Hi, my name is John
Coaxum, welcome to my barbershop
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.57
Cuttin' Loose.
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You know, the barbershop
is one of the few places
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where a guy can come and
keep it real and speak about
00:00:06.77\00:00:09.90
his issues freely.
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Today we have a very
interesting conversation
00:00:11.31\00:00:13.58
the educated black man,
come an join us in the shop.
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Yo! Ya all always
here hanging out man,
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you don't have
nowhere else to be,
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do ya'all not have jobs man?
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Just chillin right now man.
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You just chillin? Chillin.
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What about you Doc?
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I just decided to come in
because you had your lights on
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man. And just chillin like that.
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Yea, that's how it
is, it's cool in here man.
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Well man I love having
ya'all in the barbershop man
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so we may as well
talk about something man.
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I see that you got
on a nice jacket man,
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where's that from?
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It's from Pine Forge Academy,
Pine Forge, Pennsylvania.
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Oh yea, what's that
about? where is that?
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Well we are a historically
black boarding academy
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and there are three existing
in the United States of America.
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Wow! So we are actually
the only Seventh-day Adventist
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historically black boarding
academy in the United States
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of America. Wow!
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Ok man, so you are
trying to educate black men.
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Male and females.
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Wow that is awesome
man. Alright. Cool, cool.
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Well listen man, you
know I am trying to further my
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education as well,
don't want to be a barber for
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the rest of my life, man,
maybe ya'all can help me got on
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the right track man.
Uh, what should I do Doc?
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We'll I'm a former teacher
and I taught in high school,
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public high school where
the rules were very open ended.
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Anybody could do
whatever they wanted to do. Wow.
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You know the kids, I had
five classes with 33 students
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and there were 9th and
10th grade students but
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like the public school systems
is that they push the kids
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forward, even if they
don't get the fundamentals.
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Wow! So I was teaching
9th and 10th grade English
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and some of the kids was reading
on a 2nd, 3rd, 4th grade level.
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Hmm. So it was difficult
for me to even instruct them.
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This was an urban city school
and it was no holds barred,
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we had a police
station inside the school
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cause it was a
hostile environment.
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So every day I went there,
to try to educate, but I became
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more of a policeman, so I think
going to a public school might
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be challenging if you cannot
cut the corners with what's
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going on in the environment
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I hear you, I hear you man,
I want to go back to you Doc
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cause you teach at a primarily
black institution that educates
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both men and women,
but I want to focus on men
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since we are all guys here man.
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Um, I hear all these stereo
types in society today about the
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black man being so
uneducated um, not being able to
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maybe handle himself
appropriately in the higher
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echelons of society,
do you see that as well?
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Well in our institution, we have
to re-educate the black male
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and the female at the same time.
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The reason why we have to do
that is because they are coming
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from environments that are
not conditioned for education,
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so when they are in the class-
room, they are not learning
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they are just burning time.
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At our institution, we
strategize our time 24 hours
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a day, we're in a teaching mode.
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Where in high school it's
basically only during the time
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that they are there from
the morning to the afternoon.
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We have a process or
curriculum 24 hours a day.
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Once they have been systematized
in that particular environment
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they are ready for college.
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Ok. Cool.
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Yo, Chap, I want to bring
you in on this conversation man
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and since we
here chillin anyway.
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Man, you know, how important...
You work at an institution
00:04:05.34\00:04:08.61
as well. How
important is it for a black man
00:04:08.64\00:04:11.81
to have education
in today's day and age?
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I actually want to
throw probably a monkey wrench
00:04:14.02\00:04:18.15
in this
conversation. Uh oh, uh oh.
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I believe that the educational
system in America is built
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to do one thing and
that's to churn out consumers.
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That's what it is meant to do.
00:04:32.27\00:04:33.94
Break that down man.
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I believe that with the
black man or black female
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needs to be concerned about
in the American educational
00:04:38.54\00:04:41.68
system is allowing their
mind to be neutered so that they
00:04:41.71\00:04:47.52
actually become
more passive consumers.
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They just do what
they are told to do.
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I actually don't think the
American educational system
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built to help us become more
enlightened or to understand
00:04:55.12\00:04:59.73
ourselves better. Wow!
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It is a systematic process
of conditioning so that when we
00:05:01.20\00:05:05.53
leave these schools and
if we get though the barriers
00:05:05.57\00:05:08.47
and statistics,
stay out of prison,
00:05:08.50\00:05:10.64
keep a felony off our
record etc., then we will be
00:05:10.67\00:05:14.61
law abiding citizens who
help the economy continue
00:05:14.64\00:05:18.98
by spending our money,
giving that money to individuals
00:05:19.01\00:05:22.68
who have the businesses instead
of actually starting our own
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That's deep man, so you are
saying that the school system,
00:05:25.85\00:05:28.66
or the educational system
is not necessarily preparing us
00:05:28.69\00:05:32.23
to advance our lives
or to be better people but
00:05:32.26\00:05:35.46
just to get back into the same
cycle that it is churning us
00:05:35.50\00:05:39.23
out for. Is that
what you are saying?
