The Black Paper

While I am not a political pundit, by any stretch of the imagination, I am very interested in how human beings create powerful, masterful performance, especially those of African descent. I am fascinated by the recent performance of Barack Obama and how he  demonstrates Mastery.

I recently cruised the Greek Isles, on the NPN Cruise, Education at Sea, which was a speaker’s cruise. I  participated in a panel discussion titled “Can Barack Win?” The panel was moderated by Carole Simpson, former anchorwoman for ABC News. Simpson moderated the 1992 presidential debate; she was the first woman and first African American to do so.

I was tapped to present the “Generation X” perspective on Obama’s candidacy. I was honored to participate with Michael Eric Dyson, and his wife, Marcia, on the panel. Michael is a powerful orator, and a great thinker, so I had my work cut out for me!

I believe that Obama has powerful chance at the presidency and that Generation X, Y and the Millennials will help him get there. African-Americans of the Baby Boomer generation, at least on the cruise, were doubtful at the time (August 2008), that he could win. Many believed that America was too racist to elect a Black man as president. I disagreed with them and here’s why:

As a Gen Xer (generally considered to be born between 1965 and 1981, I am deeply aware of how exhausted and occasionally cynical Black Boomers can be. And I understand. The Black Boomer Generation was one that fought bravely and tirelessly for civil rights, only to then have to deal with the struggle of fighting and  negotiating to achieve “parity” in corporate America.  They labored long and hard to kick the doors down so that the current generation, as well as future generations, could have equal opportunity, thereby setting the stage to have a viable black candidate in the presidential race.  Our Black Boomers might not be blamed for being tired and slighly afraid to believe in the possibility that, finally, one of their own has arrived, to claim potentially the highest office in the land.

During the panel, I discussed how not only did Generation X play a major role in delivering Iowa and Missouri to Obama, coming to the polls in unprecedented numbers, but also that Obama essentially ran a Gen X and Y campaign, effectively leveraging social networking, grass roots, web based fundraising, and many other technologies that were decidedly progressive, leaving Hillary Clinton, and other contenders, in the dust.

And Obama, who is on the cusp between Boomer and Generation X has able to attract an inter-generational base of supporters and his campaign has utilized the more holistic approach of Generation X and Y in an effort to create something more holistic that crosses ideological, racial, and geographic barriers.

I say in the Black Paper, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised…It is Internal.” Any substantive change in our community will come from the Evolution of our thinking and behavior.

Obama has run an evolutionary campaign. He is the embodiment of all that our ancestors aspired to, and the culmination of decades of struggle in the Black community.

I say, its time for the Revolutionaries (the Boomers) to believe a little, hope a little and know that the Evolution is now.  It’s time for the Evolutionaries (Gen X ers and younger) to step up to the plate. Most importantly, it is time for us to set aside doubt, fear, cynicsm,  mistrust, join forces, and stand in unity.

Here are a couple of inspiring videos that illustrates the power of belief…as interpreted by Generation X and Y, and the Millennials.

You can find out more about this video project visit http://www.hopeactchange.com/

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