Praising young voices

Chowchilla, Cal.--It's been a while since young Black Americans had the opportunity to speak out in regards to real issues. I applaud you for the article, "Youth speak on crisis in Oakland" in the Dec. 2008-Jan. 2009 News & Letters! I've found over the years that we as African-Americans and as a society as a whole no longer teach, guide, or encourage our children. We don't instill in them that they are beautiful, and that they are worthy.

We no longer take pride in our neighborhoods, churches, or schools. Our struggle, in overcoming any and every obstacle placed before us since the Atlantic Slave Trade began in 1493, has been almost silenced. We have lost some things that once were dear to us. We are no longer waiting to overcome, as in "we shall overcome."

Instead, we glamorized drug dealers, selling drugs and using our own children as mules. We have created a genocide in our communities giving our children low self-esteem, dysfunction, and no education.

So I would like to reiterate that we are majestic, strong, worthy, we have fought a good fight up to this point. We should really understand that "we have overcome" a lot. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream is now becoming a reality. And all those before us who spoke out and marched did make a difference.

However, the new realities have negative connotations. "Hood" and anything associated with the term is nothing to be proud of anymore. Where respect soared you used the term "neighbor."

Our thinking has enslaved us on a daily basis. We offer each other nothing. Our babies are making babies, not understanding that the revision of the welfare system cuts off all aid after five years. Our young fathers are multiplying their seeds. They are unemployed from a lack of education, intimidated by the thought of higher education and no longer consider morals and values.

So as we hear the young voices committed to a cause, I want to include them in this historic fight. I am certain that the Barbara Jordans, Alice Walkers, John Johnsons and the daughters of our new commander-in-chief remember that part of our History remains in Oakland. Thank you.

--Black woman prisoner who fought for a long time and is still fighting

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