00:05:39.27\00:05:40.60
That's exactly what I
am saying Carter G. Woodson
00:05:40.64\00:05:42.34
takes it a step
further in the miseducation
00:05:42.37\00:05:45.37
of the negro and he
speaks solely to the fact
00:05:45.41\00:05:48.38
that we have educated
black individuals who when they
00:05:48.41\00:05:53.48
go off to school, no
longer want anything to do with
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their community.
00:05:56.42\00:05:57.75
Because while in school, they
are taught to hate themselves
00:05:57.79\00:06:00.76
and hate where they came from
which keeps them from taking
00:06:00.79\00:06:04.03
the capital that they could
bring in with their new-found
00:06:04.06\00:06:06.90
education and pouring
it back into the community
00:06:06.93\00:06:09.63
where they came from.
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Wow man, I think we are in
a rare conversation right now,
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all you guys are
educated in some way correct?
00:06:14.10\00:06:17.17
Man, what is your
education level Mike?
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I have a masters man. Wow!
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Cord? Currently
working on a doctorate. Wow!
00:06:21.44\00:06:24.01
Doc? I have a Ph.D. Ph.D. man.
00:06:24.05\00:06:26.88
Jeff? Master's in
Business Administration.
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Wow! I mean you guys
do understand that this is
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extremely rare to find
these much educated black men
00:06:31.59\00:06:35.16
sitting in one room or
do you disagree with me?
00:06:35.19\00:06:37.99
I agree with you, it is rare,
especially in a barber shop
00:06:38.03\00:06:42.36
simply because a barber
shop is another stereo-type
00:06:42.40\00:06:46.43
where they say people
that come in a barber shop
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normally are not educated.
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So that's a stigma
too. That's a stereo-type so
00:06:50.41\00:06:55.18
when you get four well
educated black men in the same
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barber shop, that's an anomaly.
00:06:59.78\00:07:02.52
That's the craziest thing man.
00:07:02.55\00:07:04.12
Yo, so let me
put this on you then
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since you are
saying this is an anomaly.
00:07:06.29\00:07:07.66
Man, if a black
guy comes to you Doc,
00:07:07.69\00:07:10.93
you are working at an
institution of higher learning..
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If a black man
comes to you and says yo!,
00:07:13.66\00:07:15.10
why should I get an education?
education system is really
00:07:15.13\00:07:18.50
not for me, I could make
more money on the streets,
00:07:18.53\00:07:21.47
selling drugs or doing whatever
else, why should I get an
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education, what
would yo tell me?
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Well the first thing I
am going to ask him is that
00:07:26.61\00:07:28.38
what is your
vision of your future?
00:07:28.41\00:07:29.81
Where do you want to go?
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Are you interested in
not having an education,
00:07:31.28\00:07:36.05
do you want to go to jail?
00:07:36.08\00:07:37.42
Do you want to have
a child out of wedlock?
00:07:37.45\00:07:41.82
Do you want to
get shot by selling...
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You're saying education
can prevent all these things
00:07:44.09\00:07:45.89
or help.
00:07:45.93\00:07:47.26
Education will help and
prevent at the same time
00:07:47.30\00:07:50.87
or do you just want to drop
out of school and be a dropout
00:07:50.90\00:07:54.30
for the rest of your life?
00:07:54.34\00:07:55.67
When we look at the national
statistics, we're seeing that
00:07:55.70\00:07:58.64
59.1% of all inter-city
schools graduate blacks,
00:07:58.67\00:08:04.61
59% graduation rates. Sure.
00:08:04.65\00:08:08.02
Now there is
approximately 39% out there...
00:08:08.05\00:08:11.62
Well, I just described
what they are doing already.
00:08:11.65\00:08:14.99
So I am going to ask a
question, what do you want to do
00:08:15.02\00:08:17.56
with your life? you are
only 16, 17, 18, and 19, and 20,
00:08:17.59\00:08:20.56
what do you want to do
from now until you are 65?
00:08:20.60\00:08:22.86
So if you want to sell
drugs it is a short lived life.
00:08:22.90\00:08:26.94
Now we teach students how
to grow spiritually, socially,
00:08:26.97\00:08:33.64
economically and
also academically.
00:08:33.68\00:08:38.61
So in our school, we
are preparing them for life
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not just to graduate
from high school but we're
00:08:40.85\00:08:43.18
preparing them for life.
00:08:43.22\00:08:44.65
So it's different from
what Mike was saying that the
00:08:44.69\00:08:46.86
system sometimes does?
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Correct. The system is
not preparing them for life,
00:08:48.29\00:08:51.79
it's just preparing them
to get out in the street.
00:08:51.83\00:08:53.66
Wow. Wow.
00:08:53.70\00:08:55.03
Because when you look at
those who are actually going
00:08:55.06\00:08:57.07
to college, there are
more actually in jail,
00:08:57.10\00:08:59.90
than in college. Wow!
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Ok now you bring up
a very good point man,
00:09:01.77\00:09:03.91
there's
something I got to ask you.
