Resources,
Programs, Opportunities
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Our guest today is
going to inform us of
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what's available to
make our lives better.
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My name is Yvonne Lewis
and your watching Urban Report
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report
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I am excited
about our program today
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my guest is Cy Richardson
Senior Vice President of
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Programs for the
National Urban League
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Welcome to Urban Report Cy...
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Thanks very much for having
me. Absolutely, this is such
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a blessing... it's so
great to finally meet you too...
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I've talked to you on the phone
but I've never placed a face
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with the voice... So I
get to meet you today...
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Cy, I want to
start out by saying that
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I have a personal
history with the Urban League
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my mom, before she died,
was the Controller of the
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New York Urban
League... and my first job
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the very first, kind of official
job outside of babysitting
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that I ever had...
was with the Urban League
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The New York Urban League...
so I have... go ahead...
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Yes... many folks can trace
their employment opportunities
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back to our local
Urban League affiliate
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so that's a wonderful
story it doesn't surprise me
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as our
affiliates... over the years
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have done a wonderful job of
getting folks on the appropriate
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career path... obviously,
you've come a long way.
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Well... praise the Lord...
it was such a great opportunity
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for me because I got to see
my mother doing what she did
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in her role as an
executive with the Urban League
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and I also got... to get a
taste of what goes on in the
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grassroots level...
with the Urban League
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and so it was a
great, great opportunity
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and I have a great
affinity for the Urban League
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So, tell us a little
bit about the Urban League
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because some people
really might not know
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anything about its
history and its mission
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tell us a little bit
about it if you would...
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Right... so we are a
103-year-old Organization
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an historic Civil
Rights Organization
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the Nation's oldest
and largest civil rights
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organization dedicated
to helping African-Americans
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to enter and sustain themselves
in the economic and social
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mainstream... and
so we run programs
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through our 95 affiliates
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across the country...
and we also have a voice
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in Washington...
weighing in on Federal Policy
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policies that are helpful...
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and hinder the economic
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prospects of African-Americans
and those who live in
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urban places... so we
weigh in and regularly
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kind of contribute and seek
to influence public policies...
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that boast both boost and block
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the economic life chances of
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African-Americans... and
we've been fairly successful
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at that...
recently... That's tremendous...
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and what exactly do you
do... for the Urban League?
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Right... so I've been with the
League for 12 years now, Yvonne,
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and I initially joined the
Organization as.. essentially...
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a Policy Analyst working
in the housing and community
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development space... I
rose to the ranks to become
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the Vice President of
that portfolio and just
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early this
year... I was promoted to
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Senior Vice President
and Chief Program Officer
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for Economic
Programs... that would be our
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Small
Business-Development Programs
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our Housing Home
Ownership Programs
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and I work for those
development programs as well
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and so... my role here is
to kind of design programs,
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to implement
them... in terms of funding
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our affiliates will
executive the programs
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and to take and analyze data
and evaluate the efficacy of
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those programs... and
kind of report and narrate
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to our Funders and those
interested parties across
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the country... the
impact of the Urban League
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at large... Wow! you're kind of
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a slouch eh?
Well yeah... I mean...
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there's no rest for the
weary, they say, but... yeah
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there's a lot of work...
given that the most recent data
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in terms of the
disproportionality of the
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economic crisis on
the Black Community
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we have a lot of work to do...
Well, let's talk a little bit
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about that... if we may,
Cy, because a lot of people
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might not really
know... about that disparity
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or what some of the
figures are, can you share some
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information about
the disparity with us?
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Sure... well... I'll
give you just a macro sense...
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right... so from 2008
when the sub-prime crisis
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gave way to a
larger economic crisis...
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both here... in this country
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and abroad...
around the world...
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you know, the old
adage that you know,
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when America catches a cold, the
Black America catches the Flu
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and I think that did play
out... in the last period of
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unpleasantness... in
all of the indicators that
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we employ to assess the
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economic viability of
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communities...
whether it be home ownership,
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business ownership,
whether it be College readiness
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and enrollment...
whether it be Work Force
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the unemployment rate...
in some of the largest cities
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in this country...
well, it's obviously reported
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8 to 10 percent... but
for the African-American
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Community... it was
double and triple that...
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in Detroit... the unemployment
rate is still somewhere
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hovering around 20 percent...
which... it's mind-boggling...
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two or three out of
ten African-Americans...
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unemployed... in
fact... many of them
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have stopped looking for
work... so demoralized and
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beaten down...
so it's part of the
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Urban League to
kind of uplift...
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raise the
stakes... prepare people...
