AKAs, Omegas providing economic leadership
The Truth Clinic
AKAs, Omegas providing economic leadership
By James W. Clingman
In 1998, I spoke at the organizing meeting of the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce. In addition to the occasion of black folks taking control of their economic resources, the meeting was even more special for me because it was held in a building that the local Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority built and owned. I was so proud to be speaking about economic empowerment within a glowing example of economic empowerment. I remember pointing out that we need more examples of ownership among our sororities and fraternities.
Eight years later, I am pleased to see these organizations implementing real economic empowerment strategies. Guided by intelligent, conscious, and aggressive leaders, sororities and fraternities are using their tremendous collective leverage to effect positive economic change via real estate development, technology, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, banking, and other areas in which their members have expertise.
I recently came in contact with two of those leaders, and it was a pleasure to hear their plans and share their visions for helping to move our people into the 21st cen- tury of economic empowerment.
Barbara McKinzie, the newlyinstalled international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, is a sister with whom I thoroughly enjoyed talking. She has that rare combination of consciousness and commitment, under girded by a wealth of talent and experience in finance as a certified public accountant. It did not take long for me to see that McKinzie definitely understands not only what it will take to move us forward economically, she is also willing and quite able to support her words with action.
In her new role with the AKAs, the oldest sorority (200,000 members worldwide), Barbara said she will continue her quest to empower our youth by preparing them to be leaders and instilling in them her philosophy of "making excellence a habit." McKinzie also has adopted the theme "Continued Improvement," which has to do with enhancing and strengthening our basic competencies, and encourages a "pay as you go, not after you get there" system among black people. Now I like that.
One of the most impressive things McKinzie shared with me was this thought: "You can't give what you don't own." She gets it. She knows that for our people to be economically empowered, we
must be owners of wealth-generating assets. She cited the age-old, wrong-headed message that has gone out to our youth for years- "Get an education and get a good job." Instead of that message, McKinzie strongly advocates for business ownership and business growth, which is indeed the proper economic message for our people. Barbara McKinzie is a blessing and a model for the brand of leadership we need. Congratulations to her and the AKAs.
The other leader I want to highlight is Warren Lee, newly-elected grand basileus of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. I met Brother Lee during a recent visit to Dallas, when he emphasized his commitment to the theme: "Economic Empowerment Leading to Social and Political Change." Lee, an entrepreneur himself, understands that by devising and implementing economic initiatives that establish and grow businesses, black people will be empowered. He also knows how important home ownership is for black people, who are at the bottom in that category, and that is where he is placing his emphasis.
Lee has adopted Claud Anderson's Powernomics philosophy, which is refreshing. Many of our brothers and sisters who claim to be leaders are reluctant to
espouse and support anything that is all black, despite the fact that their organizations and those whom they supposedly lead are all black. How sad it is to be so conditioned that you would not support your own people unless other groups are involved. Warren Lee is just the opposite. He knows who he is and he is not ashamed or afraid to claim it.
Lee said, "We have the capacity to be a lot better and to do a lot more when it comes to having a positive impact on black people. It's not that we are against anyone; we are simply for black people, and we will contribute what we can to the cause of black economic empowerment." Lee's local Omega chapter in Dallas recently started an investment club called, "Omeganomix." Dallas entrepreneur and Omega man, Detrick DeBurr, describes it as "economics in the mix," which enhances economic literacy and builds wealth simultaneously.
In my call for and support of new black leadership, these two leaders fit the bill. There is a document making its way into black newspapers, on radio talk shows, and around the Internet called "Open Letter to Black America, It's Time to Bring Back Black," which poses some questions about our direction and, of course, our leadership. An excerpt from that letter states:
"Enough is enough, black people are in need of leaders who without apology are committed to the very real needs of black Americans. We urge our leaders who feel trapped by their blackness to go quickly to the task of providing leadership for other groups so that we can get away from their mis-leadership long enough to get out of our current political and economic ditch."
You will never know how good it makes me feel to know that Barbara McKinzie and Warren Lee are around. I know the Kappas, Alphas, Deltas, Zetas, Sigmas and any that I omitted, are doing similar things on economic issues. Please let me hear from you. Let's spread the word about this most important subject: economic empowerment.
James E. Clingman, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati's African American Studies department, is former editor of the Cincinnati Herald newspaper and founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce. He hosts the radio program, "Blackonomics," and has written several books, including "Blacko Knowledge-Stuff." For more information, go to his website,
www.blackonomics.com or call him at (513) 489-4132
Linear Mode