00:09:03.94\00:09:05.27
Have you guys heard of
the, maybe the school to prison
00:09:05.31\00:09:08.31
pipeline, have
you heard about that?
00:09:08.34\00:09:10.05
No, haven't heard it.
00:09:10.08\00:09:11.41
Never heard of it.
00:09:11.45\00:09:12.78
Basically it's this
understanding that our schools
00:09:12.81\00:09:15.65
literally are preparing
black men just to go to prison.
00:09:15.68\00:09:19.32
As a matter of fact, it
starts when they are very young
00:09:19.35\00:09:21.79
in school, they
wrongly and unfairly label them
00:09:21.82\00:09:26.03
ADD and ADHD or
maybe they are Special Ed
00:09:26.06\00:09:30.33
and they put them into
remedial classes when they are
00:09:30.37\00:09:32.37
really not, have
you heard about this and
00:09:32.40\00:09:34.07
what do you think about it?
00:09:34.10\00:09:35.44
Well, let me tell
you what I understand.
00:09:35.47\00:09:37.31
First of all, they
do standardized testing
00:09:37.34\00:09:41.34
in 5th grade for black males
especially for the InterCitys
00:09:41.38\00:09:45.41
of America. Um hum, um hum.
00:09:45.45\00:09:46.78
So based on those statistics
when they see that they are
00:09:46.82\00:09:49.25
failing, they do
not have a standard of a
00:09:49.28\00:09:51.92
5th grade education, then
they begin building prisons.
00:09:51.95\00:09:54.69
And so they know by the
time they reach 14, 15, 16,
00:09:54.72\00:09:58.86
they are actually
going to be in prison
00:09:58.89\00:10:00.36
So they do that strategically
knowing that they are going to
00:10:00.40\00:10:04.47
land in one place, but if they
did it strategically to help
00:10:04.50\00:10:08.97
them out of their dilemma,
then there is no need to build
00:10:09.00\00:10:13.27
prisons but right now it has
been a crises in this nation.
00:10:13.31\00:10:18.31
Yeah, so you are saying the
educational system is actually
00:10:18.35\00:10:21.25
fostering this environment
from black men not to do well
00:10:21.28\00:10:26.65
when they get out of
school. That is so correct.
00:10:26.69\00:10:28.26
School itself. School itself.
00:10:28.29\00:10:30.16
School itself is not
conducive for the success
00:10:30.19\00:10:35.50
in some cases of any
young boy but definitely for
00:10:35.53\00:10:40.30
black males.
00:10:40.34\00:10:41.67
There are studies that
talk about the energy level
00:10:41.70\00:10:44.51
the black male, the need
for activity, physical exertion,
00:10:44.54\00:10:48.31
so as you are looking at schools
dialing back activities like
00:10:48.34\00:10:52.31
recess, you know you
get P.E. maybe once a week.
00:10:52.35\00:10:54.82
And then you have
this phenomenon as well
00:10:54.85\00:10:57.82
when many of the
teachers in these younger years
00:10:57.85\00:11:01.56
of their development are
female and so these females
00:11:01.59\00:11:05.26
are responding, I
can't do anything with him.
00:11:05.29\00:11:07.26
He's not paying attention in
class, I think we have an ADD,
00:11:07.30\00:11:12.40
ADHD student on our hands,
they get that label on them
00:11:12.43\00:11:15.90
and then they get
Ritalin in their system,
00:11:15.94\00:11:17.77
which is no better than
a sedative and so now you
00:11:17.81\00:11:20.94
sedate this child, their early
years and then when they finally
00:11:20.98\00:11:25.35
wake up, they are super
frustrated because they are
00:11:25.38\00:11:27.65
super behind and then we
get on them when they go out
00:11:27.68\00:11:30.49
on the street and try to do
the best with what they have.
00:11:30.52\00:11:32.62
Wow!
00:11:32.65\00:11:33.99
And I think the
whole system is geared
00:11:34.02\00:11:35.82
and especially for parents,
they need to be hip to this.
00:11:35.86\00:11:38.13
You got to keep your child...
You got to fight for your child
00:11:38.16\00:11:40.80
and defend them from
these harmful labels and these
00:11:40.83\00:11:44.40
even more harmful medications.
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.50
Wow I understand
that. I feel for you man.
00:11:46.53\00:11:48.17
Well listen, I want to
ask you guys this question.
00:11:48.20\00:11:50.07
Um, all of you are
educated men, we've already
00:11:50.11\00:11:53.21
you know, established that.
00:11:53.24\00:11:54.58
Then, has your education
benefited you in any way
00:11:54.61\00:11:58.51
as a black man. We're talking
about all these stereo types
00:11:58.55\00:12:00.85
and statistics of black men.
00:12:00.88\00:12:02.32
Has your education
benefited you, anyone?
00:12:02.35\00:12:03.92
Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:12:03.95\00:12:05.29
An educated mind I believe
sees the world different,
00:12:05.32\00:12:07.96
has more to offer to the world.
