R.oB. News

Black State of the Union

Watching Tavis Smiley's "State of the Black Family" on C-SPAN. Incredible stuff, year in and year out. Every black man, woman, and child should watch this event in its entirety. Matter of fact, white folk should tune in too! The self-reflection, spirit, love, anger, laughter, and upliftment was energizing and powerful. Luminaries abounded: Cornel West, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Micheal Eric Dyson, Ben Carson, and on and on.

Top quotes:

• "MAN UP!"
  Judge Greg Mathis on black males being men and true to the black family.
• "A wise man will insult me, but a fool never will. Have a nice day!"
  Marva Collins quoting a 6 year-old girl's response to a white boy who called her "nigger."
• "Live inside your paycheck."
  Valerie Coleman Morris on fiscal discipline within the black family.

More Quotes:

• "Close the candy store."
  Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie on a strategy to increase the incidence of marriage between black men and women.
• "I'm free here in Florida because I'm an intellectual black man."
  Jordan A Morris, sophomore at Millersville University PA, on anti-intellectualism in black youth.
• "If being smart is acting white, then how do you act black?"
  Jawanza Kunjufu on anti-intellectualism in black youth.
• "It's hard enough being black and alive. You don't want anybody to think you are Black and crazy!"
  Gwendolyn Goldsby Grant on the fighting the stigma of having mental health problems.
• "What about our loneliness?"
  Orlando Patterson on the "micro" issues affecting members the Black Family, i.e. all black people, within the context of our group solidarity in social, economic, and political arenas.
• "If you 'No' isn't strong, your 'Yes' is weak."
  Iyanla Vanzant on black women taking responsibility for their relationships with the people around them.
  "Start where you are....How ya livin'? Are you living in truth?"
  Iyanla Vanzant on what each black person watching the symposium could immediately take away from it and put into practice.
• "We live in an era of political correctness instead of values."
  Dr. Ben Carson on the current socio-political climate in America.
• "Ain't no gay filter for the cash."
  Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson on active gay and lesbian members in our churches who tithe along side us straight members.