The EXTRA-Ordinary Black Male

So I was at this leadership conference at my school and I was talking to the President of one of the Greek fraternities. He had attended the minimum amount of workshops required as his duty of President and he said,"I've done my job, I'm about to leave." It was like twelve and the conference ended at maybe three so I replied,"Next time you should think about exceeding your duties, go above and beyond, don't just be ordinary, be Extra-ordinary." Then, ideas just started flooding my head about the "Extra-Ordinary Black Male" so like people of our generation, I took out my cell phone and started jotting them in my notes app. I eventually turned it into a speech that I introduced to the young men in my high school band. I was well received. I talked about how in order to be extraordinary you have to exceed your regular duties, stay a step ahead by creating a name for yourself, and be ambitious. I plan to go back and do a follow up on goal setting. Hopefully I'll make a man out of one these boys.

Everyone always asks what do I know about being a man. Its funny because I know nothing! But I know what I'm looking for so that's what I try to pass on.
When I think of an EXTRA-Ordinary black male, I think of a man who has his head on straight. Some one who does not sleep on a college education and takes advantage of every opportunity afforded to him. A man who knows where he is going and works hard to get there. This man has to have goals,a career-plan. Right now, black women are coming close to out-doing black men in the corporate world. It is so admirable to see a young college student working at a job that can further his job opportunities rather than working at your local restaurants and retail stores. EXTRA-Ordinary is some one who is well respected by others and takes care of his business. Some one once said surround yourself with your better or your equal, not your lesser.(Side note* I absolutely hate seeing thugs in college. Grow up! Let's just be honest, you'll never build your career in that state of mind). What also makes a guy, the EXTRA-Ordinary Black Male is his ability to defy every negative statistic about black men. Images like black men who abandon unwed mothers,go to jail instead of college, spread disease and put black women at the top of the charts with HIV/AIDS,and do nothing for the evolution of the black family have to be changed. If the statistics aren't enough, the media sure puts a shining light on it! The black family is indeed in trouble. Women are heading black families because the males are absent. Black males being absent in the home is a cycle that has to end and it starts with the EXTRA-Ordinary black males out there who will not produce babies out of wed-lock and those who will take care of the families that they start when they get married. Check the stats, its all there.

I didn't mean for this to sound like the lecture I gave but I just wanted to give an idea of what I meant. Peace, Love, and :-)