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for their chance to
meet their potential...
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but also to really
show how the crisis...
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disproportionately
affected communities of Color,
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disproportionately
affected African-Americans...
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which in 2005...
we just were able
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in the history of this Country
to reach 50% home ownership rate
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which 50.1% and that was a
historic milestone, for example,
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because home
ownership is the chief way,
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in this Country, as you
know, to build wealth and safer
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retirement and to fund
children's education, etc. etc.
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So 51% of African-Americans
were homeowners?
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were homeowners in 2005
we've now since rolled back
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6 percentage points
which doesn't sound a lot
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like a lot... to most people
but it's hundreds of thousands
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of families... who
either lost their home
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through the period of
foreclosure or were so
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bewildered and overwhelmed...
just stopped trying...
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stopped endeavoring
and which... for me...
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I travel around the
Country talking to folks
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about the
prospects for our clients...
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the foreclosure piece...
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we can speak
about that... but...
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the lack of endeavor is
far more troubling for me
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when we're trying to
develop a generation of those
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who take their full
stake in American life...
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in the ownership
society... and for those...
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to actively and willingly
sit on the sidelines because
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they don't deem the marketplace
to be safe.. that's troubling...
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because in many
ways... information exchange,
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in our community happens
within the household... so
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so the mom tells the daughter,
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the daughter
tells the kids around
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how to tap into home ownership
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or how to find... a loan...
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for small businesses or
mortgages etc... you know,
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so to have a relatively placid
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consumer base...
it's troubling...
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because... that tends
to be passed on to children
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and their children...
and so we're trying to arrest
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that decline... So...
let me ask you this...
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are you saying that
this lack of endeavor
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is due to... primarily...
to being overwhelmed
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and kind of a
sense of depression
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or are you saying
that it is a kind of
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defeatist attitude?
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Yes... well... I think
it's a little bit of both
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Yvonne... really... I mean...
you look at the historical arc
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and the trajectory of the
African-American experience
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in this Country and, you
know, many of our folks...
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myself included... have
been... what's called...
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trying to get to the
"Yes"... trying to find someone
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who will give us a
mortgage, trying to find someone
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who will give us a
loan... trying to find someone
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who will take a chance
on us for employment...
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and after generation
and generation of being
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told "No" you
know, we went through
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a period in the early 2000's
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of really trying
to get to the "Yes"...
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trying to find
someone who will...
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take that
economic risk with us...
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and there were a
number of unscrupulous players
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in the Marketplace...
that the sub-prime marketplace
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in particular...
that all tended to prey on
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folks who were
looking for the "Yes"
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who were all too
accustomed to getting the "No"
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and so... that has
a psychological effect
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to risking... getting out there
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taking a mortgage...
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taking a loan...
and then... you know...
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defaulting or having
otherwise having the cards
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stacked against you...
and then falling back...
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it's more than...
just one step forward...
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two steps back...
because... that is passed on...
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you know... inter-generationally
and so it's a combination
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of... you know,
kind of group depression
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a combination of a
lack of sophistication
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in terms of decision-making...
and that's what the Non-Profit
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space has to do...
to continue to create
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an informed Constituency...
which brings efficiency
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to all Market Places...
but I do think... your question
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it's a combination of...
psychological depression...
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at the Group Level but also...
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it's folks who just
don't believe it's safe
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to enter into a Market Place...
home ownership... for example...
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which will be... for most of
us, the most expensive purchase
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that we'll make
in our lifetimes...
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and so... that is just
overwhelming for a large
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majority of people...
not just African-Americans
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but for many low-and-moderate
income citizens of this country
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and that's deeply troubling
because, I think they've
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understood that the
playing field is not level
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and the odds are
rigged against communities
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of color...
against... moderate and
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working-class people...
to really succeed and advance
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in this Country...
that's the kind of narrative
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we're trying to
tell right now...
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And that's very, very important
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you said... several
things that I'd like to
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touch on... one is that...
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there is a certain...
lack of sophistication
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in terms of financial
literacy, that we really need to
00:10:15.62\00:10:20.83
get some information to be
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equipped because
there were these predators
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that did take
advantage of people...
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with the sub-prime
lending... and all that...
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but the other
side of that... was...
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that inability to
defer gratification
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you know that you
can't afford a $500,000 home
00:10:38.53\00:10:42.72
but yet... you go for that
home because, as you had said,
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you're so used to getting a "No"
00:10:47.24\00:10:49.15
and you finally
getting a "Yes" and it's like,
00:10:49.18\00:10:51.03
"Oh man... maybe I
can get this house"
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and it is... the most expensive
expenditure that you're
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going to make... so
I think that there is
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personal responsibility
here and then I think
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there's a systemic issue
an institutionalized issue
00:11:03.73\00:11:07.48
as well... that we
really need to look at
00:11:07.52\00:11:09.69
would you agree?