00:12:07.99\00:12:09.62
For me particularly, just the
wellspring of knowledge I've got
00:12:09.66\00:12:14.10
from professors, from teachers
has basically prepared me
00:12:14.13\00:12:18.00
to live in a world that may not
necessarily work in my favor.
00:12:18.03\00:12:21.24
But one of things education
has done for me is it has
00:12:21.27\00:12:24.11
allowed for me to go to
a lot of different places.
00:12:24.14\00:12:26.41
I lived in about
maybe six different cities
00:12:26.44\00:12:28.24
and one of the things that
I'm noticing is that education
00:12:28.28\00:12:30.71
is not just
important for the black person.
00:12:30.75\00:12:32.81
You'd be surprised how many
non-blacks the system has also
00:12:32.85\00:12:37.82
destroyed. I think earlier
you said for any young boy
00:12:37.85\00:12:40.69
the system kind
of holds you down.
00:12:40.72\00:12:42.12
Cause I've been in cities,
I've lived in cities with a
00:12:42.16\00:12:44.33
black population
that's really small you know
00:12:44.36\00:12:45.69
but there's is still a hood.
00:12:45.73\00:12:47.53
Right. Right.
00:12:47.56\00:12:48.90
You know, you'd be surprised...
you know I grew up in New York
00:12:48.93\00:12:50.43
where the hood,
it was black folk,
00:12:50.47\00:12:52.53
when I go to these cities
and I'm going to the hood,
00:12:52.57\00:12:54.44
I'm like this is a
little bit different
00:12:54.47\00:12:56.47
there is all kind
of colors in the hood.
00:12:56.50\00:12:57.97
You know it's more so just
like the thing where you said,
00:12:58.01\00:13:00.68
trying to maybe create
that you know herd mentality,
00:13:00.71\00:13:03.78
you know turning people into
sheep so that they will fulfill
00:13:03.81\00:13:06.61
our just as
specific consumer purpose.
00:13:06.65\00:13:08.68
But what we got to realize
man is education is power.
00:13:08.72\00:13:10.85
You know an educated
person is a powerful person man.
00:13:10.89\00:13:14.09
Alright, do you feel
notwithstanding being a
00:13:14.12\00:13:18.43
black man and having
black issues and you know maybe
00:13:18.46\00:13:21.03
not so much living is a
close racial society right now
00:13:21.06\00:13:23.67
but do you see the blessings
and the benefits of being
00:13:23.70\00:13:26.74
educated right now?
00:13:26.77\00:13:28.10
Do you have a better life?
00:13:28.14\00:13:29.47
I have a better life and
I also think it compliments
00:13:29.50\00:13:31.74
you understanding your self-
worth and it galvanized your
00:13:31.77\00:13:35.41
approach towards any
sec any section or anybody
00:13:35.44\00:13:39.38
that's trying to
put you in a box.
00:13:39.41\00:13:40.92
Oh wow. Because you've
been educated so you can be
00:13:40.95\00:13:43.69
released out of that box.
00:13:43.72\00:13:45.35
You surpass the labels, you
go forward with a great deal of
00:13:45.39\00:13:48.82
understanding but you know
what, regardless of what you
00:13:48.86\00:13:51.79
think, I have the same
credentials that you have.
00:13:51.83\00:13:55.10
I was in a meeting one time,
a senior meeting at the place
00:13:55.13\00:13:58.53
I worked and I was just getting
congratulated for obtaining
00:13:58.57\00:14:03.67
my PhD and you got to realize,
I was the only Afro-American
00:14:03.71\00:14:07.84
non-scientist that achieved
this in an organization.
00:14:07.88\00:14:11.18
And so what happened, what
happened one of the young ladies
00:14:11.21\00:14:14.12
said now do I have
to call you doctor?
00:14:14.15\00:14:15.98
You know out of 60 people
I said, yes you do because
00:14:16.02\00:14:19.69
I've earned it.
00:14:19.72\00:14:21.06
So your confidence level goes up
and you have the right approach
00:14:21.09\00:14:24.66
towards the
benefits of being educated.
00:14:24.69\00:14:27.33
So I can walk in places
and know regardless if I am the
00:14:27.36\00:14:30.27
only person there, I am
educated I have self-worth
00:14:30.30\00:14:33.07
and guess what, I have
the same credentials you have
00:14:33.10\00:14:35.90
and I know who I am even better.
00:14:35.94\00:14:37.61
Wow, that is so powerful
and so deep and I like what
00:14:37.64\00:14:39.87
Cory said to back that up
you know, he said education
00:14:39.91\00:14:42.28
is power.
00:14:42.31\00:14:43.65
So director Mc Gracken are
there some things in your life
00:14:43.68\00:14:46.48
that you have right now,
that you just adamantly say
00:14:46.51\00:14:49.35
I wouldn't have it, my
life wouldn't be this way
00:14:49.38\00:14:51.09
if I didn't get an education.
00:14:51.12\00:14:52.45
Well because I'm the
only individual in my family
00:14:52.49\00:14:56.69
that has an education, I
have two sisters, I'm a twin,
00:14:56.73\00:15:03.77
and I have a brother and
the only one in my family
00:15:03.80\00:15:06.84
that actually has been educated
through college and university.
