“The way to get black power is through green power.”
By Jack Bernard
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | The saying above is accurate. The bottom line in America is that it is the bottom line that matters. To get respect, you must be economically successful, along with having basic integrity and other positive qualities like work ethic, honesty and intelligence.
Through my volunteer work with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), a national 501-c-3 nonprofit with numerous unpaid volunteers in Gwinnett County and the Atlanta area, I have mentored hundreds of Black start-up entrepreneurs who are interested in having their own businesses. Sessions are free. SCORE is discussed in more detail below.
More broadly, the Black community has made tremendous progress over the last 60 years since the civil rights movement changed the very nature of this nation. But true equality is elusive. Some dump the entire equality problem back on the black community, with no broader societal responsibility. However, that is just plain wrong.
As someone who went to a segregated (White) school in Georgia, I know that my high school was separate but not equal; it was better than the Black schools. Of course, that was contrary to what the political figures of the day said. Discrimination was and is a reality; young people must be taught that fact and acknowledge it.
Social conservatives forget why Blacks in America are behind whites economically. It is the legacy of slavery, caused by our ancestors and the founders of this nation.
Even if your families are recent immigrants, like mine, we are still liable for the burden this nation placed on African Americans. However, that is not to say that Blacks should wait for government help, although a government hand-up (versus a hand-out) would be helpful.
Ethnic and racial groups who have come to the USA have generally only been accepted after they have been here for a period of time and raised their income level. Of course, the Black experience is very different.
Most Black Americans are descended from slaves who were forcefully kidnapped from their homes. And they were mistreated by the majority of Americans both before and after the abolishment of slavery.
Spike Lee named his company “40 acres and a mule” for a reason. After the Civil War the U.S. government broke its promise to Black Americans to assist them in getting on their feet in some small way to make up for centuries of oppression.
Currently, there are both government and private industry “set-asides” for minorities. But these set-asides are only helpful for on-going enterprises that want to grow. Few firms or governmental entities will contract with brand new startups. So, let’s start there, moving from philosophy to reality.
Black, White, Latino or whatever, what do you need to get your idea for a business from being your idea to reality? The answer is writing and implementing a solid business plan, which is both a road map for you and a sales tool to attract funding … but how? That’s where SCORE comes in. A SCORE mentor will assist a small business by guiding the mentee through the business planning process- establishing a vision, and marketing, implementation and financial plans. All for free.
Within five years, about half of all businesses go under. But with wisdom, judgment, hard work, and effective mentoring (plus some luck), you will be one of the winners. And that is the only way to achieve true equality in this country.
The golden rule in the good old USA, very sadly, remains those with the gold rule.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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