Yes, I would agree...
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that's well said and I
don't think I really can
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improve upon that
assessment... that's correct...
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I think we have a
combination of the predatory and
00:11:15.54\00:11:19.65
unscrupulous characters
that prey upon our Community
00:11:19.69\00:11:22.18
that actively reach
out for those who lack that
00:11:22.21\00:11:25.18
sophistication and
understanding and conversancy
00:11:25.22\00:11:28.58
on financial issues
and prey upon them...
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you know peddling
products that cause harm...
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at a neighborhood
level so that's one thing...
00:11:34.61\00:11:38.13
but when you have that in
combination to your point,
00:11:38.17\00:11:40.59
around faulty and
flawed decision making...
00:11:40.62\00:11:42.87
I think that's a perfect
storm for economic crisis
00:11:42.90\00:11:45.56
and that disproportionately
affects communities
00:11:45.59\00:11:48.18
that systemically...
again to your point...
00:11:48.22\00:11:51.00
kind of lack the
underlying kind of success and
00:11:51.03\00:11:53.94
confidence in making
these economic choices
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and decisions...
and again... you know
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the concept for us is...
in our Financial Literacy
00:11:58.67\00:12:00.96
Programming is... you don't know
00:12:01.00\00:12:02.60
what you don't know and
taken to a large extreme...
00:12:02.64\00:12:07.15
that is what we're
having to cope with now...
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that is... starting
back from square one...
00:12:09.51\00:12:11.72
the basics and concepts...
budgets, savings, credit...
00:12:11.75\00:12:15.62
asset-building,
asset preservation...
00:12:15.66\00:12:18.02
compound interest,
deferred gratification
00:12:18.05\00:12:20.13
these concepts that
you're talking about...
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are... maybe...
not sexy... necessarily
00:12:22.25\00:12:24.71
from a Program
Development Standpoint
00:12:24.75\00:12:27.14
but are really influential
and impactful for communities
00:12:27.17\00:12:30.58
that simply do not have the
hundred or two hundred years'
00:12:30.61\00:12:33.98
experience with owning
and preserving assets...
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Oh... that is such a good
point, that is such a good point
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that you just
made... that we don't have,
00:12:40.11\00:12:42.92
as a Community... experience in
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handling money... we just
don't and handling it wisely...
00:12:47.02\00:12:51.69
when we get it...
even many of our athletes
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and people who are
making huge amounts of money
00:12:54.96\00:12:58.72
people in the Entertainment,
in Business, Medicine, whatever
00:12:58.76\00:13:01.44
if there is not that
history of financial literacy...
00:13:01.48\00:13:06.26
then... you can kind of
just... not to mention the fact
00:13:06.29\00:13:11.04
that you end up
having to help everybody...
00:13:11.07\00:13:12.91
mom and them... everybody...
so... you know... if you don't
00:13:12.94\00:13:18.76
have that history... you
have to start from scratch
00:13:18.79\00:13:21.78
one of the things
that we're doing... here on
00:13:21.82\00:13:23.72
Dare to Dream... is...
we have a Financial Literacy
00:13:23.75\00:13:25.93
Program... it's
called, "Take it to the Bank"
00:13:25.96\00:13:27.82
where we teach... budgeting
where we teach... information
00:13:27.85\00:13:32.03
about managing your
credit and all of these things
00:13:32.06\00:13:35.00
because...
people just don't know
00:13:35.03\00:13:37.91
and the Bible
says that, you know...
00:13:37.94\00:13:40.19
"My people perish
for lack of knowledge"
00:13:40.22\00:13:42.40
so... we have to know...
what to do... with money...
00:13:42.43\00:13:46.74
when we get it...
what do we do with it?
00:13:46.77\00:13:49.32
I think that's part of the
discrepancy... the disparity
00:13:49.36\00:13:52.64
that we have...
in our Society...
00:13:52.68\00:13:54.79
with Communities of
Color and White Communities
00:13:54.82\00:13:58.27
because... we have
not had the experience
00:13:58.30\00:14:00.53
of knowing how to handle it...
That's exactly right and I think
00:14:00.57\00:14:04.81
there's another
variable there at play...
