Role Model Recruitment

The BBC reports that

Successful role models for young black men are to be recruited to counteract the influence of gang culture, the communities secretary has announced.Hazel Blears said four prominent figures, including entrepreneur Tim Campbell, will hunt for 20 men, such as doctors, lawyers and businessmen. She said the Black Boys’ National Role Models programme would be an “antidote to a culture of low aspiration”.

Personally I think this is a simplistic approach to a complex problem but hey it is a start. A lot of students I speak to in schools aren’t really that bothered with role models outside of their local community. A lot of black professionals who have succeeded have left areas of poverty and depression a long time ago and in many respects speak a different language.The four men who have been highlighted include Tim Campbell (Entrepreneur), Leroy Logan (Met Police), Oswald Boateng (Fashion) and Simon Wolley (Operation Black Vote). I wish them well as they continue to promote positivity but something tells me that a lot of youngsters want to relate to someone a lot closer to home and age. Something I am finding out more and more as a visit schools.Wishing them well and watching this space.

Quote of the Week

“The eyes of the future are looking back at us and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time” (Terry Tempest Williams).

African Students Excel in Science

The first BTWSC Professor Allotey Science Prize ceremony recently recognised seven finalists in the Council Chamber at Harrow Civic Centre in north London.Nominations for the Prize were based on the Year 9 SAT exam results and teacher assessments, and were open to Harrow secondary school students of African descent. The nominees were required to deliver a three minute presentation on global warming. The standard of the presentations were so high that instead of offering one laptop computer to the overall winner as originally planned, the organisers decided to offer two laptops.

Black Boys by Bashy

Accentuating the positive

Profile: Mia Morris

Although we are coming to the end of the 20th anniversary of black history month, there is still so much that can be said about a renewed sense of focus about black history in the UK. One of the key advocates of this thinking is Mia Morris (pictured)Mia is the founder of the Well Placed Consultancy, providing training, consulting, coaching and speaking. In her own words she says”Our aim is to build self esteem, increase personal effectiveness, and encourage risk taking and challenges, which will enable the individual to progress their career prospects.”

And so….

And so as Black History Month approaches,
my mind goes out once again to our youth.
With a media hell bent on reporting only knife and gun crime,
the constant digestion and regurgitation of subversive entertainment on channels which are nothing but BASE,
I salute the men and women who dedicate their energies and attentions to capturing the receptive minds of our future empoweing them to a higher plane.
Reminding us of where we came from, so we can know where we are going
Celebrating our successes, the glue that binds together a somewhat fractured community
Elevating the positive, reminding those battered by miseducation and misguidance, that their is a path less trodden which
When followed can produce fathers and mothers with a sense of identity,
that is passed wholly on to a generation,
breaking the legacy of negativity that is so pervasive and for some gives a false sense of pride
It’s more than a month, we should be making Black History every day
and so, it’s over to you now champions
over to you

Profile: Kanya King

Kanya King MBE is the founder and owner of the MOBO Organisation. Driven with a passion to have a show highlighting music of black origin, which was woefully absent from many other award ceremonies, she established the organisation in 1996. Now a televised show reaching audiences of millions world wide she has blaized a trail for other European urban awards ceremonies, although not without controversy. When I met Kanya it was very clear that she was driven and had a driving passion to be the best at what she does. She doesn’t just talk, she takes action.Kanya’s background includes a stint at Carlton TV as a researcher and was part of the production team for the Crystal Rose Show.

Black Boys Can

The National Black Boys Can Association In conjunction with the National Union of Teachers Presents:

Raising the Academic Attainment of Black Boys

A National Conference for School Leadership, Teachers and other education Practitioners in Primary and Secondary Schools

Tuesday, 13th November 2007, 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

A unique opportunity for those involved in education to learn new strategies for raising the achievement of Black Boys.

The Power List

New Nation, the Ethnic Media Group newspaper, has compiled a list of the most powerful and influential blacks in the UK. The Powerlist identifies and records a number of influential blacks in the UK.

I am delighted at this project as it highlights a number of blacks in the UK who have succeeded against the odds. It may seem trivial to some but for many black youth seeing that there are attainable characters and personalities who are doing well outside of just entertainment and sport is refreshing.

Profile: Paul Gilroy

Paul Gilroy is a professor in Social Theory at the London School of Economics (LSE). He is in fact the first holder of Anthony Giddens Professorship in Social Theory.He is one of the few professors of colour in the UK and through his work has clearly shaped the dialogue and discussion, at least from an Afro Caribbean point of view, about race and culture in the United Kingdom.