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Learning to Fish: What to Do Versus How to Do It

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"If you give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day.  If you teach a man to fish you will feed him for a lifetime."  Unknown Proverb

There is a huge difference between telling a hungry man that all he needs to do to alleviate his hunger is to go and catch a fish, and teaching him how to provide for himself.  This difference is the subtle, yet significant difference between my position and that of a poster I was interacting with online. 

I really didn't plan for this to happen this way.  This all started as a simple comment made in response to a Facebook post.  But, in going back and forth, I realized that maybe, just maybe, Facebook as a forum for serious in-depth discussion has its limitations. 

As such, I decided to utilize a more effective method for addressing a complex, multifaceted situation.  The catalyst for this article can be found in this Facebook exchange with the Black Economic Think Tank.

It began as a simple difference of opinion that morphed into a larger scaled discussion about community building, the role entrepreneurship can play in providing for one's family, and what role policy can play, if any, in addressing some of the issues we face.

I am of the belief that the quote by Elizabeth Warren about WHY people oppose an increase in the minimum wage is an accurate representation of the position of those who are against raising the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. 
I don't necessarily believe that simply raising the minimum wage will solve many of the issues we face as a nation with regards to income inequity (More about that Here), but I do believe that it can be a part of the solution to the overall problem of the rich getting extremely wealthy, while everyone else falls behind.

First off, I'll begin by stating that I actually agree with the poster in most of what he is saying.  I firmly believe that the true power of the Black community will only be fully realized once we develop TRUE economic empowerment.  I agree that we, as the "masses" need to start looking to create our own jobs, both for ourselves as well as for those in our communities.  And I agree that when your back is pressed against the wall, you do what you need to do in order to provide for you and yours.

I am well aware of the numbers.  The Black community, as an economic block, possesses $1.1 Trillion of consumer resources.  Unfortunately, a majority of that "power" flows right out of our communities because we own few to none of the businesses that actually "serve" our communities.  A Black dollar leaves the Black community almost as quickly as it comes into the Black community. 

Even though we comprise approximately 13 percent of the population, Black businesses comprise a mere 7% of all businesses in the nation. Our businesses tend to generate less revenue and hire fewer employees than their white owned counterparts.  Ultimately, our businesses tend to be less successful overall.  And that is to the detriment of our entire community.  The Black unemployment rate is officially TWICE that of the general population.  And alarmingly, it is significantly higher for young Black men ages 16 - 24.




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  • Home
    • About Us: The BlackPrint Statement of Purpose
    • Today in Blackness >
      • May in Blackness
      • Quote of the Day >
        • Quote of the Day March
        • Quote of the Day February
        • Quote of the Day January
        • Quote of the Day December
        • Quote of the Day November
        • Quote of the Day October
        • Quote of the Day September
        • Quote of the Day August
        • Quote of the Day July
        • Quote of the Day June
        • Quote of the Day May
  • Learn To Fish
    • The Case For Black Entreprenuership
    • How to File For A Tax ID Number
    • Getting Organized For Business >
      • Getting Organized For Business 2
    • The Case Against the 40 Hour Workweek
  • Shoulders of Giants
    • Giant: Patrice Lumumba
    • Giant: Nat Turner
    • The Donkey's Sin - Ethiopian Parable
    • Giant: Haile Selassie
    • Giant: Madame CJ Walker
    • Giant: Hannibal Barca
    • Giant: George Washingon Carver
    • Giant: Sojourner Truth
    • Giant: Toussaint L'Ouverture
    • Giant: Harriet Tubman
    • Giant: Huey Newton
    • Giant: Marcus Garvey
  • Mind On My Money
    • 6 Terms to Master Financial Literacy
    • Black Wealth By The Numbers
    • Blackonomics 102: State of The Black Owned Businesses
    • Blackonomics 101: State of the Black Economy
    • 25 Resources For Getting Your Business Off the Ground
    • Black Investing 101: Invest In Stocks For Your Kids
    • How to Introduce Your Child to Money - Infographic
    • Black Investing 101: Invest In Companies You Support
    • Black Personal Finance 101
    • Getting on Track
    • Managing Debt >
      • Addicted To Debt
      • THEY Don't Want You to Know
      • Dirty Little Secrets
      • Your Rights As a Consumer
    • Understanding Credit >
      • Why Credit Matters
      • About Your Credit Score
      • Optimize Your Credit Score
      • By the Numbers
  • Unruly Intellectual Blog