00:14:04.85\00:14:06.67
which is... the kind of nuances
around money conversations
00:14:06.70\00:14:11.16
and gender in
the Black Community
00:14:11.20\00:14:12.66
in many ways... it's a
very male-dominated space
00:14:12.69\00:14:15.86
particularly for
older African-Americans...
00:14:15.90\00:14:18.86
and so this is what we're
seeing just a little anecdote...
00:14:18.90\00:14:22.97
we're seeing a number of mature
senior citizens... females...
00:14:23.00\00:14:27.04
coming to our affiliates
for this kind of assistance
00:14:27.07\00:14:30.61
because perhaps... they were
married for 30, 40, 50 years
00:14:30.65\00:14:33.06
and their husbands had always
taken care of their household
00:14:33.09\00:14:35.47
finances... and
they've... maybe passed on...
00:14:35.50\00:14:39.16
and so... the
widow... has a home,
00:14:39.19\00:14:42.54
may have some accounts
but doesn't really feel
00:14:42.58\00:14:46.87
fully economically empowered
because they just don't have
00:14:46.90\00:14:49.70
that experience...
so... when you overlay the
00:14:49.74\00:14:52.59
African-American deficiencies
historically as we talked about,
00:14:52.62\00:14:55.31
with the kind of
gender deficiencies
00:14:55.34\00:14:57.25
that we talked about,
you have a really vulnerable
00:14:57.28\00:15:00.04
class of folks... and
we have here stories in
00:15:00.08\00:15:03.21
New York of
unscrupulous entities
00:15:03.24\00:15:06.05
scouring the Obituary Ads
00:15:06.08\00:15:08.03
looking for
African-American surnames
00:15:08.06\00:15:11.48
folks living in
African-American Communities...
00:15:11.51\00:15:13.24
where the male of the household
will have passed away...
00:15:13.28\00:15:15.95
and they're really
scouring these Obituary Ads
00:15:15.98\00:15:20.39
to find these elderly widows
00:15:20.42\00:15:22.86
to prey upon and
many of them have lost
00:15:22.89\00:15:25.21
their homes or entered
into very shady arrangements
00:15:25.24\00:15:28.63
given that lack of
economic preparation...
00:15:28.66\00:15:30.82
because, again, the historical
context that we mentioned
00:15:30.86\00:15:33.39
but also the gender
differences that are prevalent
00:15:33.42\00:15:36.13
in our community as
well. You know, I had no idea,
00:15:36.17\00:15:40.88
of the gender differences...
in terms of unscrupulous
00:15:40.92\00:15:44.75
people... trying to prey
upon these older women...
00:15:44.79\00:15:48.55
I had no idea about that
that's a real new insight for me
00:15:48.58\00:15:53.12
because... we really need
to.. and... that's what you guys
00:15:53.16\00:15:57.66
are doing in Urban League
which I just so appreciate...
00:15:57.69\00:16:01.79
you are equipping people
to deal with... the crises
00:16:01.82\00:16:05.94
I noticed on your website,
that you have programs for
00:16:05.98\00:16:10.06
jobs, housing,
health and education
00:16:10.09\00:16:13.01
so you've done... what
God has laid on our hearts
00:16:13.05\00:16:16.96
here to do... and that is...
00:16:17.00\00:16:18.16
to look at the crises
confronting minorities
00:16:18.19\00:16:22.63
and
African-Americans and then...
00:16:22.66\00:16:25.02
design
programming around that...
00:16:25.06\00:16:27.35
tell us about some of
the programs that you have
00:16:27.38\00:16:30.26
not just housing, but jobs,
and some of the initiatives
00:16:30.29\00:16:34.11
Sure.. so first I'll
say that... you're right...
00:16:34.15\00:16:37.09
we are a historic
civil rights organization
00:16:37.13\00:16:39.60
that is an enduring institution
in the Black Community
00:16:39.63\00:16:43.34
and so... we provide
services free of charge, Yvonne,
00:16:43.37\00:16:47.04
that are certified
by Federal Agencies
00:16:47.08\00:16:51.23
and we do provide those programs
00:16:51.27\00:16:53.24
and design and
evaluate those programs...
00:16:53.28\00:16:54.74
but in order to be credible...
to be a credible voice
00:16:54.78\00:16:57.96
in Washington... for
example... you need...
00:16:58.00\00:17:00.27
to... they're big
right now on measurement
00:17:00.30\00:17:02.54
and metrics...
So they... want...
00:17:02.57\00:17:05.67
they're really big on
quantitative analysis.. correct?
