Entrepreneurship!!!

I met this young boy (boy #1) yesterday shining shoes. He had drive, determination and the true spirit of a hustler. I watched him work his craft and afterwords I asked him, why are you not out playing ball... His response was that, he had to help his mother feed the family. (PAUSE) That is not the point of this story. Boy #2 who now is to the right of the customer. For 30 minutes, he (boy #2) had been begging for money unsuccessfully. However, over his shoulder he had been watching (NOW INTENSELY WATCHING) boy #1 getting $50 pesos per customer. The point of me sharing this story, is that you never know who is watching you and what type of inspiration you may be to them. Lead by example. My thoughts are that, next week I will donate money out of my pocket to this young boy (boy #1) to teach boy #2 this skill of shining shoes. Moreover, to set boy #2 up for success with his own equipment and products to do the job. #EachOneTeachOne If you would like to help, cool. if not, cool. #OneManMission http://www.weloveexploring.com/donations.html

Buying the hood.

Here's a switch, what if instead of getting out of the hood. We buy up the hood and make it a better place to live for us. 

It would eliminate a few things like, gentrification. 

Gentrification: The process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents.

Gentrification: Another group of people come into your neighborhood. Buy your house, fix it up. Make your old neighborhood worth more than you can afford. You move out and more of them move in. 

Pulled over by cop

1. You have the right to remain silent. That is true whether you’ve just been temporarily detained or formally arrested. There are some instances, like during a traffic stop, where you must provide your license, registration, insurance, and name, when asked. And there are some states where you are required to answer basic identifying questions (name and address) by the police. But you’re not required to give a statement beyond that. You can simply say, “I choose not to answer that question.”

2. You do not have to consent to a search of yourself or your car. There are many situations in which the police will pull someone over and ask—often casually—whether the driver would mind if they “take a look” inside the car. But you don’t have to give that permission. Keep in mind, however, that if the police have probable cause to search your car, or if you’ve been placed under arrest, they can search you, and sometimes your vehicle, whether you give your consent or not.

3. If you are arrested, you have the right to ask for an attorney and should do so immediately. If you have only been stopped temporarily, you’re not entitled to an attorney at that point. But if you’re being held for an extended period of time, either they’re going to have to let you go or place you under arrest.

4. If you’ve been stopped (but not arrested), you have the right to ask the police whether you’re free to go. If they say yes, you should calmly walk — not run — away from the scene.

5. As difficult as it can be, try to remain calm and be as polite as you can. Even if your rights have been violated, you’re not going to argue your way out of the problem. It’s also always a good idea to make sure the police can see your hands, and that you don’t make sudden movements, interfere with what the police are trying to do, or give false statements. In other words, don’t give the police an excuse to mistreat you or pile on additional charges.


http://time.com/3968875/sanda-bland-pulled-over-by-a-cop/

Moving back to Africa

Here are 5 reasons why you should move back to Africa:


1. To invest

Living in North America, Australia or Europe has afforded many of us the opportunities to attend prestigious schools, build up impressive resumes and save up some cash for the future. Doesn’t it make sense for us to take these resources and invest them into our home economies? From oil, to infrastructure projects, from fashion and music to restaurants and clubs, Africa is rich with business opportunities. South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Ethiopia lead the pack in terms of economic growth (think at least 5% to 10% growth consistently). The Economist reported that in the last decade, six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies were African nations. But it’s about more than just opening a restaurant. Investing in our continent can be a philanthropic endeavor as well. This is what Patrick Awuah did when he introduced a new way of educating young West Africans with the creation of Ashesi Universityin Ghana. With the university’s mission described as a place to “cultivate within [their] students the critical thinking skills, concern for others, and the courage it will take to transform their continent”, Ashesi is moulding Africa’s next wave of conscious leaders and socially responsible innovators. With classes like “African Philosophical Thought” and a new engineering school whose future student body will be made up of 50 percent women, Ashesi is creating a new learning environment focused on personal and academic growth. The university offers an important leadership seminar series that pushes students to address issues like wealth distribution and good governance in Africa, and with 95% of graduates staying on the continent after graduation, Ashesi is shaping tomorrow’s Africa right now.


