It is time for healing in Black community. The Black community is in pain, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically.
From the Trayvon Martin case, to the continuous attacks on President Obama, to the current debate of the Black Church and
Homosexuality. The Black community is at a tipping point. It is time to be at
the frontline of this tipping point. It is time to be proactive to stop these disparities compared to reactive to these situations.
The disparities that leaders such as Malcolm X, Martin L. King, Huey P. Newton,
Stokely Carmichael, and Jessie Jackson spoke of 30 and 40 years ago are still present today. Disproportionally high rates
in areas such as unemployment, domestic violence, community violence, single parent households, dropout rates, police brutality,
HIV/Aides rates, etc. Many statistics that are positive and constructive, we have extremely low numbers. Many negative and
destructive statistics, we are at the top of the list. Why is this? Why do we seem to continue to be on a downward spiral
in society? Have we not learned to be and do better? This is what we need healing from.
Whether right or wrong, when discussing the ills and disparities within
the African-American community, many things are discussed, such as violence, drugs, poverty, and emotional, physical, spiritual
health. However, there are two that come to the forefront, especially in the
urban community: racism and the black men’s role. Let’s start with one that many have difficulty with, no matter
black, white or brown and that is the issue of racism. One group wants to focus on what many believe is America’s original
sin, chattel slavery and they believe that pervasive structural racism still exists. Historians agree that chattel slavery’s
destruction of family relationships to this day undermines African-American’s ability to form healthy relationships
and families. (Joy Degruy 2005) Another group wants to believe that racism isn’t that big of a problem and besides we
have a black president.
Some Black individuals have been healed on an individual basis. However, the community as a whole continues to suffer.
When the Black man suffers, everybody in the family and community suffers tenfold. It’s been said that men are responsible
to cultivate hope. The presupposition is that men themselves have hope, for how
can he cultivate that which he does not have? And how can he heal from pain that
he refuses to acknowledge because he believes to do so is unmanly? Unwittingly
and helplessly, Black men pass their pain on to the women and children in their lives and the cycle of slavery’s devastating
pain continues and its profits soar. And yet, there are those who still ask,
“Why the focus on Black men healing?”
African-American men are not responsible for America’s original sin and the pervasive structural racism built
upon its foundation, but we better take the responsibility for our HEALING from it’s devastating impacts upon us as
Black men, so we can be healthy crusaders with our women in rebuilding our families, vital communities and capable children. Without healing from individual and intergenerational trauma it’s hard to fully
experience a relationship that reflects respect for all the people in the relationship, including the children and move forward
like Sankofa towards becoming a safe and healthy part of the community.
The 2012 Community Empowerment through Black Men Healing Conference kicks
off on June 21st and June 22nd at Metropolitan State University. This was the fourth year of the annual
conference. The mission of the conferences are to offer alternative ways of thinking about community building by addressing
intergenerational pain and trauma that act as barriers to healing, collaboration, sustainable change and community empowerment.
The focus of this year’s conference is Compassionate Accountability. The conference is open to all community members, social workers, educators, law enforcement, students,
community organizers, and social service professionals from multiple cultural backgrounds.
Black males have a significant role in the black community. Whether their role is father, brother, uncle, cousin, friend,
coach, teacher, preacher, neighbor, or owner, black men bring a significance affect to the black community. The affect of
black males can be a positive or negative impact, either way black males play a part in the paradigm of the black community.
Black males are at the core of empowering the black community. The Community Empowerment
through Black Men Healing Conference maybe seen as a rebellious or edgy event that looks at alternative ways to healing
and developing the black community. However in the words of Sam Simmons (Co-Founder of the conference), “Some change
is just about being brave enough to get out of the box.”
For
more information about the conference or authors go to www.brothershealing.com or www. healingbrothers.com