00:15:06.87\00:15:10.84
My father came through high
school, my mother came through
00:15:10.87\00:15:13.74
high school, but her mother,
my grandmother only achieved
00:15:13.78\00:15:17.28
a seventh grade education.
00:15:17.31\00:15:18.68
However looking back I would
have never lived out of the
00:15:18.71\00:15:24.12
country and three cities
in Brazil and three cities in
00:15:24.15\00:15:27.96
Canada. Travel to 21 countries,
lectured at universities,
00:15:27.99\00:15:32.93
been invited to large
conventions and so yes,
00:15:32.96\00:15:36.70
it helped me excel,
it also prepared me for a
00:15:36.73\00:15:40.87
strong financial base.
00:15:40.90\00:15:42.24
My wife has three masters and
she is a therapist and she has
00:15:42.27\00:15:46.84
worked in many different areas
of therapy and drug and alcohol
00:15:46.88\00:15:50.38
related issues and
she has 12 years of this.
00:15:50.41\00:15:54.95
Without the education...
education also prepared us
00:15:54.98\00:15:57.92
financially where if I
had a high school degree,
00:15:57.95\00:16:01.12
I wouldn't make $300,000 to
$400,000 more if I didn't have
00:16:01.16\00:16:05.16
a bachelor's and
a master's degree.
00:16:05.19\00:16:07.16
So yes it has
helped, I am actual bilingual
00:16:07.76\00:16:11.30
so that helped because I
had to go to a university
00:16:11.33\00:16:13.90
and learn another language
and live in another country
00:16:13.94\00:16:16.81
so yes education has
benefited me now let's split.
00:16:16.84\00:16:19.94
I'm helping my
brothers and my sisters to reach
00:16:19.97\00:16:25.01
the same plateau.
You're giving back.
00:16:25.05\00:16:27.25
I'm giving back
to the community.
00:16:27.28\00:16:28.75
Yeah. And maybe that is
some- thing we are not seeing
00:16:28.78\00:16:30.69
so much, you know, with
the black men in our community.
00:16:30.72\00:16:33.32
They do go to school, they
do get ahead but they are not
00:16:33.36\00:16:35.72
reaching back. Do
we see that at all?
00:16:35.76\00:16:38.09
Absolutely. I think the reason
is we've lost the true meaning
00:16:38.13\00:16:41.03
of education.
00:16:41.06\00:16:42.40
Dr. Naim Akbar and his book,
Know Thyself brings us back
00:16:42.43\00:16:46.37
to the understanding
that education comes from a
00:16:46.40\00:16:48.87
Latin word "educare," which
means bring to the surface.
00:16:48.90\00:16:52.54
He then surmises that
most of us are being trained,
00:16:52.57\00:16:56.58
we're not being educated.
00:16:56.61\00:16:57.95
Training is
putting into you something,
00:16:57.98\00:17:00.22
education is pulling out
of you what is in you already.
00:17:00.25\00:17:03.59
So a lot of people are not able
to give back because they have
00:17:03.62\00:17:07.29
not found themselves yet.
00:17:07.32\00:17:08.79
Their still
searching for themselves.
00:17:08.82\00:17:10.99
It is when as Maslow puts it.
It is when we reach this level
00:17:11.03\00:17:14.86
of self-actualization,
the understanding of purpose,
00:17:14.90\00:17:19.23
not purpose just on our
planet but universal purpose
00:17:19.27\00:17:22.47
that we now can return
back to those who have not found
00:17:22.50\00:17:25.97
that purpose and lead them
to the Canaan land as did Moses.
00:17:26.01\00:17:29.68
Wow, that...Let's
have a moment of silence.
00:17:29.71\00:17:32.45
That was good man,
we are appreciate that.
00:17:32.48\00:17:35.05
Though listen seriously...I
want to ask another question to.
00:17:35.08\00:17:37.29
You talked about self-worth,
you talked about purpose, man
00:17:37.32\00:17:40.16
this sounds like almost
spiritual language to me.
00:17:40.19\00:17:43.56
Man, does God honor education,
or does God support it?
00:17:43.59\00:17:47.13
I mean, does this really matter
if I have a degree or not?
00:17:47.16\00:17:49.43
if I go to
college, if I get a degree.
00:17:49.46\00:17:51.10
Does God really care?
and does He support that?
00:17:51.13\00:17:53.54
Any Biblical knowledge in
the Bible that we can use?
00:17:53.57\00:17:55.87
Study to show
thyself approved man. Um hum.
00:17:55.90\00:17:57.81
But isn't that just
talking about the Bible
00:17:57.84\00:17:59.17
or is it talking
about everything?
00:17:59.21\00:18:00.54
Whatever you go
ahead and find to do.
00:18:00.58\00:18:03.28
Well, well if we
look at the Bible...
00:18:03.31\00:18:05.95
Remember when the first pair was
created in the Garden of Eden,
00:18:05.98\00:18:10.32
they were educated by angels
and so they had to get education
00:18:10.35\00:18:14.16
is a lifetime process, you
never stop educating yourself.