2. To explore

St. Tropez is nice; Diddy and the crew like to spew champagne on light-skinned women in 35-inch yaki weaves there. And you’ll often see Kimye gallivanting across the Left Bank of Paris hobnobbing with rich white people I don’t recognise. But have you seen the beaches of Zanzibar? CNN has listed Cape Maclear in Malawi, Diani Beach in Kenya, and Nungwi Beach in Zanzibar, Tanzania as the top 100 beaches in the world. What about climbing the mountains of Swaziland, or partying until sunrise in Nairobi? Have you been to a beach cookout on the shores of Dakar? We have the opportunity to see the pyramids, visit ancient schools in Timbuktu, climb Kilimanjaro, go swimming off the shores of Mozambique, learn azonto in Accra, visit the ancient ruins of Lalibela and Axum or Nelson Mandela’s prison cell on Robben Island. There’s plenty to see from Morocco to Côte d’Ivoire, from the Congo to Namibia, and the world is sitting up and taking note. US News and World Report included Cape Town, Marrakech, and Serengeti National Park on its list of top ten places to visit. On National Geographic’s annual “Best Trips” list, Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda occupies the number one spot.


3. To influence

We know, we know, there are some things about living back home that are less than stellar. Corruption, poor governance, ineffective law enforcement. But, as the future leaders of the continent, it’s time for us to return and play a role in influencing the direction in which our countries are going. I’m not suggesting we go out there and make ourselves into caricatures of the west; I’m saying that by living on the continent, observing how things are run and meeting and brainstorming with like-minded individuals, we could help to bring about change. Take Ory Okolloh, a Kenyan-born Harvard educated lawyer, who co-founded Mzalendo, a watchdog blog that provides an unprecedented look at the work of Kenya’s Parliament. She and her team are attempting to make accessible to the public information on the voting patterns and governmental activity of their parliamentary leaders; information that was previously unavailable to citizens. Is this the solution for Kenya or other countries? Maybe not, but its igniting debate and discussion about political and social issues on another level and on other platforms like social media.


According to a Consultancy Africa Intelligence report, “due to the skill shortage in Africa, especially in management and industries that require specialised skills, it is estimated there will be a 75% increase in the use of expatriate staff over the next three years”. This means that multinational corporations who influence much of Africa’s governmental policies will look to returnees who have both the education and experience they are looking for, along with the “cultural know-how”. There are opportunities within our professions to influence not only our governments, but big oil companies and tech firms that are making deals throughout the continent, deals that are affecting our daily lives, the environment, the economy.


4. To re-introduce Africa

As a 20-something who was born in Abidjan but raised in Washington, DC, I have spent most of my life navigating a very different world, one where many of my black friends had never been to Africa and many of my white colleagues still asked me if there were enough cars in Abidjan to cause traffic jams. It’s a world of ignorance that needed to be shattered and I wanted to do that by introducing my close friends to my continent, its beauty, and reality. I showed them an Africa different from the Dark Continent narrative. We can show off our music, food, amazing weather, beaches, history, and culture – not just to foreigners but other Africans. How many Africans do you know (with the means) who have never ventured out of their corners of the world? Who have not taken the time to explore their own continent? Who feel more comfortable visiting France than visiting Senegal?


5. Because you have to

You may have a nice life set up in DC, NYC, London or Paris with friends, a job, a car. Should you really leave your comfort for a continent on which some of us have never lived full-time, with unstable governments and electricity that works as much a real housewife of Beverly Hills? Yes, you should. You should try. We are Africans in the diaspora, and we have the potential to influence so much in our nations. It’s not enough to send money orders or bring our cousins clothes during summer vacations back home. We need to become change agents on the ground. As daughters and sons of this continent, I believe it’s our responsibility and we need to take it seriously.


http://voicesofafrica.co.za/5-reasons-why-you-should-move-back-to-africa/

Getting out the Hood

For those of you who have made it and for those of you looking to take the first step towards leaving, here are the 7 Habits of the People who "Made it" Outta the Hood. . .


7. They're Open-Minded. A closed mind will keep you in the hood. That's not to say stayin in the hood is a bad thing. There IS more to the world than being known around your hood doe. Open your mind and you open yourself up to the opportunity to be great OUTSIDE of your hood. Start with trying the foods you wouldn't normally find in your hood and segue into a whole new world.


