But even with all the potential they have they seem to be stifled for some reason and for a long time I couldn't understand why? However after having conversation from members of other organizations and taking a closer look at my own fraternity, I realized transition is not happening. Another way to explain the lack of transition is that the baton is not being passed.
Imagine turning on the Summer Olympics, and all the various country's have lined up at the starting block. Each one represents a different community and every leg of the race the next generation. In order to have a successful race the baton must be passed with such precision and timing that most of us barely notice it has been passed.
As we look at the race almost inevitably there is a group that has issues with passing the baton from one person to the next. The older experience teammate doesn't communicate to the new generation runner and then you see the baton bobbled in the air and eventually drop to the ground. All while this is happening the other teams have transitioned from one runner to the next with ease.
The new generation runner picks up the baton and does their best to catch up to the other relay teams. But they are so far behind in the race they have to run twice as hard and fast as the previous generation just to make sure they don't let the same thing happen to the next generational runner.
So what does this have to do with the Young Gifted and Black in America. Well many of us want to take on leadership roles or at least begin to learn from those before us. However it seems the YG&B can't seem to even get into training. The baton is dangled over our head like a carrot. And then we are chastised because we don't perform like we should
Well it may be time that the Young Gifted and Black do what we should have done a long time ago and thats snatch the baton! Its our leg of the race and we have a lot of catching up to do. We need to make strides in Education, Business, Politics, Community involvement.
If our generation does not become more aggressive and take charge of the future of our community we will get further and further behind in the race. There are so many of us Young, Gifted and Black who know what it takes for us to make up time in the race. We have the connections, education and drive that can lead make up ground and not only catch up to the other runners in the race, but even pass them by.