00:17:05.71\00:17:11.15
Yes... they are...
and so we've couched our
00:17:11.18\00:17:14.22
programmatic
interventions along the lines of
00:17:14.26\00:17:17.23
empowerment goals... the
state of affairs we'd like
00:17:17.27\00:17:19.66
to see by 2025...
there are four goals
00:17:19.70\00:17:21.83
in the Health care area...
it's.. every American has access
00:17:21.86\00:17:25.07
to quality and
affordable health care solutions
00:17:25.11\00:17:27.72
in the Education Space,
our goal is... for every
00:17:27.76\00:17:30.31
American child to be
ready for College, Work and Life
00:17:30.34\00:17:34.42
in the Workforce Area and
the Economic Empowerment area
00:17:34.45\00:17:37.97
is... every American has access
to jobs with a living wage
00:17:38.00\00:17:41.46
and good benefits...
and in the Housing and Asset
00:17:41.50\00:17:44.18
Building Space... it's
every American lives in
00:17:44.21\00:17:46.54
safe, decent, affordable
and energy-efficient housing
00:17:46.57\00:17:49.55
on fair terms...
those are the four areas
00:17:49.59\00:17:51.78
and we have a number of programs
that cascade from those goals
00:17:51.81\00:17:54.59
so for example... in
the Health Care Space
00:17:54.62\00:17:56.76
we've just launched
a new program called
00:17:56.80\00:17:59.07
Health Care
Navigators which essentially is
00:17:59.11\00:18:01.35
kind of case-managed assistance
helping people to understand
00:18:01.39\00:18:06.03
the Affordable Care Act...
Obamacare... if you will...
00:18:06.06\00:18:10.06
and to ensure maximum
uptake and full understanding
00:18:10.09\00:18:14.05
conversancy of the
Affordable Care Act
00:18:14.09\00:18:16.62
so the Health
Navigator's Program...
00:18:16.65\00:18:19.11
working one-on-one to
ensure that lower-and-moderate
00:18:19.15\00:18:23.52
income people have
access to all the parameters
00:18:23.56\00:18:26.32
of the program...
In the Education Space
00:18:26.36\00:18:28.43
One second... one second...
let me just ask you about that
00:18:28.47\00:18:31.98
and that is so great because
I remember when Obamacare
00:18:32.01\00:18:35.49
first was launched
and nobody really knew
00:18:35.52\00:18:38.53
and still... don't
know what's in it...
00:18:38.57\00:18:41.51
and how can I
access... what's good for me...
00:18:41.55\00:18:45.08
so, what you're saying
is that in this Program...
00:18:45.12\00:18:48.36
you're letting people
know just what is there
00:18:48.39\00:18:51.57
and how they can access
the benefits of this program.
00:18:51.60\00:18:55.48
That's exactly right
and understanding their
00:18:55.52\00:18:57.62
obligations under
it... and I think...
00:18:57.65\00:19:00.01
the Administration...
for all of its strengths and
00:19:00.04\00:19:01.96
success... has done a very
poor job of doing the kind of
00:19:02.00\00:19:05.81
marketing and outreach
and communications strategies
00:19:05.84\00:19:08.76
around ensuring
smooth implementation
00:19:08.80\00:19:11.31
for their Affordable Care
Act. In fact, this morning,
00:19:11.35\00:19:13.36
I just read the newspaper...
that they are now delaying
00:19:13.40\00:19:15.34
implementation by one year
because they've not done that
00:19:15.37\00:19:17.92
early work and so...
Non-Profits... such as the
00:19:17.95\00:19:20.77
Urban League are really trying
to assist and be helpful to the
00:19:20.81\00:19:23.16
Administration to want to ensure
that folks know what's in there
00:19:23.19\00:19:26.58
but two, that they are prepared
and poised to make use of the
00:19:26.61\00:19:29.96
benefits that are embedded
in the program and to also
00:19:30.00\00:19:31.77
make sure... they are
compliant with the program
00:19:31.80\00:19:33.89
and that Program that we
are administering is called
00:19:33.93\00:19:35.98
The Health Care Navigators.
That's great, that's great OK...
00:19:36.02\00:19:39.29
all right... that's awesome...
Sure, sure, so I mean the
00:19:39.32\00:19:42.82
Education Space... we
have a number of programs
00:19:42.85\00:19:44.65
but the chassis... as it
were that we build our programs
00:19:44.68\00:19:49.00
around is what's
called "Project Ready"
00:19:49.04\00:19:50.76
which is a kind of supplemental
education program...
00:19:50.80\00:19:54.15
post-secondary... which allows
folks to prepare for College,
00:19:54.18\00:19:59.91
Work and Life...
really... whether it be...
