Black In Business

What is it about the weekend, when I can sleep all day I am wide awake at 5:30am? During the week, many days when the alarm goes off at 6, I think I could easily last another 3 hours. This morning I got up and could have slept more but I could not wait to start making phone calls for my business as an executive recruiter.
This Saturday morning I came accross a TV show, Black Enterprise Magazine, in Chicago it came on 6am Saturday morning. Not exactly prime time but I am glad I was up. The topic was succession planning. This is a big coporate word, I first became aware of from 1990 on .Succession planning is where you plan to replace your key people in the event they are no longer employed for the firm. Any HR team worth their salt and many that are not, introduce succession planning. When done correctly, people are indentified early, provided developmental plans, which could include, training, assignments and different responsibilites enroute to suceeding this incubent.
Black Enterprise founded in 1970 and enjoying a current circulation of over 500,000 subscribers. The company founder is Earl Graves Sr, a Morgan State Graduate. I have often read Black Enterprise and their focus is on black business and black business people. It is one of the best known magazines in black America. Graves Sr has built an empire and has become a well known achiever and an inspiration for many. He has done a great job and will be big shoes to fill.
Often times we think rich and famous black people are immune to racism. In Graves Sr. best selling book, “How to Succeed in Business without being White,” he described times where banks refused to cash large checks because they could not believe a black man had a check so large. I had a major bank refuse to let me deposit a 400,000 dollar check because they said my credit was not good enough. I didn’t challenge, I thought if they were that dumb, some body would take my business. Not to give the wrong impression, I was getting my cash together for a house downpayment.I qualified for a jumbo mortage, car loans but could not open an account. This was in 1998, and I think accounts can be open today with discrimination, but clearly discrimination in banking was a problem then. Still I was shock that someone as dignified as Mr. Graves would encounter the same discrimination as me.
Graves’s son, Earl Graves JR, aka, Butch encountered a DWB, driving while black. He ended upped face down on the ground and hand cuffed. This was in thr Greater New York City area. I was glared at DWB, just last week by a white police woman leaving the United Center in my CLS 500 with my neighbor. He said wow that is a mean looking woman, I am glad she is not my wife. I thought I hope this b word does not pull me over. She was driving with 3 other cops and she decided to mess with some younger black men and pulled them over.
Raising a black family in a racist environment, running a business, being married over 40 years to the same woman, and keeping everyone out of trouble is no easy task.
Earl Graves Sr passed the tourch to Butch to be CEO. Butch has 2 brothers, one is VP of corporate sales, the other a Lawyer. They were both interviewed and spoke without rivalry, anger or disappointment. They showed complete support and respect for their new CEO. Their mother is Sr’s most trusted advisior and has been a Sr staff leader for most of the years since the magazine started.
Congratulation to both Earl Graves, Butch on the well deserverd promotion and Sr and showing us that blackmen can have it all and still head an excellent family unit.

My blog mentor, a 38 year old handsome white guy sent me this link on media diversity.This is an important topic and I am amazed at the lack of progress in this area. Major comglomerates are buying up the media outlets and forcing the little guy out of business. Soon we may have only one voice for news.
Often times in the world of sports, brothers are hung out to dry because the media voive is monolithic. A large stone of white reporters. I witnessed Dusty Baker burned to a cross by speaking about racial hate mail. The white media called it playing the race card. Often times the media is upset because the NFL has the Rooney rule, which states an African American must be interviewed for a head coaching job. The group think of one opinion often leads to comfort and looking down on different opinions.
The monolithic media is very upset today because of Imus fired and Duke lacross player charges dropped. These kids and their parents got a year long dose of living like black people do on a daily basis. Often times we are judged based on things we had nothing to do with.
The link will show a protest letter to the FCC regarding the buying up of small stations and providing the public less diversity in the media.if you would like, this will help you voice a protest.
Stop the Media
Malcom X made his trip to Mecca for a religious pilagimage and returned a changed man. Malcom use to preach all white people were devils. He found outside the United States in Mecca, Muslims of all colors being gracious to each other. Malcom made the point to be open minded about people and asked his followers to do the same.I have firends of all races and diversity is a wonderful thing in life. We have more in common than different.
Doug Karr is one man whom I have met through blogging. He is ranked 2602 in the world and loves diversity. His opinion on Imus, “fire his ass” I urge you to visit Doug blog, he is one of the good ones.

