Black Man

So, first I want to say thank you for taking the time to read my article. I realize that you could be doing a number of things other than consuming my content. I also want to thank you, because by participating, you are helping me fulfill my dream to share my message with others.           

Well, I woke up this morning, and to my surprise, I woke up a BLACK MAN. I am not sure why this morning was different than any other day. I guess some days I go to bed feeling like I was seen in the same light that my peers are seen, specifically my white male peer. Unfortunately, I also wake up and I realize that I have not been so fortunate. But why? I mean I did what I was supposed to do. I went to school, I got a degree. Hell, I earned a Post Graduate Degree from the number program in the country. I kept my grades above 3.0, I was active on my campus and in my community. I was the son of a military officer, I should be on a path that is paved with gold, riding in on a chariot made of gold, being pulled by the Budweiser horses. Right? I mean if I took the fact that I was also born a black man out of the equation, I believe that there are some issues that I simply would not face. But hey, I guess I should be happy that I am not in jail or worse, dead. Right?

To make things worse, I live in trump’s America. I am intentional about keeping his name lower case, because I don’t respect him in any way. I don’t respect him, as a man, a father, a business person, or as that President, but I do respect the office he holds. But hey, he is the President of the United States of America. But what does that even mean anymore? Does the title still mean what it used to mean when it was held by people that actually wanted to create some type of change for the broader American population? His inauguration made me question so many things. I wonder if there was ever a time when US Presidents were actually interested in doing more for the average people, or has it always just been a group of rich white men who cared about the same things, but had different approaches to shared problems? I get that becoming president means that you had to start at a certain level. You have to be in a select circle to even have your name and US President mentioned in the same sentence. Well, I guess what I mean to say is have the two words in same sentence and be taken seriously. But hey, maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised. When we had eight years of a president that represented all that America could be it is only fitting that we follow him up with a president that represents all that America was.

I will admit that am I still very hopeful that I will get to see a better day. I am a true believer in a better tomorrow. I know that it will not be given to us, but if I can in some small way contribute to the process of pushing for a better tomorrow, I will. I am committed to moving past the days of being the only black person in an organization that has many roles that could be filled by qualified candidate of diverse backgrounds. I know that one of the hurdles that I will have to overcome is feeling comfortable bringing in talent that may be different that the current “status quo.” I was fortunate to have someone talk to me about how to think through having that conversation. I know that I unlike my peer will have to speak to the fact that I am working to create a culture that will enable me to be successful. It’s a funny conversation to have, because the phrase “they don’t fit the culture” is racially charged in its nature. Unfortunately, that fact is rarely address in the communities that I work in. There is rarely a conversation that addresses the fact that when some says “they don’t fit the culture” is first taking into account that they candidate looks different. The difference goes beyond skin color and encompasses gender, ethnicity, sexuality, speech patterns, and thought. To truly evolve any culture, we have to acknowledge the reality that the people that made the organization successful in the past may not be the same people that will make it successful in the future. So, as I woke up this morning as a black man I felt a call to action. A call that tells me that I have to be comfortable being uncomfortable so that the next generation has a chance to feel comfortable. I felt a call to action that gave me the passion and excitement required to truly be a change agent. I woke up this morning knowing that I am different, but I am proud to be exactly who I am and what I can achieve.