00:19:59.95\00:20:02.68
the two-or-four-year
College, whether it be
00:20:02.71\00:20:05.24
vocational training,
jobs skills readiness,
00:20:05.28\00:20:07.73
certification
training for skills such as
00:20:07.77\00:20:11.00
construction trades or
healthcare industry jobs
00:20:11.04\00:20:13.80
and so Project Ready is
implemented by a number of
00:20:13.84\00:20:18.03
affiliates across the Country
and we've actually had a number
00:20:18.07\00:20:20.38
of Third-Party Evaluators
conclude that the program
00:20:20.42\00:20:25.98
Project Ready is one
of the most influential
00:20:26.01\00:20:28.57
supplemental education programs
that any Non-Profit runs
00:20:28.60\00:20:32.28
and we are seeing a great
investment and interest in
00:20:32.32\00:20:35.96
Foundation Space and
Government Space and also
00:20:36.00\00:20:38.26
Private Sector interests as
well that's... Project Ready
00:20:38.29\00:20:39.59
That is so
great... on your website...
00:20:39.62\00:20:42.61
I saw a young man and
perhaps he had gone through this
00:20:42.65\00:20:46.37
Project Ready... but he said...
If it weren't for this Program,
00:20:46.40\00:20:50.75
he would have been either
incarcerated... or dead...
00:20:50.79\00:20:54.84
because of this... he
is on his way to College
00:20:54.88\00:20:57.87
That's right... and so...
that's a wonderful example
00:20:57.91\00:21:01.21
as to how we try to actually
build... not programs in
00:21:01.25\00:21:04.52
isolation but a
continuum of programs...
00:21:04.55\00:21:07.51
that vignette that you saw
in our website comes from a
00:21:07.55\00:21:09.78
young man and a
present young man
00:21:09.82\00:21:11.59
from Cleveland, Ohio...
We're just... I mean, in May...
00:21:11.62\00:21:14.32
of announcing the
jobs We Build America
00:21:14.35\00:21:16.37
to really focusing the
conversation on jobs and
00:21:16.41\00:21:19.46
education as the key building
blocks for the African-American
00:21:19.50\00:21:22.77
Community... and
so... we did meet this
00:21:22.81\00:21:24.85
young man who was a
product of Project Ready
00:21:24.89\00:21:27.60
and I was also moved
into another program called
00:21:27.63\00:21:30.92
UYEP which stands for "The
Urban Youth Empowerment Program"
00:21:30.96\00:21:34.64
which is essentially a training
and preparatory program for
00:21:34.67\00:21:38.31
young people 18-25 who
may have been adjudicated
00:21:38.35\00:21:42.50
in the Criminal Justice System
may have had some early problems
00:21:42.54\00:21:46.58
that they are turning it
around, on the right track
00:21:46.62\00:21:49.68
and the Urban
League is assisting them...
00:21:49.72\00:21:51.66
in getting all
their money straight...
00:21:51.69\00:21:53.37
getting their
decision-making straight...
00:21:53.40\00:21:55.01
and connecting them
with employment opportunities
00:21:55.04\00:21:57.00
that's called UYEP... and
it's a demonstration program
00:21:57.03\00:21:59.67
we've been running with
the Department of Labor support
00:21:59.71\00:22:02.86
and other private-sector
interests for over 15 years
00:22:02.89\00:22:06.00
and so that young man...
who provided that testimonial
00:22:06.04\00:22:09.15
and I was there in the
audience and it was quite moving
00:22:09.19\00:22:11.71
he did say, absent of that
kind of intervention from the
00:22:11.74\00:22:13.89
Urban League... he fears
for... that he would have been
00:22:13.92\00:22:16.03
incarcerated... dead...
or... just certainly not on the
00:22:16.07\00:22:18.63
right track... and so... that
is a very nice tidbit as to...
00:22:18.67\00:22:21.30
you know, how we are empowering
communities and changing lives.
00:22:21.33\00:22:23.88
And you know... see...
this is so good... Cy...
00:22:23.91\00:22:27.39
because so many
people want to make changes
00:22:27.43\00:22:30.80
but they don't know
where the resources are...
00:22:30.83\00:22:33.97
you know... one of the
things that happened...
00:22:34.00\00:22:37.48
years and years ago...
when my younger son, Jason,
00:22:37.51\00:22:40.95
was coming up...
I had a friend...
00:22:40.99\00:22:43.07
that just knew
where everything was...
00:22:43.11\00:22:45.34
Oh... let's take
the kids over here
00:22:45.37\00:22:47.44
there's going to be
this... or... that... or
00:22:47.47\00:22:49.63
and if you don't
know... where things are...
