Ferguson, Staten Island and Supplier Diversity
I was born 89 years
after the legal end of slavery in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I was born not a
slave, but not quite free. It was the dying days of segregation and Jim
Crow. Eighty-nine years ago today does not seem that long ago. We
probably know friends and relatives of this age and older. Is it any
surprise that in 1954 the legacy of slavery 89 years from that point in
time still cast a dark shadow over the life chances and outcomes of my
and succeeding generations of Americans of African descent? The recent
grand jury proceedings in Ferguson and Staten Island can be tied
directly to the history of slavery and exploitation of Americans of
African descent. But what do the recent events in Ferguson and Staten
Island have to do with supplier diversity? I believe the answer to this
question illustrates a clearly defined connection between what we are
attempting to accomplish in corporate supplier diversity and these
tragic events. I believe that corporations have a specific and important
self-interest in redressing the concerns of Americans of African
descent. I believe MBEs and WBEs have an interest in social and racial
justice with specific regards to the conditions of the overwhelming
majority of African-Americans.
For some, it seems like
déjà vu all over again. Some are shocked by the lack of indictments.
Personally and sadly I was not shocked. Perhaps it was from being
racially profiled many times and even being brought in on suspicion of
the crime of murder back in 1983 when the only connection I had was that
the victim was a customer of mine and the main suspect was Black- talk
about business risks! (She did owe me $40 which the NY Police claimed
was my motive!) These personal experiences of walking while Black,
driving while Black and doing business while Black provide the lens
through which I see police interactions with other Blacks. And
unfortunately, my personal experiences are the norm not the exception
for Black men. Today, over 1 million Blacks are in the nations prisons
and jails. The rate of incarceration of Black men is six times that of
whites. Black men born today have a greater chance of spending time in
prison than they do spending time in a university. I would never argue
that all incarcerated Black men are innocent, or that there are
behaviors within our community that need to be addressed but it strains
credulity that the distribution of men in jail does not reflect
population proportions. And guilty or not, it is a damning testament to
where we are as a society, particularly as we preach to the world the
virtues and value of American democracy.
As a society, we
attempted to address the legacy of slavery with the Civil Rights Act
(1964), the Voting Rights Act (1965) and court decisions (Brown vs.
Board of Education, 1954). Things did materially get better as a result
of theses judicial and legal interventions for many African Americans
and Americans in general. But even with these interventions, there were
over 100 street riots in reactions to the assassination of Martin Luther
King in 1968.
In response to the over
100 street protests, and riots, in 1969, newly elected President Richard
Nixon, using an executive order (11458), created the Office of Minority
Business Enterprise. (It isironic that President Obama is being
vilified for using executive orders today to improve the rights of
certain immigrants.) The Office of Minority Business Enterprise was to
become the Minority Business Development Agency in 1979. The National
Minority Supplier Development Agency was largely funded by this agency
before we adopted our current model of primary corporate support in the
early 1980s. Today the GNEMSDC is the holder of two MBDA grants for our
Boston and Bridgeport offices. We are directly connected to the Civil
Rights struggle.
It was the struggle for
African American rights that influenced, informed and preceded the
struggle for immigrant rights, gay rights, veteran rights, rights for
the disabled, women's rights and minority rights in general. All
Americans benefited by having a more humane America because of the
African American struggle for basic civil, human and economic rights.
All Americans stand to gain if we can provide the security and
development in African American communities today.
Now it seems we have
come full circle. African Americans and other Americans are in the
streets crying out for justice and basic human rights. And once again,
it forces us to examine why are we at this point of confrontation
between the dream of America and the reality of America.
I and others contend
that the reason why Eric Garner was selling single cigarettes on the
street on Staten Island, and the reason why Michael Brown was stealing
cigars, and the reason why 12-year old Tamir Rice was killed while
playing with a toy gun, is because the communities where they lived do
not have the economic opportunity to realize their human needs for
employment or business ownership or the fruits that come with economic
stability in the communities where they lived. And as a result, these
communities are policed by persons who are not there to serve and
protect them.
I want to be clear, that
I am not leading, nor am I advocating for more protests or boycotts,
but Corporate America, needs to be clear that the demonstrations in the
streets across this country can and will impact their bottom lines if
they do not take steps to sincerely get involved to address the problems
African Americans continue to face. African Americans are increasingly
aware that of the $1 trillion in income earned, the gross receipts of
African American owned firms represent less than 14 percent. In other
words, at least 86 percent of income earned by African Americans is
spent on businesses owned by others. This is the highest ratio of
income spent outside of a community than for any other ethnic or racial
group in America.
My suggestion is that
Corporate America be proactive and not reactive. Corporate America needs
to acknowledge that African American unemployment rates continue to be
twice that of all Americans, and that African American teenage
unemployment is over 50 percent in many urban centers across the
country. Corporate America needs to acknowledge that they need to make
significant investments in African American businesses. African American
businesses are sometimes the only glue that supports these communities.
Corporate America can do this by re-invigorating efforts to target the
growth and development of African American businesses and other minority
businesses that operate in inner cities. Why can't all the major
retailers have stores in inner cities? Why can't these stores be joint
ventures between these global retailing giants and African American
entrepreneurs. We need more Magic Johnson Starbucks partnerships.
Inner City America is not only food deserts, they are retail deserts,
they are job deserts, they business deserts.
The GNEMSDC can help.
MBEs can help. Corporate members can help, or all of us can sit back and
wring our hands and hope that someone else will address the underlying
problems in African American communities. Well guess what; there is no
one else but us to help.
Slavery is not ancient
history. The Civil Rights movement is not ancient history. The problems
in Ferguson, Staten Island and across this country are tied to our
unique American recent history. Because of the events in recent weeks,
it is clear that we are not done with what the American Founders called a
search for a "more perfect union". We have much work to do. I hope this
network of leaders is prepared to accept their historic duty of
leadership. We can, and we must - engage. In 1903, WEB DuBois stated
that problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.
I think it is time we solve this problem.
In your service,
Dr. Fred
|
|
|||||||||
Comments