29 The Christian Reader October 2008
THE NATIONAL BLACK MBA ASSOCIATION 30TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPOSITION IN WASHINGTON D . C .
National Black MBA Conference & Exposition Washington DC Christian Reader October 2008
CAREER CATALYSTS : National Black
MBA Association President & CEO Barbara L . Thomas and Board President Bill Wells ( center ) opened the career fair of the organization ’ s 30th Annual Conference & Exposition flanked by other NBMBAA board members and numerous corporate sponsors and attendees . The NBMBAA Conference Career Fair is one of the largest in the nation — more than 450 companies exhibited and close to 10,000 job-seekers attended .
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LEADERSHIP IS INTERACTION : For
its fifth annual Leadership Institute , the National Black MBA Association enlisted business guru and noted author Tom Peters to talk to Institute attendees about MBWA , or management by walking around , which he says is essential to being an effective leader . “ Organizations are about human development and growth ,” he said . “ Excellence can be obtained if you care more than others think is wise , risk more than others think is safe , dream more than others think is practical , and expect more than others think is possible .”
WHY CAN ’ T WE TALK ABOUT CLASS ? Michael Eric Dyson ( left ) said that any
fruitful conversations about the black middle class must begin with an honest assessment of class stratum and end with an examination and adjustment in the actions that challenge the black middle class . He suggested an acronym of “ B . L . A . C . K ” that called for “ buying black , learning black , acting black ( in terms of upholding excellence and tradition ), communicating black and keeping black ( i . e . being willing to challenge those who threaten the black middle class ’ existence ). Washington Post writer Michael Fletcher ( right ) encouraged members of the black middle class to push for public policies that help thwart the effects and close the gaps caused by residential segregation and inferior schools .
Dyson and Fletcher were panelists during the National Black MBAAssociation ’ s “ The Disappearing Middle Class and Its Effect on Black America ” discussion , a kickoff to the organization ’ s 30 Annual Conference & Exposition — Catalyst For Change ... Then . Today . Tomorrow . — which took place in Washington D . C .
DOES BLACK-OWNED MATTER IN BUSINESS ? Lisa M Toppin , vice president with
Charles Schwab ’ s human resources department , confronted audience members about how they approach working with black-owned businesses . “ Too often when we patronize Black businesses , we ’ re looking for the hook-up ,” she said , insisting that the black community not only seek out black vendors but also be willing to pay for the service it receives . Toppin was one of five panelists who participated in the National Black MBAAssociation ’ s “ The Disappearing Middle Class and Its Effect on Black America ” panel , which launched the organization ’ s 30 Annual Conference & Exposition — Catalyst For Change ... Then . Today . Tomorrow . — in Washington D . C .
IS THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS DISAPPEARING ? To kick off its 30th Annual
Conference & Exposition in Washington D . C ., National Black MBAAssociation President and CEO Barbara L . Thomas ( middle ) invited a distinguished panel to discuss the state and stability of the black middle class . CNN contributor and TVOne commentator Roland S . Martin ( far left ) served as moderator for the panel that included ( from left to right ): NBM- BAA Immediate Past Chairman Alvin Brown ; Washington Post economics correspondent Michael Fletcher ; Charles Schwab vice president Lisa Toppin ; author Lawrence Otis Graham ; and Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson .
ARE OUR LIFESTYLES KILLING US ? Author Lawrence Otis Graham ( far right )
detailed how and why the pressures of being a minority , coupled with expectations from within the race , create a conflicted and strained experience for the black middle class , making it particularly fragile . “ There is an intellectual dishonesty about class within the black community , and this helps make the middle class lifestyle much more stressful than a white middle-class lifestyle ,” he said during the National Black MBA Association ’ s “ The Disappearing Middle Class and Its Effect on Black America ” panel , which launched the organization ’ s 30 Annual Conference & Exposition — Catalyst For Change ... Then . Today . Tomorrow . — in Washington D . C .
YES YOU CAN : Earvin “ Magic ” Johnson
spoke to attendees of the National Black MBAAssociation ’ s 30th Annual Conference and Exposition about the gratification and responsibilities of being a business owner , showing through his example that blacks should seek to dominate not simply in sports but also in business and financial endeavors . “ It ’ s all about the customers : You have to over-deliver in this market , over-deliver to them and to yourself ,” Johnson advised . “ If you want to get into business , look to urban America — I wanted to invest in my own people , even though everyone said it wouldn ’ t work .”
MORE THAN GAME : NBA legend and
Magic Johnson Enterprises Chairman and CEO Earvin “ Magic ” Johnson poses with National Black MBA board members Thomas W . Dortch , Jr ., ( left ) and Dr . dt ogilvie ( right ) after his remarks at the organization ’ s 30th Annual Conference & Exposition in Washington D . C . Johnson partnered with the Burger King Corp . to engage attendees at the Conference ’ s Industry Theatre during his presentation about ownership and franchising opportunities in the food and beverage industry .
EXPANDING BLACK BUSINESS :
At the National Black MBA Association ( NBM- BAA ) 30TH Annual Conference & Exposition in Washington D . C ., Wells Fargo ’ s African-American Business Services national spokesperson Brenda Ross-Dulan ( left ) and manager , diverse business services and small business marketing Liza Ford ( right ) presented NBMBAA president and CEO Barbara L . Thomas ( center ) with a token to mark the expanded partnership between the two entities . After meeting its initial goal to lend $ 1 billion to African- American businesses two years early , the institution has pledged to lend another $ 1 billion to African- American businesses by 2018 .
BLACK INVENTORS , 2.0 : During the
National Black MBA Association ’ s 30th Annual Conference & Exposition in Washington D . C ., three notable African-American inventors shared how they brought their ideas to fruition . “ Intellectual property is everything : Right now , a domain name can protect you as much as a brand name ,” said Dr . John T . Applewhite , Jr . ( center ), co-inventor of the Super Soaker , told the audience as Elaine Fisher Cato ( left ) inventor of the Maidenform Breakthrough Backless Bra and Kristyn Heath , CEO of Passive Devices LLC and inventor of Snooptunes , look on .
29 The Christian Reader October 2008
Audience members actively participated in the discussion by answering survey questions in real-time — their answers established a baseline definition of “ middle class ” and helped guide the discussion by highlighting the group ’ s behaviors , thought processes and tendencies . The majority feedback determined that someone would be middle-class if he or she held a bachelor ’ s degree ; did managerial work ; made approximately $ 75,000 ; owned multiple investments ( e . g . stocks , bonds , real estate and some form of a retirement account ); and lived in the suburbs . When surveyed , 64 percent of the audience believed that the black middle class is disappearing . You can weigh in and share your thoughts on the characteristics and behaviors of the black middle class by visiting www . blackmbaonline . com and taking the survey .