Citibank lays off 17,000 employees. US will order 100,000 soilders to extend their duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over 3000 young soldiers dead, 25000 plus wounded, over 400 billion spent. What was I thinking when I referred to Peace and Prosperity, a Democratic President, Bill Clinton. Oh, another bit of news, nation’s house prices will drop for the first time since 1968. Many families are behind in their mortages and in danger of losing their homes. Bin Laden at large.
I wonder, how many of the 17,000 exCitibank empolyees voted for George Bush? How many of the military members, stuck in Iraq, voted for George Bush? How many families of dead soldiers, wasted lives,wounded and hospitilized in squalor, voted for George Bush? How many people with 2 mortages, running behind, in danger of losing their homes voted for George Bush? Yes it is all very tragic.
During poor economic times blacks suffer more than whites. We are last hired and the first fired. Our despair is not as bad as the Bush voters, we did not vote for him nor did we support this disaster of a war.I want to hear from some conservatives to explain why us blacks should stopped being used by the Democrats, and vote Republican in the next election. Keep in mind, we did well under Clinton-Gore. The link below will provide some very sad economic news on the Bush Presidency.
AFLCIO

I have read a lot of excellent blogs on this matter and have watched 2 leading black Reverends, Sharpton and Jackson will lead the way to ensure Imus feels pain for his sexist remarks. Wait was not it racist, perhaps, but we are nappy, so are some Jews, Greeks Italians and Imus. According to a south side of Chicago hair stylist and many of her customers, nappy means not looking your best. These children were playing basketball, looking your best is not required. Winning is the goal and these young ladies did win enough to play for the national tittle. They are students in a fine university. They are our best and I am proud of them and what they represent.
Let’s consider some black folk that white folk are fond of; Is Condalesa Rice, a nappy-headed ho? Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, how about Star Jones? Is Laura Bush a ho? Barbara Bush, The Bush twins? Offensive, you bet? Why are not more white people upset? Because they think of it as a black thing, If Imus had picked a curly haired Barbara Bush to call nappy headed ho, Imus would already be fired. Agree? so the term is offensive but the target was not offensive.
I saw the attractive Rutgers team captain and her attractive teamates face the press. What an ordeal to go through because of a hateful comment. I noticed the color thing again. I have offended some readers by talking about some light skinned blacks being confused. Imus reffered to it as jigaboos vs the wanna bees. As in wanna be white. Imus was more comfortable with the Tennessee team because of skin color. I did not watch the game but many people have told me the Tennesse team is made up of light skinned women.I wonder if light skinned blacks are offended? Many times the house nwords have the same attitudes about color and hair as the most racist and stupid white people
Here is the root of the problem. On July 23, God spoke, “I am ready to pass out good looks and brains.” God continued, ” Where is Don Imus?” The reply Imus is out of the room, God said ” well he should be back when we pass out ugly and stupid!” Imus born on July 23, 1940 has gone through life being ugly and stupid. White folks that have been told all their lives how ugly they are, try to look down on other races so they will feel better about themselves. Imus’s stupidity has surfaced this pass week.
Despite all that, I do not think he should be fired, A year long suspension would be deserved and a major fine to provide educational opportunties for poor black women to attend Rutgers would benefit some young black girls.
I have concern about, affordable housing, job discrimination, police profiling, poor inter city schools, fighting a war in Iraq, sending more young black boys to jail rather than college. Perhaps attitudes like Imus are the reason for the racism in our land. Let’s punish Imus but focus on bigger issues that can help the black and poor community more so. Keep Hope Alive.

You have to love a wonderful lady, she awarded me a Thinking Blog award. This award is for those blogs that cause you to pause and think. Wow heady, I love debate and hope some of my opinions will lead to better understanding of blackinbusiness success. ILLKER gives a good overview of this award and the goals of it.

I will have to give props to black bloggers that case me to pause and think. I am limited to 5 but my hope is these 5 will tag some of my other choices so the black blog community thinkers will all get awards.

BWoods authors a blog that the title cause me to sign up for. He is strong mind over matter outllok and is sharing his knowledge. He set high standards for himself and is a young man that has he puts it, looks good. BW turn us on to 5 more thinkers.

LDW is a brother I just met. He has a good mind and a sensitivity expressed through his blog. 6ft 3 in and 300lbs of knowledge to match. You will enjoy his work. Latimer hip us to 5 more thinkers.

Benin Epilogue Benin Muangi is taching us how to do business in Africa. The motherland is an area rich in natural resources and opportunity. Benin is a Morehouse man and his blog influence is growing. My brother, give us 5 more thinkers.

Theo Johnson’s blog is called “Now Thats What I’m Talking About.” He brings it on society and other issues affecting black life. A true and compassionate thinkers. Theo helps us find 5 more thinkers.

Electronic Village is an experienced and critical thinker who blog is a must visit. He has a strong community and influence. Village give us 5 more thinkers.

Congratulations to all!