6BB AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL MONDAY , APRIL 23 , 2018
CONGRESSWOMAN ’ S REPORT
Changing Lives Through Education is Part of My Legacy
By Congresswoman Frederica S . Wilson
I am often asked what legacy will I leave behind ?
The most common definitions for “ legacy ” deals with gifts , wills , money or other personal property . A lesser-known definition focuses on using familial relationships in order to gain membership into schools or fraternal organizations . But the most meaningful definition relates to ancestors passing down something tangible to their descendants .
THE BAUGHTOM LINE
By Germaine Smith-Baugh
The spirit of ac�vists who pushed for civil rights a half century ago is s�ll alive today . In fact , a new genera�on of African-American leaders are figh�ng ba�les old and new . They con�nue the struggles over old concerns such as vo�ng rights , police misconduct , and racial profiling , and have taken on new ba�les over issues like access to technology , transgender rights , and gun violence .
It is important that we leave a legacy for our children . This is especially true in light of disturbing reports that predict black Americans ’ median wealth will fall to zero by the year 2053 , virtually causing the black middle class to be nonexistent in less than two generations .
It ’ s difficult to imagine that level of regression in 2018 , the 50th year since Rev . Dr . Martin Luther King ’ s assassination . But we have been in a state of devolution since the 2016 election . The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 are being severely limited by voter suppression laws . There are also efforts to expand work requirements under the current presidential administration .
How can we prepare our children for this seemingly bleak future ? Education has been the answer since Alexander Lucius Twilight became the first black American to graduate from college in 1823 .
New African-American Faces in Modern Civil Rights Movement
These days , the field of African-American ac�vists is arguable more powerful and robust than in past decades , driven by the no�on that our na�on remains an unjust , unequal and , at �mes , a cruel place but also joined by the hope that change can happen . Using new and old media , these ac�vists are crea�ng movements , some�mes in a ma�er of days , that are bringing a�en�on to painful and overlooked issues .
Here are some of the many new African-American ac�vists who are fixing American and figh�ng injus�ces that you should know about :
1 ) Kimberly Bryant , founder of Black Girls Code . She was upset by the dismal number of minori�es represented in the tech industry , so she launched the nonprofit Black Girls Code to provide pre-teens with the opportunity to learn computer programming skills and understand basic technology . Her group provides summer programs for young girls to a�end workshops and hear from experts in the field . She was honored by the White House in 2013 with the
Studies indicate that investing in education reduces poverty , boosts economic growth and increases income . Education also increases the chances of having a healthy life , reduces maternal deaths , and combats diseases such as HIV and AIDS .
As a former elementary school principal , I have always believed in the importance of investing in our children ’ s future . It is why I started the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project 25 years ago .
Each year , the program sends dozens of previously at-risk boys of color – known as Wilson Scholars – to college to help them realize a brighter future .
Next week , 58 Wilson Scholars from 11 senior high schools will sign scholarships to the colleges or universities of their choice . In addition , graduates will receive custom-made suits and 5000 Role Models signature neckties from the Sean John Collection at Macy ’ s . They
Champions of Change Tech Inclusionaward .
2 ) Patrisse Cullors , co-founder of # BlackLivesMa�er . Calling herself a “ freedom fighter ,” she founded the group Dignity and Power Now in 2012 to tackle law enforcement reform in the Los Angeles area . A year later , she came up with the # BlackLivesMa�er hashtag a�er George Zimmerman was found not guilty for fatally shoo�ng Trayvon Mar�n . The # BlackLivesMa�er social media campaign -- and eventual interna�onal movement -- caught on in Ferguson , Mo ., a�er the death of Michael Brown in 2014 at the hands of a white police officer .
3 ) Bryan Stevenson , founder and execu�ve director , Equal Jus�ce Ini�a�ve . A MacArthur “ genius ” grant winner and a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government , he is focused on prison reform . His organiza�on represents death-row prisoners and advocates on behalf of young or poor inmates . His 2012 TED talk , en�tled , “ We Need to Talk About an Injus�ce ,” has been watched will also receive new red laptops , the signature color of the program .
The program has mentored thousands of young men who have become the good citizens , good fathers , and good men who are now our community ’ s teachers , doctors , lawyers , law enforcement officers , professional athletes , elected officials , and other leaders .
When I get the opportunity to listen to them , they recount the experiences with the program that served as the cornerstone for changing the trajectory of their lives , and in many instances helped them avert life-threatening situations . These young men are a part of the legacy I hope to leave behind .
The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Foundation ’ s Annual Academic Signing Day will take place in May 2018 at Hard Rock Stadium . For more information call ( 305 ) 995-2451 .
more than 2 million �mes . He said in the talk : “ We have a system of jus�ce in this country that treats you much be�er if you ' re rich and guilty than if you ' re poor and innocent .”
4 ) Maya Wiley , formed the Center for Social Inclusion , which works to dismantle the structural barriers to racial equality . Before then , she had a long civil rights career at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educa�onal Fund , the American Civil Liber�es Union and the Open Society Ins�tute . Her ins�tute focuses on achieving clean energy independence , food equity , and advancing opportuni�es for people of color . Over the years , she has worked with farmers in the South to build worker collec�ves and has been influen�al in pushing for more funding in educa�on in Mississippi .
The Baughtom Line is this : There are many new African-American faces in the modern civil rights movement . They may not be household names , but they are brave men and women who deserve our a�en�on as they carry on our fight against racial injus�ce .