00:22:49.66\00:22:51.68
if you don't know
where the resources are
00:22:51.72\00:22:53.67
to help improve your life...
then you just kind of float...
00:22:53.70\00:22:58.25
you're just kind of...
floating but if you know that,
00:22:58.29\00:23:01.54
"Hey, the Urban League has
this Program and that Program"
00:23:01.57\00:23:04.79
I can tap into that... and
it's free... there's no cost
00:23:04.82\00:23:10.48
That's exactly
right... and let me say this...
00:23:10.51\00:23:12.30
so, we spend a
little bit of time just now,
00:23:12.34\00:23:14.02
on your Program,
talking about some of the
00:23:14.06\00:23:15.67
pathologies and deficiencies
in the Black Community and
00:23:15.71\00:23:18.15
they are real and
everyone knows about them...
00:23:18.18\00:23:20.11
but there are a
number of strengths as well
00:23:20.14\00:23:22.03
and I want to
really focus on those,
00:23:22.06\00:23:23.27
Good... let's...
This concept that you just
00:23:23.30\00:23:25.62
introduced... and we
understand it best as...
00:23:25.66\00:23:27.91
A Social Capital Formation...
which essentially is...
00:23:27.94\00:23:31.06
a kind of Networks
of Trust and Reciprocity
00:23:31.09\00:23:35.27
within communities...
that allows for information
00:23:35.31\00:23:38.23
exchange... and have a positive
net effect and outcome...
00:23:38.27\00:23:41.69
for folks who are sharing
and receiving information...
00:23:41.72\00:23:44.55
so, for example, I
mean, in this context...
00:23:44.59\00:23:46.79
Social Capital can be measured
and it is very strong and
00:23:46.83\00:23:51.00
prevalent in the
African-American Community
00:23:51.04\00:23:53.33
think of the institutions that
really facilitate and grease
00:23:53.37\00:23:56.98
that kind of
information exchange...
00:23:57.02\00:23:58.28
the Barber Shop... the
Church... to a point...
00:23:58.31\00:24:01.47
HBCUs... these are institutions
that are designed to facilitate
00:24:01.50\00:24:06.30
the exchange and
flow of information
00:24:06.33\00:24:07.87
and in this regard, we
talked about the gender
00:24:07.90\00:24:10.17
differences
earlier... we see high levels of
00:24:10.20\00:24:12.40
African-American
females who are the chief portal
00:24:12.44\00:24:15.54
and point of contact for
these services and resources
00:24:15.57\00:24:18.63
that they then... in
turn... bring those back...
00:24:18.67\00:24:21.27
to their friends...
to their networks...
00:24:21.30\00:24:23.06
to their families...
to say, "You know what?
00:24:23.10\00:24:24.71
you need to go down to
the Urban League... they have
00:24:24.75\00:24:26.44
some wonderful
programs going on...
00:24:26.48\00:24:27.72
they have some
programs for your children...
00:24:27.76\00:24:29.68
some programs for
your colleagues...
00:24:29.71\00:24:32.24
and so that kind of
Social Capital leveraging...
00:24:32.27\00:24:34.76
is quite a strong dynamic
in the Black Community...
00:24:34.79\00:24:37.97
and we're really trying
to tap and leverage that...
00:24:38.01\00:24:39.67
that is... each
one... teach one... really...
00:24:39.71\00:24:41.76
Yes... ... and
that is... the informal
00:24:41.79\00:24:44.41
network that sears
through our community
00:24:44.45\00:24:47.00
and can be built
upon... and it's an area that...
00:24:47.03\00:24:50.70
in the
African-American Community...
00:24:50.73\00:24:53.60
is stronger than any other
00:24:53.63\00:24:55.26
including Main
Stream White America...
00:24:55.30\00:24:56.64
That is tremendous...
that is tremendous...
00:24:56.67\00:25:00.11
and I'm so glad
that you did that...
00:25:00.14\00:25:01.97
that you focused... you
know.. we do... often...
00:25:02.00\00:25:05.40
look at the deficiencies
because we want to address those
00:25:05.44\00:25:08.20
but we also... have to
look at the strengths...
00:25:08.23\00:25:11.03
and buttress those...
and reinforce those...
00:25:11.06\00:25:13.82
so that's
really... a great point...
00:25:13.85\00:25:15.93
that we do have
strengths... that we can really
00:25:15.96\00:25:19.10
take advantage of... and use...
00:25:19.14\00:25:21.03
for the betterment
of the Community...