6. They Travel. Get on a plane. Get a passport. Get some stamps in your passport. I'm not talkin about just going to Cancun & to the Bahamas. Act like there are other places you can go. Seeing how other people live in different parts of the USA & beyond gives you motivation to rethink your dream of being hoodrich. Then (and only then) will you realize that aint nothin rich about being hoodrich.


5. They Take Their Education Seriously. You may see the media telling stories about athletes who went from the hood to hollywood, but that's not the whole story. Don't let the media fool you. For every athlete from my high school struggling to adjust his/her college plans after an injury, there was an "academic" with a full-ride to college. Don't sleep.


4. They're Risk-Takers. In order to leave the hood you have to be prepared to take risks. You have to be willing to apply for the jobs people say you won't get. You have to be willing to move to a place where you won't know anyone. You have to be willing to leave your comfort zone. Take the first step and build a stairwell as you go along.


3. They Read. Reading IS fundamental. I read that in a book. So much information is in books, magazine articles and websites. You can read mediatakeout, but you should also subscribe to the WallStreetJournal. Strive to learn something new and useful everyday by reading something educational everyday. There's an app for that.


2. They Appreciate "Both Worlds." People who made it out never really lose their 'hood edge. They appreciate 30 inch rims and custom candy paint while contributing to their 401(k). They have accounts with Mint.com and good credit, but they also like ratchet music. They don't look down on people from the hood, because they were once there. You should be jealous.


1. Decide to Leave. I polled (secretly) 10 of my friends who "made it out" and every single one of them listed *this* as their first answer. So many people talk about wanting more than the hood life, but they never decide to go after it. People who made it out began with the decision to "get out" and wouldn't take no for an answer. They left for college and jobs. They left behind the people they thought were friends, girlfriends and boyfriends, their family and their comfort zone.


The first step is making the decision to leave. -


http://www.talentedgeneration.com/2012/11/7-habits-of-people-who-made-it-outta.html

Small Town USA

Small-Town USA:


Population 100 Thousand. Lets say half is on some B.S. (50K). And half of the other 50K, just don't get it. (25K) Cool. So we have 25 thousand people of one community. WHAT IF, they all put in one pot $5 per month. Thats $125K per month and 1.5 Million per year. What could one community do with 1.5 Million, Every year.


-Reginald Mitchell

CLEAN AND SOBER

CLEAN AND SOBER

Rodney Alamo Brown


Crazy as this may sound but each one of those $100 bills cost 8 cents to make.Do the real math.We as Black folks are spiritual people,We have been drawn away by money.Our value system is bankrupt.What we own is a reflection of our estimation of our self worth.When you awaken out of the fog of deceit,you finally see life from a different lenses.I recall merely 26 years ago,My credit score was 740, I drove a brand new Mercedes Benz and a brand new BMW both were leased cars.I purchased a $185,000.00 home in the ritzy Glen Cove section of Vallejo,CA..


I wouldn't come outside unless I had 5k in my pocket.Although I was self employed as a barber, I felt exonerated from the system that oppressed me,I felt a need to show the world I made it. Many thought I sold dope or pimped hoes to amasses my wealth,nope I did neither, I ran a sports bookie operation while I cut hair all day. I ate at the finest restaurants in the Bay Area,I wore the finest threads and vacationed at destinations folks only dream about..Who was I? I lived in a make believe world of being a hood star,,I was what many call NIGGA rich,My appearance was my self worth and value.When you seen me pull up in one of my rides it led many the impression that I had it made,However internally I was a mess,I didn't know who or what I was,,I was engulfed in Alcohol and multiple relationships with pretty Women externally but ugly Women internally..I was sick in the head and didn't have a clue about LIFE..Now days when I look back upon my life I often think what was I thinking,truth be told I wasn't thinking because I was caught up in a facade of smoke and mirrors..NOW THAT I'M CLEAN AND SOBER and is cure from my many diseases I thank GOD daily for his unwavering LOVE and compassion upon my life.Money doesn't excite me like it use to because now that I understand how it works as I use it as a tool not a weapon..Beloved don't get caught up in this materialistic world because the same people you're trying to impress with your material wealth don't like you..Now days I don't shop at ritzy boutiques,Not that I can't,I understand economics and the labor that goes into making clothes..It's no about the name brand shoes that many of us wait for days to purchase,It's all about the books that teaches us how to become producers and not consumers..Shalom.