THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE MADISON TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changing the world’s view

By Martinez White

As a Black male teen aiming to change insecurities of the people of the world, attending the 2005 NAACP National Convention and sharing an optimistic environment with powerful, legendary Black leaders was definitely a great experience for me. Being granted the grand opportunity to hear the live voices of great Black men such as Jesse Jackson and Julian Bond speaking on issues like education gaps and voter disenfranchisement ignited my wick of inspiration that will never burn out.

Because many young people do not get the rare opportunity to experience such a monumental event, I made every minute of my time spent at this year’s convention worthwhile.

I talked to Jerry Hamilton, the president of the Milwaukee branch of the NAACP, who spoke about the need for today’s young people to be conscientious about the language they choose to use. She expressed the importance for teens to represent the African-American race with pride and dignity by thinking before speaking and not using derogatory words like “nigga” in casual conversations. She also told me she believes a great deal of teens use this word because they are angry at one another and need a way to express their feelings.

Being introduced to Hilary Shelton, the director of the Washington Bureau of the NAACP, Tom White, Wisconsin State NAACP President, and former NAACP President Benjamin Hooks made me feel important, and made me believe that being a powerful Black man in America isn’t impossible. It simply takes a dream, focus, and faith. Due to the fact I’ve never been around so many positive, powerful Black men in my life, being in a building full of them for an entire day can only be described as “sitting on top of the world.” Pure emotions were derived from my soul as I sat in awe, listening to the verbal greatness of men in such proximity. These men were closest to deceased legends like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Thurgood Marshall, and even Milwaukee’s own O.C. White and Dr. Bop.

After being a part of Black history by attending Milwaukee’s first-ever NAACP National Convention, my mission of changing the insecurities in the world’s people remains the same, and my future plans are brighter knowing that there are other Black males, young and old, in society with the same mission. The NAACP National Convention helped me realize that I’m not alone in the struggle for African-American civil rights.