00:25:21.07\00:25:22.85
That's right... and
there's one other Program
00:25:22.89\00:25:25.13
that I just want to mention...
because it's a major focal point
00:25:25.17\00:25:27.50
of ours... right now...
it's the Entrepreneurship Work
00:25:27.53\00:25:31.16
and our
Small-Business-Development Work
00:25:31.20\00:25:32.44
we've punched a lot of
numbers and researched data
00:25:32.48\00:25:35.00
that suggest that...
small business formation
00:25:35.03\00:25:38.47
still remains quite
high in the Black Community
00:25:38.50\00:25:41.91
however, the
knowledge and understanding
00:25:41.94\00:25:44.23
and success with tapping
into Federal and State Level
00:25:44.50\00:25:48.06
small-business assistance
programs and loan programs
00:25:48.10\00:25:51.62
lags behind...
Main Stream America
00:25:51.66\00:25:54.93
significantly... and so...
we have an initiative called
00:25:54.97\00:25:58.82
The
Entrepreneurship Center Model
00:25:58.86\00:26:00.60
in 10 cities across the Country
00:26:00.63\00:26:02.31
where we are actively providing
coaching, economic support,
00:26:02.34\00:26:06.08
mentoring... to
small-business owners
00:26:06.12\00:26:08.89
to help the existing
small-business owners,
00:26:08.92\00:26:10.52
to help them take their
businesses to the next level...
00:26:10.56\00:26:12.45
and providing loans
00:26:12.49\00:26:14.36
at what we call
the Mezzanine Level
00:26:14.39\00:26:15.79
that's $50,000 to $250,000
which can be integral...
00:26:15.82\00:26:20.46
and significant to
a small-business owner
00:26:20.50\00:26:22.83
whether it's a Beauty
Salon... whether it's...
00:26:22.87\00:26:25.93
a major initiative for
us now is in Franchising
00:26:25.96\00:26:29.08
in Gas Stations and also
Fast Food Establishments...
00:26:29.12\00:26:32.46
These can be really the
on-roads for economic success
00:26:32.49\00:26:35.93
for Business-minded and
Business-oriented individuals...
00:26:35.96\00:26:39.18
the issue there, Yvonne,
though is... in many cases...
00:26:39.21\00:26:41.91
in Black Communities...
because we're not tapping into
00:26:41.94\00:26:44.60
these public
sector loan programs
00:26:44.64\00:26:46.81
we're financing these
business endeavors on our own...
00:26:46.84\00:26:49.99
so in many ways... you cannot...
00:26:50.03\00:26:51.41
disentangle your
business interests from your
00:26:51.44\00:26:55.11
personal interests...
it's your personal Credit Score
00:26:55.14\00:26:57.29
for example... that has a
lot to do on whether you get
00:26:57.32\00:26:59.75
a small business loan...
or not it has to do with your
00:26:59.78\00:27:02.37
personal decision making...
your personal finances...
00:27:02.41\00:27:04.78
so, we teach against
that... we want to encourage
00:27:04.81\00:27:07.02
small business development...
business formation
00:27:07.05\00:27:09.22
but understanding that
the decisions that you make
00:27:09.26\00:27:11.39
in advance of
launching your small business
00:27:11.43\00:27:14.37
has a massive
explanatory power...
00:27:14.40\00:27:17.17
in how successful you'll be...
00:27:17.21\00:27:19.91
so we are trying to
reach people early...
00:27:19.94\00:27:21.58
reach people with strength...
letting them know that
00:27:21.61\00:27:24.90
you know, you need to clear
up some things from the past
00:27:24.93\00:27:27.10
there are techniques and
strategies that you can use
00:27:27.13\00:27:29.29
to boost your Credit
Score and we're really trying to
00:27:29.33\00:27:31.45
evangelize... that
message across the Country.
00:27:31.49\00:27:33.72
Thank you so much
Cy... I can't believe
00:27:33.76\00:27:36.49
that our time is up...
This time went by... so fast...
00:27:36.52\00:27:40.32
and you gave us
such great information
00:27:40.36\00:27:42.95
I want to
encourage our viewers...
00:27:42.98\00:27:45.50
to make sure that you
call the Urban League...
00:27:45.54\00:27:49.46
find out which programs
that you can take advantage of
00:27:49.49\00:27:53.55
and go there... and learn...
Well, that's it for our Program
00:27:53.59\00:27:58.34
we hope that this Program
today has inspired you...
00:27:58.38\00:28:01.35
May God bless
you... Tune in next time...
00:28:01.38\00:28:03.79
it just wouldn't be
the same... without you.
00:28:03.82\00:28:06.19