By investing in our schools and our communities…by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations”. We must move towards an era in which black students walk onto college campuses ready to earn their degree in four years. We must provide healthcare to those in needs, regardless of their skin color. President Obama also emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In order to continue in the direction of equality for all people, we all come together in our efforts for change. The single Hispanic mother has many of the same needs as the white family living in a rented trailer. We all have more in common than most realize. Every culture has its own problems, but we can come together to fight universal issues like subpar housing, or healthcare. Those that have fought before us have left a map for us to follow in our fight for change. President Obama acknowledges those of Reverend Wright’s generation, saying, “What's remarkable is not how many failed in the face of discrimination, but rather how many men and women overcame the odds”. There are no police teams with attack dogs and fire hoses or segregated water fountains, but this union is not yet perfect. African-Americans must focus on our promising future, rather than our dark past. Just as our President felt the time was right for him to run for the highest office in the county, it is the right time for us to fight for change. The time is now.  

Works Cited

Obama, Barack. “A More Perfect Union.” National Constitution Center, Philadelphia. 18 March 

          2008. Speech.