00:18:14.19\00:18:18.93
Even people that I have
known who are 70, 75 and 80
00:18:18.96\00:18:23.30
are getting their degrees
because they feel there is a
00:18:23.33\00:18:27.04
need to continue that education.
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.74
When Jesus comes to
take us back to heaven,
00:18:29.77\00:18:34.21
recreate this earth, we
are going to have education
00:18:34.24\00:18:39.38
for the rest of our lives.
00:18:39.41\00:18:40.75
First of all I want to study
the planets and the galaxies
00:18:40.78\00:18:43.05
there are billions out there and
that's education right there.
00:18:43.08\00:18:45.55
So education never stops
and that's the key to us helping
00:18:45.59\00:18:50.73
black males and
women, you need to learn
00:18:50.76\00:18:54.26
every day of your life. Right.
00:18:54.30\00:18:56.77
I will say this, I am privileged
today to say that my dad
00:18:56.80\00:18:59.60
went back to school
after I was born and got his
00:18:59.63\00:19:02.70
bachelor's degree. Amen!
00:19:02.74\00:19:04.07
I mean that was one of the
most profound things in my life
00:19:04.11\00:19:06.71
to see my dad, he has a
full family, he's working a job
00:19:06.74\00:19:10.25
and he's also realizing how
education is so very important.
00:19:10.28\00:19:14.95
That did a lot for me you know.
00:19:14.98\00:19:16.89
He didn't have to
do it but he wanted to
00:19:16.92\00:19:18.99
and that was really great.
00:19:19.02\00:19:20.36
Man also I want to
ask this question too.
00:19:20.39\00:19:22.46
Um, do you guys think
that college is for everybody?
00:19:22.49\00:19:26.70
No, I really don't
because everybody doesn't have
00:19:26.73\00:19:31.53
the energy nor the work ethic
to go to a formal educational
00:19:31.57\00:19:35.64
process college but they
do have the ability to go to a
00:19:35.67\00:19:39.17
Trade School to learn a skill.
00:19:39.21\00:19:40.74
That's correct. Or they have the
ability to go to the military
00:19:40.78\00:19:43.95
that they can get a skill and
get paid for learning a skill.
00:19:43.98\00:19:47.65
You know, we know the
military is dangerous but the
00:19:47.68\00:19:50.59
opportunities now are greater
than they were 20 years ago
00:19:50.62\00:19:54.76
for a young person to go
to the military to get a skill
00:19:54.79\00:19:58.09
and become educated.
00:19:58.13\00:19:59.69
But it's a process it's a
training so I think that you
00:19:59.73\00:20:02.50
have to have options.
00:20:02.53\00:20:04.20
Not to tell a child that if
you that if don't go to college,
00:20:04.23\00:20:07.74
you're not going to be anything,
ho, let me give you some options
00:20:07.77\00:20:10.27
that's about a part in my belief
a point back into the community.
00:20:10.31\00:20:13.68
To begin that mentor, to
being that educated mentor
00:20:13.71\00:20:16.85
because education is not always
in the classroom, it's a great
00:20:16.88\00:20:19.91
part of it but the world room.
00:20:19.95\00:20:22.05
Hmm. Yes, Hmm.
00:20:22.08\00:20:23.79
It's the classroom and that's
the only room that real room
00:20:23.82\00:20:27.79
of improving happens.
00:20:27.82\00:20:29.16
So here's what you are saying.
00:20:29.19\00:20:30.53
Education doesn't only have to
take place inside the four walls
00:20:30.56\00:20:33.46
of a school. Exactly.
00:20:33.50\00:20:34.83
You can get
education anywhere. Yes.
00:20:34.86\00:20:36.36
But is there a type of
thing as bad education?
00:20:36.40\00:20:39.60
Of course it is, it
depends on who is dispensing it.
00:20:39.63\00:20:42.67
Who's giving it to you you know,
if they have a negative motive
00:20:42.70\00:20:48.44
or they have an agenda
to coerce you or to hold you
00:20:48.48\00:20:52.65
in bondage because
of their knowledge or
00:20:52.68\00:20:54.85
or they don't want you to
have knowledge because knowledge
00:20:54.88\00:20:57.95
is power.
00:20:57.99\00:20:59.32
But you have to make sure you
disseminate it with the right
00:20:59.35\00:21:02.16
mindset, the right
heart to build not to break.
00:21:02.19\00:21:05.36
Right. I think with
the purpose of education,
00:21:05.43\00:21:07.60
Christian education,
I'm going to add that word,
00:21:07.63\00:21:09.83
Christian education is
to restore the image of God
00:21:09.86\00:21:14.60
back in man.
00:21:14.64\00:21:15.97
It was lost, but now Christian
education restores that.
00:21:16.00\00:21:19.61
It is that
harmonious development of the
00:21:19.64\00:21:22.14
mental/physical and spiritual,
all three makes a man whole.
00:21:22.18\00:21:27.55
If they leave any of those
components outside that realm
00:21:27.58\00:21:31.09
of education,
it's just education,
00:21:31.12\00:21:32.82
it's not Christian education.
