Michelle Obama Attends Beyonce Concert
7 Weird Ways To Bug-Proof Your Picnic
Broadcasting live from our nation's capital, President Barack Obama will participate in an hour-long youth town hall meeting, where he will take questions from an audience of 250 young people on Oct. 14. In an unprecedented nod to the power of social networking, the president will also be answering questions from viewers submitted via Twitter.This is a prime opportunity for young people to voice their questions and concerns.
With race-based housing discrimination, educational disadvantages, unemployment and salary disparities weighing on the wallets and psyches of African American communities across this country, black youth need to be upfront and center at this event, prepared to ask the difficult questions.
Our president is listening. He understands that the grassroots movement that changed his address began in the hearts and minds of a generation that is tired of being pandered to by corrupt politicians. Yet for an open dialogue to occur that renders tangible change in our society, we must first have honest accountability.
We claim we are tired of the condescending, stereotypical attacks on our culture, and our very lifestyles. Yet, the airwaves are flooded with images and music that we have allowed to define us, while our passionate views concerning issues affecting our people are allowed to simmer by office water coolers and campus common rooms.
We claim that we are empathetic and knowledgeable on the problematic and complex issues that pervade our communities. Yet the high rate of minority suicides and HIV/AIDS cases suggest otherwise.
We can not rebuild our communities, strengthen our familial structures; bolster our economic presence nor unshackle the bonds of mental slavery that forces us to direct our anger and frustration at our so-called "oppressors" if we continue to allow the Willie Lynch mentality that has permeated African American culture to destroy our solidarity and our purpose.
There are no excuses.
Malcolm X once said:
"Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it."
In the turbulent times we are facing, this holds true now more than ever, and we can accomplish these things through the power of honest conversation and action. Oct. 14 is the perfect time to start. Tell your kids, students, churches, mosques and organizations about this upcoming event to make sure our youths' voices are heard.
The program will air live at 4 p.m. EST. It can also be seen on the MTVu, Centric, TR3s and CMT networks and online at MTV, BET and CMT.
We must be heard.