00:21:32.85\00:21:34.19
Jesus was... He had to
sit at the feet of His mother
00:21:34.22\00:21:39.09
and father, humble
himself as God, and be taught
00:21:39.13\00:21:44.63
from His parents.
00:21:44.67\00:21:47.74
So education first starts in
home, then it starts in school,
00:21:47.77\00:21:51.47
vocation, university,
grand- mother, it is a tribe,
00:21:51.51\00:21:57.51
it is a number of people
that can help you grow in every
00:21:57.55\00:22:02.58
aspect. My father said
this, "before you go to college,
00:22:02.62\00:22:05.45
I'm going to teach you how to
paint, I am going to teach you
00:22:05.49\00:22:08.92
how to do carpentry, I am
going to teach you how to do
00:22:08.96\00:22:12.33
electrician, I am going
to teach you how to manage a
00:22:12.36\00:22:15.00
house because one day
you are going to have one."
00:22:15.03\00:22:16.97
So when I actually
bought my first house,
00:22:17.00\00:22:20.14
my second, my third, my
forth, and keep going up to
00:22:20.17\00:22:22.64
seven homes, I can manage them
properly because he taught me
00:22:22.67\00:22:25.97
a secondary
education which is a trade.
00:22:26.01\00:22:30.45
Sure, I hear you, I
hear you. You know what Chap,
00:22:30.48\00:22:33.05
I got to go to you man cause
you're in a unique situation
00:22:33.08\00:22:35.92
for this conversation, you're
both a chaplain or a pastor
00:22:35.95\00:22:39.55
as well as you work with
a lot of students who are in
00:22:39.59\00:22:42.02
higher education.
00:22:42.06\00:22:43.39
Now he just said that
education begins in the home.
00:22:43.43\00:22:47.16
Would you agree with that?
how would you support that?
00:22:47.20\00:22:49.50
It definitely does and I don't
think...and I think the research
00:22:49.53\00:22:55.17
will support the statement
that a student who has that
00:22:55.20\00:23:00.14
consistent support from
the home front is able to get
00:23:00.18\00:23:04.35
a little bit further than those
who are kind of left out there
00:23:04.38\00:23:08.15
to fend for themselves.
00:23:08.18\00:23:09.55
I think this whole
community aspect of education
00:23:09.58\00:23:13.12
is very important.
00:23:13.15\00:23:15.06
We forget that most before
the colleges and universities
00:23:15.09\00:23:19.53
came to be, it was more
about apprenticeship was the
00:23:19.56\00:23:24.17
educational model of the
day, that I get to eat with you,
00:23:24.20\00:23:28.30
sleep with you, breathe
with you and you are sharing the
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.94
secrets of the trade with me and
then I start my own business.
00:23:30.97\00:23:34.21
I think that any type of family
sees that type of responsibility
00:23:34.24\00:23:37.88
for their child, is going to
see their child equipped to go
00:23:37.91\00:23:41.85
a little bit further than
the child who is kind of just
00:23:41.88\00:23:44.22
out there man, just
fending for himself or herself.
00:23:44.25\00:23:46.92
And would you add to that
spiritual education is also
00:23:46.96\00:23:49.92
very important.
Absolutely. Very much.
00:23:49.96\00:23:51.73
Not just reading to your
child making sure that they are
00:23:51.76\00:23:53.76
literate but
teaching them about God.
00:23:53.80\00:23:55.46
I mean, I am so privileged
today to tell you guys
00:23:55.50\00:23:58.03
I had both my parents
in the home which sometimes
00:23:58.07\00:24:00.27
is very rare in our community,
I had both parents and
00:24:00.30\00:24:02.74
both of them are Christian
and they taught me about God
00:24:02.77\00:24:05.37
you know, long before I
ever enrolled in school.
00:24:05.41\00:24:08.24
My mom would say that she
would read the scriptures to me
00:24:08.28\00:24:10.68
and sing to me while
I was still in her womb.
00:24:10.71\00:24:12.98
I mean I was like educated,
I was born to be a Christian,
00:24:13.01\00:24:16.92
I was born to serve God.
00:24:16.95\00:24:18.35
And that Christianity that they
put in me laid the foundation
00:24:18.39\00:24:22.19
for everything else. Did
it happen for any of you guys?
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.66
Let me say this,
this was on my heart, um,
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.56
a lot of young black men
because of their circumstance
00:24:27.60\00:24:31.40
situations allow that teachable
spirit that God have given him
00:24:31.43\00:24:35.70
through their
parents in the home.
00:24:35.74\00:24:37.17
Once that teachable spirit
has been extracted because of
00:24:37.21\00:24:41.78
the educational system
or because of negativity
00:24:41.81\00:24:44.95
it takes them a long
time to get that back.
00:24:44.98\00:24:47.08
So the Christian home has
a responsibility very young
00:24:47.12\00:24:50.79
to give them a teachable spirit
because you can never learn.
00:24:50.82\00:24:55.69
I don't care how
brilliant you are, if Christ...
00:24:55.72\00:24:58.13
if you don't allow Christ to
give you a teachable spirit...
00:24:58.16\00:25:01.30
that's why people
learn more than one trade
00:25:01.33\00:25:03.87
because in reality when the
church understands that Jesus
00:25:03.90\00:25:08.20
had a teachable
spirit by His Father.
00:25:08.24\00:25:10.61
He followed His Father, He
obeyed Him because His spirit
00:25:10.64\00:25:14.54
to teach was already in Him.
00:25:14.58\00:25:16.71
That's why you have a lot
of teachers that are teaching
00:25:16.75\00:25:19.05
unfortunately don't
have a teachable spirit,
00:25:19.08\00:25:21.55
so they can convey the
information the proper way
00:25:21.58\00:25:25.02
not because of
how a person looks,
00:25:25.05\00:25:27.09
but if you have a teachable
spirit that came is as a little
00:25:27.12\00:25:29.72
child, then you can
convey educational truths and
00:25:29.76\00:25:33.36
principals that stays with them
and then you go teach another
00:25:33.40\00:25:36.83
community. That's
great. Wow, wow, wow.
00:25:36.87\00:25:38.90
I think the home is
extremely important to the adult
00:25:38.93\00:25:42.90
of a child. Mike says
it, the potential is great,
00:25:42.94\00:25:45.67
I can speak from
first hand experience.
00:25:45.71\00:25:47.11
I know some young women who
had a hard time getting past
00:25:47.14\00:25:51.95
a high school diploma and they
wonder should they go to college
00:25:51.98\00:25:54.18
maybe pick up a
trade, but work small jobs.
00:25:54.22\00:25:57.42
and you know, the
reason is as I believe,
00:25:57.45\00:25:59.42
you know when I speak to the
mother she's like man college,
00:25:59.45\00:26:02.46
why would you go to college?
00:26:02.49\00:26:03.83
Or if you talk to the mother,
her life...what she saw as her
00:26:03.86\00:26:07.16
purpose as a parent was to make
sure her children got through
00:26:07.20\00:26:10.37
high school. And you
could kind of see that because
00:26:10.40\00:26:12.60
of that, her children had no
aspirations after high school.
00:26:12.63\00:26:15.34
Right. You know and so
you got a model dad you know.
00:26:15.37\00:26:17.77
As a West Indian, when you
come from the Caribbean man,
00:26:17.81\00:26:20.81
I don't got a choice but to
come home with a college degree
00:26:20.84\00:26:23.48
because when you're a
child, it's instilled in you.
00:26:23.51\00:26:25.81
You're going to
school, you're going to learn
00:26:25.85\00:26:27.78
you know and that is
pretty much how you are raised.
00:26:27.82\00:26:30.79
I understand that man.
00:26:30.82\00:26:32.15
Yo, listen, do me a favor look
to your right and to your left
00:26:32.19\00:26:35.02
and this is crazy, an
anomaly in the making,
00:26:35.06\00:26:38.13
you are sitting next
to an educated black man.
00:26:38.16\00:26:41.26
All the stereo
types are not true,
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.30
we can utilize education,
we can be educated and make
00:26:43.33\00:26:46.23
something of ourselves and
fulfil our God given purpose
00:26:46.27\00:26:48.80
and you guys have
impressed me you are mentors...
00:26:48.84\00:26:50.97
I, I...I don't want
to say I idolize you,
00:26:51.01\00:26:52.97
but I look up to you.
00:26:53.01\00:26:54.34
Thanks guys. Blessings.
00:26:54.38\00:26:55.71
Education is so very
vital in this day and age
00:26:55.74\00:26:59.88
it can change your financial
outcome, your lifestyle,
00:26:59.91\00:27:03.28
and the future of your family.
00:27:03.32\00:27:05.19
And let's be honest black men
are often unfairly stereo typed
00:27:05.22\00:27:10.03
and although educated black men
are stereo typed just as much,
00:27:10.06\00:27:13.66
having education can help
position you change the world's
00:27:13.70\00:27:17.43
perception in the future.
00:27:17.47\00:27:19.13
We also know that not
all education is beneficial.
00:27:19.17\00:27:22.44
Some men learn from unlearned
people and others poison their
00:27:22.47\00:27:26.68
minds by soaking up the wrong
stuff and the wrong information
00:27:26.71\00:27:29.81
over time.
00:27:29.84\00:27:31.18
To rightly divide truth
from error and right from wrong
00:27:31.21\00:27:33.98
take note of these
words recorded in the Bible,
00:27:34.02\00:27:36.89
Proverbs 1:7,
The fear of the Lord
00:27:36.92\00:27:40.66
is the beginning of knowledge.
00:27:40.69\00:27:43.19
Fools despise
wisdom and instruction.
00:27:43.22\00:27:46.83
Pursue education but
more than that, pursue God.
00:27:46.86\00:27:50.73
If you delight yourself in
the Lord, the Lord will give you
00:27:50.77\00:27:53.90
the desires of your heart.
00:27:53.94\00:27:55.57
God Bless.
00:27:55.60\00:27:56.97